Photograph by
Havens, O. Pierre, American, 1838 - 1912
Subject of
Unidentified Woman or Women
Unidentified Child or Children
Unidentified Man or Men
Date
1888-1912
Medium
unidentified photographic print on card mount
Dimensions
H x W (Image): 4 3/4 × 7 5/8 in. (12.1 × 19.4 cm)
H x W (Sheet): 5 3/8 × 8 3/8 in. (13.7 × 21.3 cm)
Description
A cabinet card with a yellowish black-and-white photograph depicting a family eating watermelons outside a log structure. The mother is seated at the far left in the swept yard. She holds one quarter of a melon to her mouth in her right hand and another quarter in her left hand at her waist. The father is standing and leaning near a post by the porch of the building. The children are seated in the yard or standing and leaning against the building, with one older girl in the right foreground seated and partially obscured by a large wooden pestle and mortar. All but one of the children is holding a watermelon quarter near their mouth. The title is imprinted into the image with the words "DEM" and "WATERMELLION" on either side of the older girl in the right foreground. The photographer's name and address are printed on the reverse center of the tan card mount in black ink.
Statement
Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
Place printed
Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
Liljenquist Family Collection
Classification
Racist and Stereotypical Objects
Photographs and Still Images
Type
cabinet photographs
Topic
American South
Caricature and cartoons
Cooking and dining
Foodways
Language
Photography
Stereotypes
U.S. History, 1865-1921
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift from the Liljenquist Family Collection
Object number
2016.166.19
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd554a07ab8-59f9-4dc7-887b-e05c9f97c730

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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