Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton. Hampton Normal and Industrial School: Agencies Promoting Assimilation of the Negro. Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va.: Musical Organizations. 1899 - 1900

Curator: Frances Benjamin Johnston’s photograph, titled “Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton. Hampton Normal and Industrial School: Agencies Promoting Assimilation of the Negro. Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va.: Musical Organizations” presents two musical ensembles. Editor: The stark contrast between the musicians and the white buildings behind them immediately strikes me—there’s a formality, but also something unsettling about the whole scene. Curator: Johnston documented the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, showcasing its role in the assimilation of African Americans. The images highlight the institution's efforts to teach trades and foster cultural practices. Editor: Right, the instruments themselves—the brass band versus the stringed instruments—suggest different forms of labor and cultural expression being promoted. The very act of photographing these musical groups seems designed to project a specific image of progress. Curator: The materiality of the photograph itself, the paper and printing process, speaks to a specific moment in history and the technology available to document and disseminate these images. Editor: Absolutely, and it also reveals the power structures at play: who controlled the means of representation, and what narratives were being constructed. A complex visual document. Curator: Indeed, a fascinating and loaded image.