Amazing Studio Portraits of African-Americans From the Mid-19th Century

For more than 25 years, Randolph Linsly Simpson, a white man, collected objects relating to the African-American experience. He developed a deep appreciation for African-American culture that dates to his childhood in Rochester, New York. His passion for collecting grew over the years, fueled by a desire to preserve the material record of black history in America which was rapidly disappearing.

The Collection is one of many housed in the Beinecke Library that documents American history in all its aspects. The collection includes formal studio portraits of politicians and bankers, cowboys, workmen, families, African-American men in military service, emancipated slave children, and carnival performers.

A young black woman, seated, holding nine string banjo

A black man playing the fiddle

A black man seated holding book, right arm resting on column

A black woman seated with white child in lap, white boy stands with hand on her shoulder

A black woman, seated, holding a fan

A man standing, hand on bible on table

A seated black woman wearing jewelry

A young black man wearing straw hat

A young black man, seated with hand on table

A young black woman seated with hands in lap

A young black woman seated, wearing a summer dress

A young black woman wearing a gingham dress and gold (tinted) jewelry

A young black woman wearing a white lace collar

A young black woman, seated, wearing a polka dot dress and gold (tinted) jewelry

A young boy seated in chair, big bow tie

A young man standing with hand on wooden post

A young solder seated, kepi and cigar

Black "nanny" seated on left with a white child seated on right

Portrait of Erasmus Cartwright

Portrait of Jessie Morley

Portrait of young sailor

Seated black woman with lace collar and fur cuffs

Seated elderly black woman with fancy dress and white bonnet, holding handkerchief and glasses

Two young men with straw hats, seated beside each other

Uncle Marian, a slave of great notoriety, of North Carolina

Young boy seated with flower in lapel