1
20
2
-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/3854/archive/files/301430bfc12dd73cdf3ae17087d1d13f.jpg?Expires=1712793600&Signature=l7676Vo4jkjFGqe51oy-7Ru0w%7E95ObnQJKkV0FBpCcil5orbLrd6plIAxV8KUtGo0L4EFVcmSwyFefcZWbXBViZh-N2nBcnYU-cFhmI0utfCcXFEwRtsuvcCfgHbSxt4xJKO0swyJRsCyTy1P8%7E99vzvkw6ACIssAU2kd5AUBiB0pcu%7En-dBE7CNPfDrF1NGhIS2ReXESQCcl2PP4RWZ-TvoxErXxwM5w-JNy1xJ7QbZ9uTDh4uIdw9Xm20wUq0twrQnoMJThu0YlN5mjF0Mt0vNoYH29nl6JNziOusoO4lyUN6pmXodXK6ET5Who31mZWldqEfEgkvCaDvWnXdHSg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
0c65dd523ff1192043578769d3ebfcae
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Highlights of the Albert Durant Photography Collection
Description
An account of the resource
The Albert Durant Photography Collection encompasses photoprints, negatives, slides, and personal papers that document the photographic production of Williamsburg's first black city-licensed photographer, Albert Durant. Durant's photographic output provides a priceless visual history of African American life in Williamsburg, Virginia and surrounding communities from the late 1930s to the early 1960s. Since the collection encompasses ten thousand images, highlights of some of the major subject categories covered by the photos are presented here.
The collection provides a fascinating glimpse into African American social life in Williamsburg during the 1940s and 1950s. Durant captured the atmosphere of local jazz and night clubs through scenes of performers singing and dancing and audiences socializing. Durant also acted as photographer for many African American clubs and organizations. Along with taking formal group portraits, he documented these groups through informal shots of meetings, dinners, and special events.
African American student life during segregation is also featured in this visual archive. While a high school student at James City County Training School, Durant began developing his interest in photography by taking images of student activities, including sports, dances, plays, assemblies, and graduations. As an adult, Durant acted as a portrait photographer for Junior-Senior Proms at local black high schools and also documented the sports teams, marching bands, choirs, students, and faculty at Bruton Heights School in Williamsburg.
African American spiritual life is another strength of the collection. Durant photographed church groups, such as choirs and missionary circles, as well as individuals participating in rituals at many different black churches in the Williamsburg area.
Occupations, working conditions, and business opportunities for African Americans in Williamsburg are recorded in Durant's photos, too. The photos show African Americans working in restaurants, beauty and barber shops, stores, offices, dry cleaners, and gas stations.
Albert Wadsworth Durant was born on February 2, 1920 in New York City to Samuel and Bessie Durant. His mother was a native of Williamsburg who moved with her husband to New York and worked as a domestic servant for a family. After the death of her husband, who was originally from the West Indies, Bessie Durant and her children relocated to Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1929.
At age 36, Durant married Elsie Lucille Ferguson on August 18, 1956. They raised three sons, Albert W. Durant Jr., Byron Murphy, and Roderick Ferguson, and two daughters, Yvette Durant and Deanna Ferguson.
Albert Durant ran his own chauffeuring and limousine business in the Williamsburg area, providing services to many distinguished visitors to the city, including the Queen Mother of England, the Prince of Japan, and various chief justices. He often took his customers on excursions to local historic sites, including Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and the James River plantations. Through course work at the College of William and Mary, Durant acquired a background in American history which enabled him to provide historical commentary as he drove customers through the countryside.
Durant's contacts at the College of William and Mary sparked his initial interest in photography and once he had obtained equipment and training, Durant began creating his own historical record of the Williamsburg area. He produced hundreds of portraits documenting the families and activities of African American residents and also documented significant events, places, and persons in and around Williamsburg.
In addition, Albert Durant worked to improve conditions for African Americans in Williamsburg by serving in various positions in the city's government. He acted as the first black Justice of the Peace and Bail Commissioner in Williamsburg and served as the first black magistrate of the General District Court from his appointment in 1962 until his retirement in 1975.
Albert Durant died at age 71 on April 14, 1991.
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Gelatin silver print
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
8x10 inches
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Queen Elizabeth II and Governor Thomas Stanley
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American Photographers
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain, 1925 -
Stanley, Thomas B. (Thomas Bahnson), 1890-1970
Visitors, Foreign - United Kingdom
Kings, queens, rulers, etc.
Description
An account of the resource
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain riding in a car with Virginia Governor Thomas Stanley during her visit to the Williamsburg, Virginia area in 1957. The Queen and the governor participated in the celebration of the 350th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Durant, Albert W.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1957
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1957
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert W Durant Photography Collection, AV-1992.1, Box 9, Folder 11
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DUR-5531
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Distinguished Visitors
Foreign Visitors
Governor of Virginia
Great Britain
Queen Elizabeth II
Thomas Stanley
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/3854/archive/files/46c36641f8ccbf1cde7940bfdc1bbcbf.jpg?Expires=1712793600&Signature=Xho6Veh97YiBkpGD19ggF2XrEdtYBlkFXjDVWIL0J4-BnRntvr-f8E%7ERn6CwWpLi7qUDoHDs09VhGxNiBNO2g%7E8CE-IQz3zPFZ-9sFirN0oWCbjhy6OS1uM61SdWCU0mxG1GLkYwLxwYircRdfmq7DyHw6%7E4SojRFUvlsRkN7SH10rwm7FDj621uI-eTU2w6jSqc5-pGbTfMxcXdbAw38-whIrYJSPWnN4WEQffUE%7E%7Ev5aS3XR4M77nGfY3rzDoYpoBCTPatv2zlo9yzjumjPa4SqJ7JaS0Ju6UJ7mdNgpJC5dnahv8fjSq7XTzdwKBQZJ7OgfxbHfUIlfq2mP%7EGCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
e31fa233b5ae7f3e5dcf5361c1fa6ff5
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Distinguished Visitors to Colonial Williamsburg
Subject
The topic of the resource
Visitors, Foreign
Presidents - United States
Celebrities - United States
Entertainers - United States
Kings, queens, rulers etc.
Statesmen
Gelatin silver prints
Color slides
Description
An account of the resource
<p>Colonial Williamsburg has played host to numerous distinguished visitors in the form of foreign dignitaries and heads of state, royalty, musicians, actors, and writers. A significant series within Colonial Williamsburg's official archive of photos taken by staff photographers, the distinguished visitor images offer a fascinating glimpse into many historic occasions and special events that took place within the living history museum. A selection is offered here to give researchers a sense of the scope of the subjects represented.</p>
<p>Government officials, actors, and even sports stars, began arriving at Colonial Williamsburg soon after the museum opened its first exhibition buildings in the 1930s. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated Duke of Gloucester Street in 1934 becoming the first United States president to experience its beauty and historical significance.<sup>1</sup> The completion of the Williamsburg Inn and Williamsburg Lodge offered gracious accommodations to attract other well-known guests. Child actress Shirley Temple celebrated her birthday in Williamsburg in 1938, while tennis star Helen Hull Jacobs registered as the first occupant at the Williamsburg Lodge in 1939.<sup>2</sup></p>
<p>During World War II, trips to Colonial Williamsburg served as a form of indoctrination for servicemen from neighboring military bases. Troops watched orientation films, attended lectures, and toured the Historic Area as a way to remind them of what they were going overseas to fight for.<sup>3</sup> In 1946, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and General Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived for a post-war visit to Colonial Williamsburg that included drinks at the Raleigh Tavern, a tour of several exhibition buildings, and a special dinner at the Williamsburg Inn.<sup>4</sup></p>
<p>The late 1940s marked the beginning of a steady stream of visits by foreign dignitaries. The United States Department of State began a custom of bringing foreign heads of state down from Washington, D.C. as part of their official visits to the United States. As a result, Colonial Williamsburg began expanding its focus to embrace a more international audience and celebrate some of the timeless democratic ideals embodied in the historic events that took place in colonial Virginia.<sup>5</sup> The growing living history museum also attracted the attention of Walt Disney, who visited in 1948 and offered his perspectives and ideas on the museum's operations.<sup>6</sup></p>
<p>During the 1950s, a standard protocol for VIP visits encompassed trips to Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown. Foreign visitors received a rapid overview of American history and ideals as a form of education by State Department officials. <sup>7</sup> Queen Elizabeth II's royal visit for the 250th anniversary of the arrival of settlers at Jamestown marked an important initial step towards strengthening ties between Great Britain and Colonial Williamsburg.<sup>8</sup> A succession of British dignitaries, ranging from the Lord Mayor of London to the Prince of Wales, followed.</p>
<p>Colonial Williamsburg President Carlisle Humelsine used his former State Department connections to turn Colonial Williamsburg into what many dubbed "State Department South." He oversaw over one hundred visits by foreign dignitaries who came to the area as part of official State Department itineraries. The typical visit during the Humelsine era included a carriage ride, along with stops at major exhibition buildings, such as the Capitol and the Palace, as well as one or two of the trade shops.<sup>9</sup></p>
<p>The 1960s and 1970s also witnessed a number of television stars descending upon Colonial Williamsburg with their accompanying production crews. Animal star Lassie performed in several scenes around the Historic Area as part of a larger travel series for his popular television show. Perry Como and John Wayne explored many aspects of Colonial Williamsburg during the filming of Perry Como's Early American Christmas in 1978.<sup>10</sup></p>
<p>Visits by foreign heads of state culminated in the 1980s when Ronald Reagan hosted the Ninth Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations at Colonial Williamsburg. The unprecedented closure of the entire Historic Area for the weekend in May 1983 marked a gamble on the part of Colonial Williamsburg officials to generate more international interest via the three thousand journalists covering the event. <sup>11</sup> Participants included Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone of Japan, Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani of Italy, Prime Minister Elliot Trudeau of Canada, Chancellor Helmut Kohl of Germany, and President Francois Mitterand of France. Opera singer Leontyne Price also contributed to the event's pageantry by performing at one of the state dinners.<sup>12</sup></p>
<p>In the decades which followed, a combination of actors, entertainers, sports stars, political candidates, and government leaders continued to visit in a steady stream of both official and "undercover" appearances. Two of the more high profile dignitaries included President Zhang Zemin of China in 1997 and a return visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 2007. Whether drawing large crowds or simply enjoying the peaceful charm with a few friends or Colonial Williamsburg escorts, each visitor has left their mark in the form of a fascinating legacy of photos.</p>
Endnotes: <br />(1) Donald J. Gonzalez, The Rockefellers at Williamsburg (McLean, Va.: EPM Publications, 1991), 102. <br />(2) Hugh DeSamper, Welcome to the Williamsburg Inn (Williamsburg, Va.: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in association with Lickle Publishing, Inc., 1997), 4. <br />(3) Anders Greenspan, Creating Colonial Williamsburg (Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2002), 154. <br />(4) Brian A. Dementi, Churchill & Eisenhower Together Again: A Virginia Visit (Manakin-Sabot, Va.: Dementi Milestone Publishing Inc., 2015), 85. <br />(5) Greenspan, 79. <br />(6) Gonzalez, 110. <br />(7) Greenspan, 117. <br />(8) Greenspan, 111. <br />(9) Gonzalez, 110. <br />(10) Mary Theobald, “Every Man a King: The VIPs Visit Colonial Williamsburg” Colonial Williamsburg Journal 23, No. 3 (Autumn 2001): 40. <br />(11) Greenspan, 153.<br />(12) “The World Comes to Williamsburg,” Colonial Williamsburg 4, No. 1 (Autumn 1983): 20.
<p>For further information: <a href="https://research.colonialwilliamsburg.org/Foundation/Journal/Autumn01/vips.cfm">https://research.colonialwilliamsburg.org/Foundation/Journal/Autumn01/vips.cfm</a></p>
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Gelatin silver print
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
8x10 inches
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England
Subject
The topic of the resource
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain, 1926-
Stanley, Thomas B. (Thomas Bahnson), 1890-1970
Visitors, Foreign - United Kingdom
Kings, queens, rulers, etc.
Williamsburg Inn (Williamsburg, Va.)
Block 02. Building 65.
Description
An account of the resource
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England walking with Governor Thomas Stanley outside the Williamsburg Inn during her visit in 1957. The Queen's visit to Williamsburg came as part of her visit to Jamestown, celebrating the 350th anniversary of its founding. 50 years later, the Queen would duplicate her visit to both Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg, even staying in the same suite at the Williamsburg Inn.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1957-05
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1957-05
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DUR-5495
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Durant, Albert W.
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Brick Pathways
Distinguished Visitors
Foreign Visitors
Governor of Virginia
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen of Great Britain
Queens
Royalty
Thomas Stanley
Virginia
Williamsburg
Williamsburg Inn