Races, Negroes: United States. Alabama. Tuskegee. Tuskegee Institute: Agencies Promoting Assimilation of the Negro. Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Alabama: Slater-Armstrong Memorial. Trades' Building. Devoted to industries for young men. 1902

Curator: This is a photograph from Frances Benjamin Johnston, depicting the Slater-Armstrong Memorial Trades' Building at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Editor: It has a very grounded feel, doesn’t it? The solid architecture against the soft, almost dreamy landscape makes me feel rooted, but also like I could drift away. Curator: Yes, the geometry of the building certainly dominates. Note how Johnston has composed the image; the linear precision of the structure, anchoring the photograph. Editor: But it’s not cold. There's a warmth in the tones; a human element despite the imposing architecture. I feel hope, a sense of building something… enduring. Curator: Perhaps that's the Institute's mission resonating through Johnston’s vision. The building, dedicated to industries for young men, represents opportunity and advancement. Editor: It’s a powerful image, really. It makes you consider the weight of education, and the dreams within those walls. Curator: Absolutely, a quiet testament to progress, rendered in light and shadow. Editor: Yes, a silent story of ambition etched in monochrome.