Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton. Hampton Normal and Industrial School: Environments Impeding the Assimilation of the Negro. Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va.: Model Barn at Hampton. 1899 - 1900

Editor: This photograph, "Model Barn at Hampton" by Frances Benjamin Johnston, shows a barnyard scene. The livestock and the barn itself seem well-kept. What strikes me most is the title of the series, which suggests this idyllic scene is meant to highlight a specific kind of environment. What do you make of the contrast between the image and the title? Curator: The image as a symbol here is doing double duty. A well-maintained barn signifies prosperity and order, virtues associated with assimilation. Yet, the very act of showcasing this "model" betrays an anxiety about how Black Americans were perceived and integrated into society. The barn becomes a stage for proving worth. Editor: So the barn becomes a symbol of social expectations and pressures? Curator: Precisely. And the very existence of this image, within that series, highlights the complex and often fraught relationship between representation, reality, and the desire for belonging. It prompts us to question whose vision of assimilation is being promoted and at what cost. Editor: It's fascinating how a seemingly simple barnyard scene can reveal such layers of meaning. Thanks!