Isaac Murphy, Jockey, from the Goodwin Champion series for Old Judge and Gypsy Queen Cigarettes 1888

This small portrait of Isaac Murphy, a successful African American jockey, was made as a cigarette card for Goodwin & Company's Old Judge and Gypsy Queen Cigarettes in the late 19th century. The card presents Murphy as a figure of celebrity, framed by a horseshoe, a symbol of luck. But the mass production and distribution of these cards also speaks to the commodification of fame and the integration of sports into the burgeoning consumer culture of the Gilded Age United States. The image subtly challenges racial norms, presenting Murphy in a dignified manner at a time when African Americans faced widespread discrimination. Despite his achievements in a sport where Black jockeys were once prominent, broader social and institutional biases would eventually push them out. Understanding this image fully requires looking into social histories of race, sport, and advertising. Such research helps us understand not only Murphy's individual story but also the complex interplay of race, representation, and commerce in American history.