"Mrs. N. Smith and Family"
Print from a glass plate negative, 1920
This image of an unidentified man and woman was taken during the period where the price for a photograph dropped because of cheaper materials and competition. Around the state, galleries arose in each town, run by a photographer who took work of every kind.
Image Credit: Virginia Historical Society
Tom Molineaux
Hand-colored etched plate, 1812
Enslaved on a Virginia plantation, Tom Molineaux (1784–1818) was trained as a boxer by his father. After beating his opponents in a series of contests, Molineaux was granted his freedom. He moved to New York, then England where he trained with Bill Richmond, another former Virginia slave. Molineaux beat Jack Burrows, then challenged Tom Cribb for the English title. They fought in December 1810. Molineaux lost in the 35th round. Cribb also beat him in a rematch in September 1811. Small ceramic figurines of these early boxers are among the first sports memorabilia.
Image Credit: Virginia Historical Society
Covering almost four centuries of African American history and culture in Virginia through pictorial representation in art, this exhibition tells the story of free and enslaved laborers, young and old family members, students, professionals, and officials.
Items on display include prints, paintings, photographs, magazine and book illustrations, and advertisements. Positive and negative depictions are included, and sometimes paired, as a means of examining the changing status of African Americans.
Through their diverse experiences, museum visitors will see how African Americans perceive themselves, and how they are perceived by others, throughout Virginia's history.
For more info checkout
www.vahistorical.org
