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

Editor: This photograph by Frances Benjamin Johnston shows the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute band. I find the image incredibly striking. How should we interpret the politics of this image? Curator: This photograph captures a complex moment in American history. Schools like Hampton were designed to assimilate Black and Native American students. The band represents this assimilation, but also, I think, the students' agency in creating community. Editor: So, the act of making music together becomes a form of resistance? Curator: Precisely. While the school promoted a specific agenda, the students likely found solidarity and self-expression through their music. What do you think this says about the role of institutions in shaping culture? Editor: It shows institutions aren't monolithic; they are spaces of both control and creativity. That's something to consider. Curator: Indeed, it highlights the nuanced ways in which art and culture intersect with power and identity.