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This exhibition from the Florida Museum of History features  49 stunning studio portraits of Floridian African Americans made between 1885 - 1910 by Alvan S. Harper, who worked in Tallahassee from 1889 until his death in 1911.

 

Some of Harper's negatives were lost when his studio was torn down in the 1920s. The negatives had been given to a Tallahassee historian, but by a series of mishaps, they were taken to the dump. About 2,000  more glass negatives were found in 1946 in the attic of Harpur's house, and turned over to the State Library.

 

This selection of photos included here offers a fresh perspective on the lives of African-American  citizens in Tallahassee 100 years ago. The people pictured in Harper's studio portraits give a glimpse into life in affluent, middle class African-American society. Elaborately beaded dresses, flowered hats, and finely tailored waistcoats reflect the subjects' prosperity. Their faces express dignity and self-reliance.

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We supplement the portraits with fascinating information about the world of Victorian-era studio portraiture.

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