Milton Valentine before 1882

This is William H. Tipton's portrait of Milton Valentine. The sepia-toned photograph, mounted in a book, captures Valentine in a formal suit, a visual marker of his position as a college president in the late 19th century. Tipton was well-known for his photographs of Civil War battlefields. In contrast, this image shows a society portrait, and provides a window into the visual representation of power and respectability during this era. However, it also invites us to reflect on who is included, and excluded, from these halls of power. The absence of people of color and women in such portraits speaks volumes about the social hierarchies of the time. The photograph becomes a poignant reminder of the complex intersections of identity, history, and representation.