Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton. Hampton Normal and Industrial School: Agencies Promoting Assimilation of the Negro. Training Negro Girls in Domestic Science. Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va.: Cooking an Omelet. 1899 - 1900

Editor: Here we have a photograph by Frances Benjamin Johnston entitled "Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton. Hampton Normal and Industrial School...", taken at the Hampton Institute. The setting, with the blackboard, feels very staged. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's important to recognize the historical context. Hampton was founded after the Civil War with the mission to educate freedmen. This image, while seemingly innocuous, participated in a larger project of assimilation. Editor: Assimilation? Curator: Yes. Domestic science was seen as a way to train Black women for service roles. Johnston's photograph, then, becomes a document in the complex history of race and education in America, showcasing an institution's perceived progress while subtly reinforcing existing power structures. Editor: I see. So the image isn't just about cooking; it's about the politics of opportunity, or lack thereof? Curator: Precisely. It makes you consider the power of images, what they reveal and what they conceal about social control. Editor: That's a lot to consider. Thanks, that really changes how I see the photo. Curator: My pleasure. It’s all about looking beyond the surface.