Frederick Douglass: On Photography

Title

Frederick Douglass: On Photography

Authors

Laura Wexler

Files

Description

In the 1860s, Frederick Douglass gave several public lectures about the importance of the then-new invention of photography. In “Pictures and Progress” he shared his vision of the role he hoped photography would play in fostering a more democratic society after the Civil War. Along with Sojourner Truth, Douglass thus became one of the first major American theorists of the medium. Laura Wexler (Yale University) engages with Douglass's critical thought in the context of his time, and ours.

Publication Date

11-10-2016

Keywords

Frederick Douglass, photography, Pictures and Progress, democratic society, democracy

Disciplines

Civic and Community Engagement | Photography | Race and Ethnicity

Frederick Douglass: On Photography
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