African American Social History Visual Record of Family, Recreation, and Military Presence During Segregation 1940s

Black Military Family Life

Photograph

[African American] [Photography] Photo archive of African American family life connected to military service, 1940s, documents domestic, recreational, and social experience during the World War II era within the constraints of segregation in the United States. The photographs center on a Black family network that includes a uniformed serviceman, situating military participation alongside everyday life. Scenes of couples, children, and extended family in outdoor settings, including fields, coastal landscapes, and residential spaces, provide primary visual evidence of how African American families sustained leisure, kinship, and dignity during a period marked by racial discrimination and restricted access to public resources.

Archive consists of 48 black and white silver gelatin photographs, most measuring approximately 3.5 x 5 inches, with 8 larger matte photographs measuring about 5 x 7 inches. Images include two photographs of a Black soldier in World War II uniform posed in front of a brick residence, as well as multiple scenes of family members gathered outdoors, at the beach, and in rural environments with open fields and cattle. Additional photographs show activities such as hunting, social gatherings, and the display of awards and trophies, indicating participation in both recreational and community life. The consistent use of high contrast lighting and informal composition reflects vernacular photographic practices of the period.

Produced during a decade defined by wartime mobilization and entrenched racial segregation, the archive situates African American military service within the broader context of family continuity and social life on the home front. The combination of uniformed presence and scenes of leisure underscores the dual realities of service and exclusion, offering material for the study of Black military participation, regional life, and everyday experience in mid twentieth century America. Light general wear; strong image clarity throughout; overall very good condition.

Item #20649

Price: $585.00