Officer, Slocum Light Guards, Providence, Rhode Island, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This small lithograph, "Officer, Slocum Light Guards, Providence, Rhode Island," was produced by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as a promotional item for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. These cards offer a glimpse into the late 19th-century fascination with military pageantry and the idealization of uniformed officers. Consider the context: these cards circulated widely, shaping public perceptions of masculinity, authority, and patriotism. The clean-cut image and proud stance of the officer present a romanticized version of military service. But, beyond this idealized representation lies a complex history of race, class, and power. The Slocum Light Guards, like many militia groups of the time, were composed primarily of white, middle-class men. The image then becomes emblematic of exclusion and the reinforcement of a specific social hierarchy, where certain bodies are valorized while others are marginalized. How do we reconcile the visual appeal with the underlying message of social division?