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1890s family photograph album, probably from Kansas

 Collection — Folder: 1
Call Number: RH PH P2845

Overview

Photograph album from a family possibly based in Kansas City, Kansas, including residential interior scenes, railway and bridge scenes, parades or other celebrations, and exterior residential scenes.

Dates

  • Creation: 1890s

Conditions Governing Access

No access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Spencer Library staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials.

Extent

1 folder ; Folder measures 22 x 37 cm.

Language of Materials

English

Scope and Contents

The photograph album includes both albumen and gelatin silver photographic prints. Images include bridges, rural scenes, residential and commercial city street scenes, beach and other outdoor scenes (possibly at Lake Michigan? One image is of a Chicago and Milwaukee Electric railway car from Winnetka, presumably in Illinois), as well as several photographs of family members inside and outside the large family home. Toward the front of the album are several street scenes of what appears to be a parade or other celebration, one of which includes a building with a banner stating, "One country one Kansas." Also notably toward the front of the album is an interior scene of what appears to be a railroad waiting room with two African American men.

The family home interior images include the parlor and other living areas and bedrooms, as well as one image possibly from the kitchen. Some of these prints have people in them, several are only of the furnishings. There are also several outdoor images on the porch, in front of the house, and in the garden, mostly with women and/or children in them, sometimes individually and sometimes in groupings. There are also several images of family members in "Blackface," a popular U.S.-based entertainment based around stereotypical and racist portrayals of African Americans involving the use of Black face paint.

Several photographs in the album are very badly faded. The last few pages of the album were apparently not used.

[Information regarding "Blackface" provided by Dorothy Berry, "Descriptive Equity and Clarity around Blackface Minstresly in HTC Collections," https://www.dorothy-berry.com/minstrel-description.]

Physical Location

RH PH P2845

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchase, Between the Covers, 2021.

Source

Title
Guide to the 1890s Family Photograph Album
Subtitle
1890s family photograph album, probably from Kansas
Author
Finding aid prepared by mwh. Finding aid encoded by mwh.
Date
2021-11
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Finding aid written in English.
Finding aid permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10407/3657849707
Preferred citation
1890s family photograph album, probably from Kansas, RH PH P2845, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas

Repository Details

Part of the University of Kansas. Kenneth Spencer Research Library Repository

Contact:
1450 Poplar Lane
Lawrence KS 66045-7616 United States
785-864-4334