Social Settlements: United States. Alabama. Calhoun. "Calhoun Colored School": Agencies Promoting Assimilation of the Negro. Training Negro Girls in Domestic Science. Calhoun Colored School, Calhoun, Ala. 1901

Curator: This photograph, attributed to Frances Benjamin Johnston, shows the Calhoun Colored School in Alabama, featuring scenes of laundry and carpentry classes. Editor: The immediate impression is one of forced order—the gendered division of labor starkly presented in these two frames. The symbolism here is powerful, and not in a good way. Curator: Exactly. The title, "Agencies Promoting Assimilation of the Negro," speaks volumes about the problematic goals of such institutions. The image serves as a visual document of the strategies employed to control and confine Black individuals. Editor: And yet, within the imposed structure, I see potential for resistance. The focused faces of the students, the tools they wield—these carry their own weight. The hammer, the iron… Curator: Perhaps. But we must acknowledge the power dynamics at play. This isn't merely about skill acquisition; it’s about social engineering, reinforcing societal expectations, and, frankly, a denial of full citizenship. Editor: True. It's a disquieting visual, prompting reflection on the complex interplay of oppression and resilience. Curator: A necessary, if uncomfortable, reminder of the insidious nature of institutional control.