Howudoin'. When I was trying to find the right direction for my last post, The Askews of Atlanta: Pretty as Pictures, I viewed many wonderful photographs that were used in the American Negro Exhibit at the Exposition Universalle in Paris, France over 100 years ago. Yet, so many of them had already been used by other African American bloggers and on so many other sites that I had to find what I thought was a unique way to narrow the focus and still be able to grace my own site with their exquisiteness.
Commissioned and compiled by W.E.B. Dubois, the visage, deportment and total physicality of the subjects and their surroundings were to help encapsulize an image that countered the prevailing nagging and negative stereotypes of Africa's descendants in America. They were young students, teachers, church and community leaders, doctors, lawyers and business owners. They were captured by the camera adorned in silk, lace, starched collars and stickpins.
Hundreds of images of who and what Dubois would soon call the Talented Tenth had arrived in Paris, France by way of Alabama and Georgia packed in boxes and crates and embodied on 5 x 7 prints, and they more than admirably accomplished their goal. When the exhibit was over, the photos were packed up and sent back to America where they'd languish in obscurity for the next 100 years. Unfortunately, 99% of the subjects (if not their photographers) were never identified, and thus could never be identified for our generation. But that hasn't stopped us from thinking we know something about them.
Consider the two images here of the same young unnamed brotha, probably in his early twenties, probably a student at one of the participating universities of Fisk, Howard or Hampton, probably very self-possessed and probably a lot of other things.
I asked several people what they thought they saw just by looking at the photo, and these are just a few of the responses I got: arrogant, pampered, prissy, sissy, erudite, educated, upper class, grand, refined, queen, Dark Gable, and looks like Keith Boykin. Not surprisingly, arrogant, prissy and queen was always at the top of everyone's list. Surprisingly, nobody was being mean-spirited about it!
In fact, when I first saw the photograph over a year ago, the person I got it from had already labeled it "Keith Boykin's Great-Granddaddy" meaning there was something in the "arrogant, dark-Gable" visage that resembled the writer, and former black gay activist. I hope they weren't trying to imply anything negative about Mr. Boykin, nor am I. But I do think it's extremely interesting how so many SGL men found an immediate connection with an old photograph through projection, objectification, some kind of spiritual channeling or 21st Century reading of an 19th Century brotha. I'm not saying they're wrong! I just think it's fascinating! What do you think?
10,000 Frenchmen can't be wrong! I'm jes' sayin' LOL
Posted by: Greg | January 31, 2012 at 04:57 AM
Well, I declare, he does look like Mr Boykin. Although, Mr Boykin is much better lookin'...still there's a resemblance. The cheek and jawbones and shape of the lips oh, my.
You know, Keith had to "shush" me at one of his book signing lectures. It was about the "down low" in 2004, I guess. I got there drunk, of course.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | January 31, 2012 at 09:01 AM
I think they would be right, lol!
Posted by: Thomas | January 31, 2012 at 09:24 AM
He could have been all of those things, but given the context of the time the picture were taking, I get the impression of an educated black man, making in a segregated world. I although, he COULD have been gay or ignorant or prissy etc.. But to me, I see a well dress, seemingly, educated black man.
Posted by: Ashwon | February 02, 2012 at 02:42 AM