Joe Cotton, from The World's Racers series (N32) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph, "Joe Cotton, from The World's Racers series," was created for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes, sometime in the late 19th century. It's printed on thin paper stock, probably using a multi-stone process that allowed for a range of colors, building up an image of Joe Cotton riding his horse. It depicts the famous African American jockey who achieved prominence in the late 1800s. What I find particularly interesting about this piece is how it reflects the intersection of industry, leisure, and social representation at the time. The card was included in cigarette packs as a promotional item, tapping into the growing popularity of both horse racing and tobacco consumption. Chromolithography enabled mass production of visually appealing cards, making them accessible to a wide audience. Moreover, the image immortalizes Joe Cotton, a Black athlete, at a time when racial representation was fraught with complexity and contradiction. It’s fascinating how the imagery immortalizes Cotton as an individual while also being a commercial object.