AFRICAN DIGNITY in AMERICA’S FREE STATES — 1870 to 1900 (11)

Some cool States images:

AFRICAN DIGNITY in AMERICA'S FREE STATES -- 1870 to 1900 (11)




Image by Okinawa Soba

"......On Tuesday, July 30, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives issued an unprecedented apology to black Americans for the institution of slavery, and the subsequent Jim Crows laws that for years discriminated against blacks as second-class citizens in American society......" NPR

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93059465&am...

Okinawa_Soba has literally hundreds of original images of the descendants of slaves in America, as well as several showing actual slaves who were "freed" during the America's Civil War. To match these images, he also has a box of 19th Century and early 20th Century images of "Black Africa", showing the tribes, roots, and culture that is now a universe away from the modern day existence of "African Americans".

Most of the American images were taken in the south during the years of "Reconstruction", and through to the early 20th Century --- most showing the American Negro in either great destitution, or in mocking stereotypes of the age.

However, this set of 17 images --- all taken from original 19th Century "Cabinet" photographs made by White photographers in the Northern "Free States" from Ohio to New England --- show a level of dignity and respect for the sitter that was seldom seen in the images from the backwater towns of the "Deep South".

Although the North was far from free of racial prejudices, these images show what even a minimal attempt at paying "lip service" to the proclamation of "Freedom" could do for the sons and daughters of of almost 250 years of Slavery.

Okinawa_Soba is under no illusions as to the state of "race relations" in the USA today. However, the fact that the subjects of these photographs all radiate a personal dignity, and equality of spirit in a Country that did not see them as equals, is a testament not to the Anglo-Saxon, but to these who stood tall in the face of a nation's inhumanity and injustice.

Behind the faces are lives and experiences that most White people in America will never understand -- either then, or now.

[This caption is the same for all. If you have read this far, no need to do so for all the others with the same picture Title]