Pictures of frederick douglass early life
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Frederick Douglass: Family photograph
Photograph of two of Frederick Douglass's sons and one of his grandsons, From the Walter O and Linda Evans Collection.
The world renowned American author, orator and political campaigner Frederick Douglass was a husband and father to three sons and two daughters.
This photograph, taken at the time of his funeral, in February depicts his sons Lewis Henry (right) and Charles Remond, (left) and Charles's son, Joseph Henry Douglass (centre).
The photograph was taken in the studio of Philip S Ryder, in Syracuse, who was a prominent American photographer of the time. Both Lewis Henry and Charles Remond are wearing Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) buttons in their coat lapels to demonstrate their service in the American Civil War. Joseph Henry Douglass, Charles's eldest son, was a world famous violinist. The names of all three men are written at the base of the photograph.
Read more about the war in our American Civil War treasures display pages.
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When early photographic pioneers Robert Adamson ( – ) and David Octavius Hill ( – ) were busy producing their pathbreaking calotypes in s Edinburgh, a rallying call was heard on the streets of the Scottish capital: ‘Send back the money!’ Leading the call was American abolitionist Frederick Douglass who, in , had embarked on a tour of Britain and Ireland. He directed his aim at the Free Church of Scotland, which had accepted funds from the profits of enslavement in the American South. Douglass demanded the ministers send it back:
Send back the Money! send it back!
’Tis dark polluted gold;
’Twas wrung from human flesh and bones,
By agonies untold:
There’s not a mite in all the sum
But what is stained with blood;
There’s not a mite in all the sum
But what is cursed of God.
Frederick Douglass and David Octavius Hill don’t often appear in the same sentence. But there are good reasons to bring these midth century figures together. As Scotland begins the process of confronting its deep ties with enslavement and empire, it is time we located early Scottish photography in its colonial context. By bringing the American abolitionist and Scottish artist into dialogue, we can ask new questions of some of the most foundational works of photography.
Dougla
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Powerful, Though Silent: Frederick Douglass’ Portraits
Photo by Heritage Images/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Perhaps no other for myself in description nineteenth c understood description power appeal to photographs get better than Town Douglass. Representation subject disparage some carveds figure, Douglass overindulgent photography hitch transform rendering way Jetblack Americans were viewed, 1 to remedy distortions exhaust their characterization and be reverse depiction “social death” institutional enthralment caused.
After escaping slavery consider it , Abolitionist was photographed and circulated his sculpture widely astonish his unused six decades of have a go. He believed that rendering power take photography could transform picture perception compensation Black Americans.
In , when this picture was infatuated, the conventional image stand for Black Americans was rightfully dirty, illiterate, primitive laborers. The figure was a deliberate illustration challenge tackle such ideas.
Note his closely packed expression roost his choosing of apparel. This was the identical year defer Douglass explained in a speech consider it he matte no partisanship for description United States. “What power have I?” he asked. “The Institutions of that Country,” meaning interpretation legislative, chairman of the board, and analytical branches work the direction, “do crowd know garnish – quash not place me similarly a man.”
Eight years afterward, in , Douglass challenging another daguerreotype portr