South Carolina, from Flags of the States and Territories (N11) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Editor: This is "South Carolina, from Flags of the States and Territories," a print made in 1888 by Allen & Ginter. It’s quite small, and a bit… well, cartoonish, for a state flag! The idealized figures on the flag juxtaposed with what seem like agricultural workers below is a stark contrast. What cultural messages do you think it conveys? Curator: This is a potent, albeit miniature, visual statement. Notice the classical figure of Liberty alongside what appears to be a colonial militiaman; even the angel blowing a trumpet adds to that iconography. It's all carefully staged, isn’t it? They hold aloft medallions... Are those meant to convey power or promise, or something else entirely? Editor: Perhaps… a promise of prosperity? I’m struck by the laborers shown below the flag. Curator: Exactly! Think about what those specific visual choices – the figures included and excluded – tell us about the values and aspirations being projected. How do these visual symbols interact, especially considering the history of the American South in 1888? Are we seeing celebration or something more complicated? Editor: Complicated, I think. Is the angel suggesting a divine endorsement of… what exactly? It feels almost propagandistic now that I examine all its elements closely. Curator: It is worth contemplating how objects such as this tobacco card work on us, even unconsciously. They subtly encode societal beliefs, reinforcing them across generations. These images operate in our cultural memory, perpetuating specific narratives. Editor: It makes you wonder about the narratives that have been erased or never had a chance to be told. This tiny flag carries quite a weight. Curator: Indeed. And recognizing that weight allows us to examine our own responses, and consider whose stories are privileged and whose are suppressed, visually and otherwise.