National Gallery of Art to Show Early African American Photography
From November 7, 2026, to March 14, 2027, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., will present "Remember Me: Picturing African Americans in Early Photography." This exhibition will display approximately 70 pieces from the museum's collection, illustrating the significance of portrait photography for African Americans from the 1840s through the early 20th century. The show is divided into three parts: "Black Entrepreneurs," featuring photographers such as James Presley Ball; "Portraits," which looks at images from white-owned studios; and "Studios," highlighting Black-owned studios with figures like Addison Scurlock. Key pieces include Joseph D. Marsters' 1848 portrait of Martha Ann "Patty" Atavis and James Presley Ball's c. 1850 portrait of the Hercules Family. Many works come from the Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, with support from the Ford Foundation.
Key facts
- Exhibition title: Remember Me: Picturing African Americans in Early Photography
- Venue: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
- Dates: November 7, 2026 – March 14, 2027
- Approximately 70 works from the National Gallery's collection
- Organized into three sections: Black Entrepreneurs, Portraits, Studios
- Features photographers James Presley Ball, Glenalvin Goodridge, Augustus Washington, Addison Scurlock, James Van Der Zee, G. Addison Turner, Daniel Freeman
- Includes daguerreotypes from the 1840s and 1850s
- Many works from the Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, purchased with Ford Foundation support
Entities
Artists
- James Presley Ball
- Glenalvin Goodridge
- Augustus Washington
- Addison Scurlock
- James Van Der Zee
- G. Addison Turner
- Daniel Freeman
- Joseph D. Marsters
- John Plumbe Jr.
Institutions
- National Gallery of Art
- Ford Foundation
- Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection
Locations
- Washington
- United States