Untitled (women at graduation) 1954

Robert Burian created this gelatin silver print, Untitled (women at graduation), the date of which is currently unknown. The photograph’s negative image, where light areas appear dark and vice versa, gives the graduation scene a ghostly quality. Looking at this image, we might consider the historical context of women's education. In what decade was this photograph taken? In what ways were women encouraged to pursue higher education and in what ways were they excluded or discouraged? Did social class or ethnic background play a role in who had access to education? We might also ask what kinds of careers or opportunities were available to women after graduation, and how these opportunities may have changed over time. Examining yearbooks and university archives can help us understand the institutional history and the social forces at play in this image.