Races, Negroes: United States. Virginia. Hampton. Hampton Normal and Industrial School: Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va.: Carpenter boys at work on Treasurer's residence. 1899 - 1900

Editor: This photograph, by Frances Benjamin Johnston, shows the Hampton Normal and Industrial School. It's captioned "Carpenter boys at work on Treasurer's residence." It feels like a staged scene, but also offers a glimpse into daily life. What stands out to you? Curator: I'm struck by the image's complex relationship to power. Johnston was commissioned to document the school, which aimed to train African Americans in trades. While seemingly celebrating their skills, the image also reinforces a system where Black labor is directed towards maintaining white infrastructure. Is it progress or just a new form of subjugation? Editor: So, it’s less about individual achievement and more about the socio-political context? Curator: Exactly. The very act of photographing and documenting this scene, and its later display, shapes how we understand race, labor, and education in that era. Thinking about who commissioned this work and its intended audience is crucial. Editor: That makes me look at it in a different way. I thought it was a simple slice of life, but now it feels much more loaded. Curator: Indeed. It reminds us that images are never neutral; they are always implicated in power dynamics and social narratives.