Portrait of Otho Barnes

Photograph by

Olson, Martha, American

Subject of

Barnes, Otho, American, 1876 - 1975

Medium

silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W (Image): 9 15/16 × 7 15/16 in. (25.2 × 20.2 cm)

H x W (Sheet): 17 3/16 × 14 5/8 in. (43.7 × 37.1 cm)

H x W (Frame): 19 13/16 × 17 5/8 in. (50.3 × 44.8 cm)

Type

gelatin silver prints

portraits

Place depicted

Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi, United States, North and Central America

Date

1970

Caption

Martha Olson graduated from Northwestern University with her B.A. in Art in 1969, and within a year, she was working more than 800 miles away as the girls’ physical education teacher at Marion High School in Columbia, Mississippi. It was the first year of integration in Mississippi public schools. During that time, Olson photographed local students, their relatives, and other residents of Marion County, which she later compiled into a series entitled, "Marion County Mississippi: 1970-1971."

Description

A black and white photograph of Otho Barnes seated in rocking chair. Barnes is featured in profile and is facing the left of the photograph. He is dressed in a hat and jacket and dress pants. The photograph is inside a frame. The back of the frame has several inscriptions about the subject of the photograph, the photographer, and numbers. A label on the back of the frame reads: [Mr. Otho Barnes Columbia, Miss. / 1st Year of Integration of Miss. School].

Topic

African American

American South

Communities

Domestic life

Photography

Rural life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Martha Olson

Object number

2018.21.69

Restrictions & Rights

© Martha Olson

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Portfolio/Series

Marion County Mississippi: 1970-1971

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture