Items

Antique Photographs: Alice, undated
Sepia-toned studio portrait of a young woman identified as Alice, dating to approximately 1927–1930. She stands facing the camera against a plain studio backdrop, wearing a light-colored dress with a white apron and cap. Her clothing suggests either domestic service attire or a work uniform commonly worn by women employed in household or hospitality roles during the early twentieth century. The portrait reflects the conventions of studio photography of the period, in which individuals posed formally to create keepsake images for family members and personal collections. Images such as this document the lives and labor of African American women during the early twentieth century, preserving individual identity and presence within family and community histories. The photograph is part of the William and Mary Jackson Collection.