Social Settlements: United States. New York. New York City. "Christ Church House": Christ Church House, New York City: Library - 1906 1906

Editor: This is "Christ Church House, New York City: Library" by Percy Byron, taken in 1906. It's a photograph, and it feels almost staged, like a tableau vivant. What strikes you about this image? Curator: I see a powerful statement on class and gender roles in early 20th century New York. The 'settlement house' movement aimed to assimilate immigrants and the working class into middle-class norms, often through the guise of social reform. Editor: So, the women in the photo… Curator: They're likely participants in programs designed to ‘uplift’ them. Consider the implicit power dynamics and the social engineering at play. How do we read this image critically, acknowledging the colonial undertones of such initiatives? Editor: That’s a completely different way to view the image, considering the social issues at hand. Curator: Exactly. It’s a visual document ripe for deconstruction.