Seyvid Barghash, Sultan of Zanzibar, Africa, from the Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers series (N189) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

This small printed card depicting Seyyid Barghash, Sultan of Zanzibar, was produced by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. as part of its series "Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers." These cards, distributed with tobacco products, reflect the 19th-century European and American fascination with, and often derogatory representations of, non-Western leaders and cultures. Seyyid Barghash ruled Zanzibar during a period of significant change, navigating complex relationships with European powers while overseeing economic growth fueled by the slave trade and clove production. This image, however, flattens this history into a caricature, reinforcing colonial narratives of the "exotic" and "uncivilized" Other. The card's title is not just descriptive, but judgmental, embedding racist assumptions about the Sultan and his rule. What emotional response do we have to such blatant misrepresentation? How do we, as viewers, contend with the legacy of colonialism embedded in such images, and what responsibility do we have to challenge these narratives?