Curator: This is a photograph taken by Frances Benjamin Johnston, documenting the Hampton Normal and Industrial School. It shows students learning chair repair and mattress making. Editor: It's a somber sort of scene, but also very hands-on. There’s an intent focus in how the students go about their work. Curator: Johnston’s work provides a glimpse into the complex history of vocational education for Black Americans, a history deeply intertwined with race, labor, and the politics of assimilation. Editor: You know, seeing those stacks of mattresses, I can almost smell the straw filling. It makes me think about the weight of labor and the promise of rest. Curator: The image serves as a document of a specific historical moment, reflecting the aspirations and limitations of the era. Editor: And yet, it's hard to ignore the way the students seem suspended between industry and the unspoken hopes for something more.