Original photograph advertising an African American photography studio, circa late 1960s by [African American Interest] - 1960

Manchester, VA: Manchester High School, 1904. Vintage program for Manchester (colored) High School's commencement ceremony, held on June 14, 1904, at the First Baptist Church. One of the earliest schools for Black students in southern Virginia, Manchester High School was founded in 1888, with noted African American educator James H. Blackwell at its helm. The city of Manchester was later annexed by Richmond, and the school renamed the Maury School. Although Richmond law forbade Blackwell from being principal, he remained the de facto chief administrator of the Maury School until 1916, when a white principal was hired for the renamed Dunbar School. In 1952 the Richmond School Board renamed a combined elementary and junior high school the James H. Blackwell School in Blackwell's honor. The neighborhood around the school is now also known as Blackwell. 5.5 x 8.5 inches. Bifold. Very Good, moderately edgeworn and creased.

N.p.: N.p., 1970. Vintage bumper sticker advertising Baltimore radio station WEBB 1360 AM, circa 1970s. Founded in 1955, the station catered to Baltimore's African American community, playing a mixture of blues, R&B, soul, and other contemporary Black music. In 1970, legendary soul musician James Brown purchased the station, and, nine years later, sold it to Dorothy E. Brunson, making her the first African American woman to own a radio station. She sold it in 1990, and it has changed formats and call signs several times since. 7.5 x 3.75 inches. Unpeeled. Lightly soiled, but otherwise bright and Near Fine.

N.p.: N.p., 1930. Vintage double weight photograph of an African-American cameraman, circa 1930s. Stamp on the verso credits photograph enlargement to an Earl V. Lewis of Los Angeles. The man's nautical attire suggests that he played double duty on set as an actor or extra in addition to his duties behind the camera. 8 x 10 inches. Very Good plus with brief wear at the corners.

Hampton, VA: N.p., 1940. Vintage black and white photograph of a graduating class posing outside of Ogden Hall at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, circa 1940s. Hampton was founded in 1868 by leaders in the American Missionary Association to provide education to freedmen. 10 x 8 inches. Very Good, moderately edgeworn and faintly toned.

Pineville, NC: N.p., 1945. Vintage black-and-white snapshot of the graduating class of 1945 of the Pineville Colored School in Pineville, North Carolina. Manuscript pencil annotation to the verso noting the date and location. Pineville Colored School served African American students in southern Mecklenburg County, and in 1958 changed its name to Sterling School. The school continues to operate today as Sterling Elementary School. 7 x 5 inches. Very Good, with a light tidemark to the right edge, and a vertical crease affecting the left portion of the photograph.

Baltimore: N.p., 1940. Vintage black and white photograph of a group of Sunday school students and teachers posing in front of Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church at 1210 West Lanvale Street in Baltimore. Blind stamp of photographer Paul Henderson to the bottom right corner. Circa 1940s. Built by free Black Baltimorean Truman Pratt and his congregation over the course of ten years, Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church (then known as Orchard Street Church) officially opened its doors on Orchard Street in 1837. Orchard Street Church was renamed Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church in 1870, with a rapidly growing congregation of nearly 700 members, including two Sunday schools with 45 teachers and nearly 300 students. The church began to play a central role in the African American community of Baltimore, organizing and participating in conferences on politics, education, and civics, and even hosting the Washington Methodist Episcopal Conference in 1876. In 1927, the congregation decided to… Read More

Edinburgh: Gall & Inglis, 6 George Street / London : Houlston & Wright., No Date [between 1857 and 1869].. First Printing. 12 mo, original publisher's green cloth decorated in blind & gilt, lettered in gilt on upper cover, decorated and lettered in blind on rear panel, spine panel decorated and lettered in gilt, pale yellow endpapers. 280 pages, Frontispiece engraved by J.M. Corner, illustrations, music. Minor foxing to text, lacking front free endpaper, rear inner hinges just starting to crack. A bright, very good copy. A very attractive little book. ¶ Christian stories, tales, poems and songs (with music) for a juvenile audience. Aside from the usual morality tales, the book includes the tale of "Lott Cary", a black slave from Richmond, Virginia, who works in a tobacco factory and is sometimes rewarded for his good work with 'bits of money'. At the age of 20 he becomes terrified of eternal damnation after listening to an old Baptist preacher. He then sets about learning the good ways of the Lord,… Read More

N.p.: N.p., 1940. Two New York Colored Baptist State Convention Annual Session and the Women's Auxiliary Annual Session pins from 1938 and 1940. The 1938 pin, lavender with blue type, is for "The N.Y. Colored Baptist / State Convention / 43rd Annual Session / and the / Women's Auxiliary / 37th Annual Session / with / Shiloh Baptist Church / October 18-21, 1938.' The location of Shiloh Baptist Church is unknown, and is possibly the First Shiloh Baptist Church in Buffalo, New York. The second pin, pink with blue type, is for the "45th Annual Session / of the / N.Y. Colored Baptist / State Convention / 39th Annual Session / Women's Auxiliary / at Morning Star / Baptist Church / Albany, N. Y. / Oct. 22-25, 1940." The New York Colored Baptist State Convention began as the Baptist Church Union, an organization consisting of several African American clergymen from churches from across New York state, and was held in August, 1895. In 1897 the name was officially changed to the New York Colored Baptist… Read More

Baltimore: N.p., 1951. Archive of six vintage black and white photographs of students at Druid Junior High School 137 in Baltimore, including five showing students gathered in the music classroom, and one showing what appears to be a Christmas nativity recital. Four photographs dated variously between 1949 and 1951 in manuscript ink annotation to the bottom margin, and two photographs undated, with no annotations. The photographs broadly document young African American students cheerfully posing with various instruments, and three show an older man who appears to be the class music teacher standing to the far left. Three photographs 10 x 8 inches, one photograph 10 x 7.5 inches, one photograph 10 x 7 inches, and one photograph 7 x 5 inches. Generally Very Good, with moderate creasing, edgewear, and fading throughout.

N.p.: N.p., 1880. Vintage hand tinted stereoview albumen print, showing a Black dandy having his shoes shined by a young white boy, circa 1880. Printed label on verso notes title ("The White Slave") and catalog No. 4518. Although little is known about the context for the image, The Library Company of Philadelphia suggests that the stereoview could have been taken in London, stating, "Adelphi is a London theater where The Octoroon was performed 1861-1862." Other sources speculate the photograph's origins as New York, as one broadside illustration shows a ship from the Clyde Steamship Company, whose hub was in New York City. 7 x 3.5 inches. Very Good plus, with moderate soil on the verso.