Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton. Hampton Normal and Industrial School: Agencies Promoting Assimilation of the Negro. Training for Commercial and Industrial Employment. Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va. 1899 - 1900

Curator: This arresting silver gelatin print, attributed to Frances Benjamin Johnston, captures scenes at the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. It’s titled "Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton..." quite a mouthful, isn't it? Editor: It’s a diptych, really, isn't it? The tonal range gives it such a studious, almost reverent atmosphere. I'm particularly struck by the contrast between the hands-on physics class and the more formal economics lecture. Two paths, perhaps, to a similar destination? Curator: The title, especially that phrase "Agencies Promoting Assimilation," speaks volumes about the era's complex, often misguided, social engineering. Each classroom becomes a stage for this assimilation narrative. Editor: Yes, and look at the symbols. The physics lab, with its beakers and equipment, represents progress and scientific advancement, yet is shadowed by the implicit expectation of conformity. The blackboard in the economics class, a tool of knowledge, also symbolizes control, wouldn't you say? Curator: Absolutely. It’s a window into a specific moment in history, fraught with tension and aspiration. The students' expressions... that's where the real story resides. A quiet determination. Editor: Indeed. It's a visual echo of a time, a reminder of both the ambitions and the inherent contradictions of such institutions. It certainly offers a lot to contemplate.