Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton. Hampton Normal and Industrial School: Agencies Promoting Assimilation of the Negro. Training Negro Girls in Domestic Science. Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va. 1899 - 1900

Curator: This is a photographic print by Frances Benjamin Johnston, simply titled "Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton..." It depicts young women at the Hampton Normal and Industrial School. Editor: It's stark, almost a study in contrasts. The textures of the wooden tubs, the starched fabrics, and the plain dresses against the institutional setting. Curator: The Hampton Institute, as it was known, aimed to educate African Americans, emphasizing vocational skills like those shown here: laundry work. Editor: And the photograph itself becomes part of that system, doesn't it? A document meant to showcase the school's mission of assimilation through labor. Curator: Precisely. Johnston’s lens, while seemingly objective, actively participates in shaping the narrative of progress and the role of African Americans within it. Editor: Viewing it now, we can consider how these images contributed to social and political structures that perpetuated specific expectations and opportunities. Curator: It is a stark reminder that art and media never exist in a vacuum. They are active participants in culture and power. Editor: Yes, it makes you consider the materials and the message, who is in control, and what exactly are they constructing?