Untitled (barbecue), four photographs by Rufus W. Holsinger's son, Ralph W. Holsinger, date unknown (but likely 1920s-early 30's).

Photographs were labelled in Holsinger's ledgers by the name of the person whom paid for the portrait; in this instance, no name is associated (perhaps an error in transcribing Holsinger's written ledgers, or, perhaps the writing was illegible for that entry). The date is also not known, again, likely due to an error in legibility or transcription.

The particular event is unknown, but the University of Virginia library catalogue describes the four photographs (Y21883B1 - Y21911B2) to be in sequence, showing a barbecue cookery/bonfire/African Americans. Of the four photographs, one shows the single African-American man amongst the others. Two of the photos are duplicates of one another. 

These photographs are included here in that, although not posed studio portraits of African Americans, they show actual interactions between white and black citizens at a time when segregation due to Jim Crow laws was in play. They are highly valuable in providing "visual evidence" of that lived environment. 

The identity of, and additional information about, the men will be added as it is researched.

NOTE that the name with which the portrait is labelled (or, labelled "untitled") is not necessarily the name of the sitter(s) in the portrait, but rather the name of the person who paid for the portrait when it was taken (the date and name associated with each photograph is from the business ledgers of R. W. Holsinger).

Below: Y21911B

Sources

- "Untitled," no date (~1920/1939) photograph in UVA Library Catalogue (Y21911B)
 

SEE ALSO:

Holsinger Image Gallery of African Americans

J. F. Bell Funeral Home Records

Charlottesville City Directory, 1914-15 [Hathi Trust] 

1870 & 1910 U. S. Census - Charlottesville & Esmont Communities

Cite This Entry

First published: February 4, 2021

Return to the Holsinger Main Page or African-American Portraiture List of Names