Peytona and Fashion's Great Match Possibly 1845

Charles Severin created this lithograph print, "Peytona and Fashion's Great Match," sometime in the mid-19th century. It captures a moment at the Union Course racetrack in Long Island, a popular venue for the elite and the enslaved alike. Horse racing at this time was deeply entangled with issues of race and class. Enslaved African Americans were often skilled horsemen and trainers, yet they were denied the social status and economic benefits of their labor. This print offers a glimpse into the dynamics of leisure and labor, visibility and invisibility. The race is a spectacle for the upper classes but is enabled by the skills and labor of enslaved people. The print invites us to reflect on whose stories are told and whose are left out, and how these omissions shape our understanding of history. It reminds us that behind every grand spectacle, there are often hidden histories of exploitation and resilience.