Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton. Hampton Normal and Industrial School: Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va. c. 1900

Editor: This is a photographic print by Frances Benjamin Johnston, showing an "Indian mother and child" and a "Baby in cradle" at the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. The images feel very intimate and personal. What stands out to you? Curator: The cradleboard is rich in symbolism. Note the patterns and materials. These aren’t just decorative; they’re imbued with cultural meaning, possibly clan affiliations or prayers for the child's future. What stories do you think these symbols tell? Editor: It makes me wonder about the story of cultural assimilation implied by the setting of the Hampton Institute. Curator: Precisely. These images exist within a complex history. The symbols are a powerful reminder of cultural survival amid forced assimilation. We must ask ourselves what is included, what is omitted, and why. Editor: I never considered how much symbolism could be embedded within something as simple as a cradle. Curator: Indeed. Images like these prompt us to consider the enduring power of symbols to carry cultural memory.