North America, from the Races of Mankind series (T181) issued by Abdul Cigarettes 1881

"North America" was printed by Abdul Cigarettes as part of the "Races of Mankind" series. This small card embodies big ideas about race, culture, and representation in the late 19th century. The image presents a generalized, romanticized version of an Indigenous North American, based on racial theories of the period. Note the profile view, a visual trope used to categorize and classify people according to pseudo-scientific ideas of race. Cigarette cards like these were ubiquitous. They circulated widely and shaped popular perceptions of different cultures. Made in a period of intense colonial expansion, this card reflects the problematic power dynamics between the West and the rest. The "Races of Mankind" series was a project of social categorization, reinforcing a hierarchy of cultures with Europeans at the top. Understanding this image requires research into the history of anthropology, the politics of representation, and the economic structures that enabled the production and distribution of these cards. By exploring these contexts, we can better understand the power of images to reflect and reinforce existing social norms.