[Woman waving]

United States

April 1968

Polaroid instant print

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A woman in a green dress waves her hand while holding a drink, with another person seated beside her on a couch. The scene appears to be indoors, with furniture visible in the background. Late 19th and early 20th century photographs of Black individuals, families, school and church groups, and more are vital elements of American visual culture. As records of relationships–familial, fraternal, business, or otherwise–they make visible the depth and character of communities that were by and large denied such representation prior to the Civil War. In these intimately scaled and highly personal images–snapshots, album pages, and studio portraits–the specificity and individuality of those pictured serve as counterpoint to historial elisions, erasures, and oversights. Gallery G365 Gift of the collection of Peter J. Cohen