Social Settlements: United States. Alabama. Calhoun. "Calhoun Colored School": Agencies Promoting Assimilation of the Negro. Calhoun Colored School, Calhoun, Ala.: Community Church. c. 1902

Editor: This photograph, attributed to Frances Benjamin Johnston, shows the interior of the Calhoun Colored School in Alabama. The wooden structure, sparsely furnished, feels heavy with unspoken stories. What can you tell me about the symbolism at play here? Curator: Notice the stark simplicity of the space. The rough-hewn benches and unfinished walls evoke a sense of both resilience and imposed limitation. What emotional response does the image elicit, and how does the physical space contribute to this feeling? Editor: It feels…stark. Almost oppressive. But I also see a determination in the order of the benches, a preparation for learning. Curator: Precisely. The image functions as a powerful cultural artifact, capturing the complex and often contradictory narratives surrounding education, race, and cultural assimilation in that era. Editor: I hadn’t thought about the contradictions so explicitly. The image really does hold a lot more than I initially perceived. Curator: Indeed. Visual symbols often whisper volumes about cultural memory.