1
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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.
1 x 3 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
James City County Training School Students
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Dur-6060
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Description
An account of the resource
Two students at the James City County Training School in Williamsburg, Virginia
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Durant, Albert W.
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert Durant Photograph Collection, AV1992.1, Box 8, Folder 12d
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1 photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Subject
The topic of the resource
African Americans - Portraits
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Circa 1938
African American Children
Albert Durant
James City County Training School
Students
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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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.
1 x 3 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
James City County Training School Student
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Dur-6088
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Description
An account of the resource
A female student standing in the field behind James City County Training School with Union Baptist Church in the background, Williamsburg, Virginia.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Durant, Albert W.
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert Durant Photograph Collection, AV1992.1, Box 8, Folder 12d
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1 photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Subject
The topic of the resource
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African Americans - Portraits
African American women - Virginia - Williamsburg
Church architecture - Virginia - Williamsburg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Circa 1938
African American Children
Albert Durant
James City County Training School
Students
Union Baptist Church
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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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.
1 x 3 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
James City County Training School Student
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Dur-6087
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Description
An account of the resource
A student standing in the field behind the James City County Training School in Williamsburg, Virginia
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Durant, Albert W.
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert Durant Photograph Collection, AV1992.1, Box 8, Folder 12d
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1 photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American women - Virginia - Williamsburg
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African Americans - Portraits
African American Children
Albert Durant
James City County Training School
Students
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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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.
1 x 3 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
James City County Training School Student
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Dur-6078
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Description
An account of the resource
A student (possibly Helen Vaiden) at the James City Coounty Training School, Williamsburg, Virginia
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Durant, Albert W.
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert Durant Photograph Collection, AV1992.1, Box 8, Folder 12d
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1 photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Subject
The topic of the resource
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African Americans - Portraits
African American women - Virginia - Williamsburg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Circa 1938
African American Children
Albert Durant
James City County Training School
Students
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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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.
1 x 3 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
James City County Training School Students
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Dur-6076
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Description
An account of the resource
Students at the James City County Training School in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Durant, Albert W.
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert Durant Photograph Collection, AV1992.1, Box 8, Folder 12d
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1 photograph
Subject
The topic of the resource
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African Americans - Portraits
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Circa 1938
African American Children
Albert Durant
James City County Training School
Students
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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04f01a896079193ce4cf93b8d04f28a7
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
E.L. Owens Photograph Album
Subject
The topic of the resource
Historic buildings - Virginia - Williamsburg
Historic buildings - Virginia - Yorktown
Historic buildings - Virginia - Jamestown
Monuments & memorials - Virginia
Architecture, Domestic - Virginia - Williamsburg
Williamsburg (Va.) - Photographs
Public buildings - Virginia - Williamsburg
Architecture, Colonial - Virginia - Williamsburg
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Owens, E.L.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1911
Description
An account of the resource
Photograph album compiled by E.L. Owens in 1911 which encompasses images of street scenes, historic sites, monuments, and memorials that drew visitors to the Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown in early twentieth-century Virginia. It is an example of a travel album documenting the beginnings of the region's role as a tourist destination.
The period from the 1890s-1930s witnessed a rise in the production of many such personal mementoes. The Rockefeller Library holds a number of examples ranging from anonymous albums of pre-restoration photos, to scrapbooks compiled by families who lived in Williamsburg’s historic homes, to those documenting the early impressions of tourists between the 1930s-1950s.
Scrapbooks first became popular in the Victorian era as a place to collect and preserve cards, magazine articles, labels, autographs, and colorful prints. After the introduction of the Brownie camera in 1900, the photographic medium became more affordable for the average American and allowed photographs to act as a personal diary of activities. Around this same time, Williamsburg’s residents began working through organizations such as the APVA to rally efforts to preserve some of the town’s eighteenth-century structures and associated history.
Turn-of-the-century albums in the collection such as this one reveal local resident’s experimentation with photos and notations to record their responses to Williamsburg’s historic past.
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.
8 x 10 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
Family on Ox Cart
Description
An account of the resource
An African American family posing on their ox cart in an unidentified location in Virginia
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Owens, E. L.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1911
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1911
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
E. L. Owens Photograph Album, Box 1
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1 photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Owens029
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Subject
The topic of the resource
African Americans - Virginia - Photographs
African American families - Virginia
African American Children
African American Families
African American Women
Carts
E.L. Owens
Oxen
Virginia
-
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8fe9b40c14b52a47cc4e4e2ae2299603
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
E.L. Owens Photograph Album
Subject
The topic of the resource
Historic buildings - Virginia - Williamsburg
Historic buildings - Virginia - Yorktown
Historic buildings - Virginia - Jamestown
Monuments & memorials - Virginia
Architecture, Domestic - Virginia - Williamsburg
Williamsburg (Va.) - Photographs
Public buildings - Virginia - Williamsburg
Architecture, Colonial - Virginia - Williamsburg
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Owens, E.L.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1911
Description
An account of the resource
Photograph album compiled by E.L. Owens in 1911 which encompasses images of street scenes, historic sites, monuments, and memorials that drew visitors to the Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown in early twentieth-century Virginia. It is an example of a travel album documenting the beginnings of the region's role as a tourist destination.
The period from the 1890s-1930s witnessed a rise in the production of many such personal mementoes. The Rockefeller Library holds a number of examples ranging from anonymous albums of pre-restoration photos, to scrapbooks compiled by families who lived in Williamsburg’s historic homes, to those documenting the early impressions of tourists between the 1930s-1950s.
Scrapbooks first became popular in the Victorian era as a place to collect and preserve cards, magazine articles, labels, autographs, and colorful prints. After the introduction of the Brownie camera in 1900, the photographic medium became more affordable for the average American and allowed photographs to act as a personal diary of activities. Around this same time, Williamsburg’s residents began working through organizations such as the APVA to rally efforts to preserve some of the town’s eighteenth-century structures and associated history.
Turn-of-the-century albums in the collection such as this one reveal local resident’s experimentation with photos and notations to record their responses to Williamsburg’s historic past.
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.
8 x 10 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
African Americans Picking Peanuts
Description
An account of the resource
African American women and children picking peanuts in an unidentified location in Virginia.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Owens, E. L.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1911
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1911
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
E. L. Owens Photograph Album, Box 1
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1 photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Owens028
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Subject
The topic of the resource
African Americans - Virginia - Photographs
African American women - Virginia
African American children - Virginia
Peanut industry - Virginia
African American Children
African American Women
E.L. Owens
Farms
Peanuts
Virginia
-
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24d5c76be52958e753485b4594d0d600
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
Edward Beckwith Photograph Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Beckwith, Edward A.
Photographs - Virginia - Williamsburg
Architecture, Domestic - Virginia - Williamsburg
Architecture, Colonial - Virginia - Williamsburg
Historic buildings - Virginia - Williamsburg
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Beckwith, Edward A.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
363 photographs
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Description
An account of the resource
Another collection of photos purchased by the Boston architectural firm of Perry, Shaw & Hepburn in 1930 originated with photographer and town resident Edward A. Beckwith. A letter preserved in Corporate Archives indicates that Mr. Beckwith dropped off a selection of images with Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin who forwarded a list of their subjects to Perry, Shaw & Hepburn for their consideration. Beckwith’s photos date to 1926-1933, a critical period in the town’s transformation. Tremendous changes began to occur in rapid succession as properties were acquired, buildings moved or torn down, foundations unearthed, and the first exhibition building, the Raleigh Tavern, opened in September 1932. While he was never on the architectural team’s payroll, Beckwith’s images attracted interest and became part of the growing archive assembled to aid ongoing restoration work.
Beckwith’s subjects encompass a broader geographic area and feature many examples of colonial homes in the mid-Atlantic region examined by the architects as part of their fieldwork. It is possible he accompanied them on some of their trips and helped to document extant structures. His images of Williamsburg are purely architectural in focus and highlight aspects of surviving colonial architecture under study. They offer a contrast to other pre-restoration photo collections which give glimpses into town life with street vistas, carriages, automobiles, and residents. As the third decade of the twentieth century started in Williamsburg, Beckwith stood poised with his camera to change the focus to the architectural transformations that were soon to take place. Evidence of early steps towards investigating structures and removing nineteenth-century additions and modifications is visible in several of his compositions. His contrasting views of the George Wythe House in 1926 and 1929 document its transition from a dilapidated and deteriorating building to the headquarters for Dr. Goodwin’s office to oversee restoration activities.
The collection encompasses black and white photographs and associated negatives documenting extant colonial era architecture throughout the state of Virginia in the late 1920s. They offered crucial visual references of specific architectural features of interest for the restoration of eighteenth century buildings in Williamsburg’s historic area. Williamsburg, Virginia structures depicted include Carter’s Grove, Barraud House, Bassett Hall, John Blair House, Bracken House, Thomas Everard House, Bruton Parish Church, Nelson-Galt House, Prentis Store, Powell House, The Quarter, Peyton Randolph House, Semple House, Tazewell Hall, Travis House, St. George Tucker House, Benjamin Waller House, and George Wythe House. In addition, many architectural sites elsewhere in Virginia that were visited and examined by the architectural team are represented in the photographs. They include Abingdon Church, Auburn, Belleville, Bonne Elms, Elmwood, Glebe House, Green Plains, Claremont Manor, Four Mile Tree, Hayfield, Jamestown Church, Kinloch, Larabee House, Little England, Lower Brandon, Mount Airy, Mount Clement, Nelson House, Port Royal, Prospect, Rosegill, Shirley, Smith’s Fort, Upper Brandon, Warner Hall, Westover, and Wilton.
All of the photos are 11 x 14 inch gelatin silver prints on paper. Originally presented in two folios, they clearly demonstrate a more direct intent to create aesthetically pleasing images that could possibly be used in a future architectural publication.
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1926-1929
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.
11 x 14 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
African American Children
Subject
The topic of the resource
Block 18. Building 18.
African American children - Virginia - Williamsburg
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
African American children on the steps of the Henderson Property, 110 North Colonial Street, Williamsburg, Virginia
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Beckwith, Edward
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Edward Beckwith Photograph Collection, AV2009.5
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1 photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Be363
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
African American Children
Children
Colonial Street
Edward Beckwith
Henderson House
Steps
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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01fdb73cad820b1dd82a2abd2f693969
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
Elizabeth Coleman Photograph Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Architecture, Colonial - Virginia - Williamsburg
Architecture, Domestic - Virginia - Williamsburg
Black and white photographs
Architectural photographs - 1890-1910
Lost architecture - Virginia - Williamsburg
Description
An account of the resource
This collection was donated by the Coleman sisters: Cynthia (Mrs. Singleton Peabody Moorehead) and Janet (Mrs. Raymond Kimbrough), in 1950. Their relative, Miss Elizabeth Coleman, who lived in the Tayloe House at the beginning of the 20th century, was much interested in history and preservation and collected pictures during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were taken ca. 1890 - 1907. Some are annotated as made by Charles Washington Coleman and Robert Child; others were copied by local photographers: Frank Nivison, Clyde Holmes, and the Layton Studio in Richmond.
Albert Edwin Kendrew, the Foundation’s Resident Architect, wrote that: “As our work goes forward, I am sure we will often have occasion to refer to this collection . . . We will also often recall the splendid cooperation which we received from Miss Elizabeth, and we are deeply appreciative of the great care which she devoted to her records and the properties which were of interest to Colonial Williamsburg.”
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1890-1930
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
AV-2009.56
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.
8 x 10 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
Boys Playing Marbles
Subject
The topic of the resource
Block 28. Building 39.
African American children - Virginia - Williamsburg
Railroad stations - Virginia - Williamsburg
African Americans - Virginia - Willliamsburg - Social life and customs
Description
An account of the resource
A group of African American children playing marbles outside the railroad depot in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
unknown
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Circa 1904
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1904
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Elizabeth Coleman Photograph Collection, AV2009.56, Box 1, Folder 3
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
Cole-103 W (see also 75-NJI-422)
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
African American Children
Games
Marbles
Railroad Stations
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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8fdf0ca785997841dcb6a65b91371227
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
D.N. Davidson Photograph Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Historic buildings - Virginia - Williamsburg
Architecture, Colonial - Virginia - Williamsburg
Black and white photographs
Architectural photographs - 1920-1930
Lost architecture - Virginia - Williamsburg
Description
An account of the resource
In 1933, the Williamsburg Holding Corporation acquired a set of over one hundred photographs from Newport News photographer D.A. Davidson. Described in a January 3, 1933 letter by Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin as "...the most valuable photographs which we have...," it formed the nucleus of what would later become an extensive photo archive relating to Williamsburg's restoration. Taken in the Williamsburg, Virginia area, circa 1928, the images offer many pre-restoration views of the town just prior to the commencement of restoration work funded by John D. Rockefeller Jr. Many local businesses, residences, and even streets known to townspeople in the 1920s but demolished or relocated as part of the development of Colonial Williamsburg in the late 1920s and early 1930s are documented in Davidson's photographs. The collection also provides a visual record of the appearance of many of the surviving eighty-eight public and private buildings dating to the eighteenth-century.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Circa 1928
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
D.N. Davidson Photograph Collection
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
Davidson, D.N.
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.
8 x 10 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/.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Historic buildings - Virginia - Williamsburg
African American children - Virginia - Williamsburg
Block 38
Architecture, Domestic - Virginia - Williamsburg
Lost architecture - Virginia - Williamsburg
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Davidson, D. N.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Circa 1928
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1928
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
D. N. Davidson Photograph Collection, AV-2013.2, Box 1, Folder 5
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
D-109
see also 1979-04
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Title
A name given to the resource
African American House
Description
An account of the resource
African-American children sit on the front porch of a house once located in Block 38, Williamsburg, Virginia, circa 1928.
African American Children
D. N. Davidson
Domestic Architecture
Lost Architecture
Pre-Restoration
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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36cf16850f3dfd223a764d5213c3aed3
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
Boy Scout Troops
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American Photographers
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Social Life and customs
Boy Scouts
African American children - Virginia - WIlliamsburg
Description
An account of the resource
Group portrait of Boy Scout Troops from First Baptist Church (Troop 32), Williamsburg, Virginia and Grove Baptist Church (Troop 80), Grove, Virginia and Troops 94 & 70, circa 1950s.
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
Circa 1950's
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1950's
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert Durant Photography Collection, AV1992.1, Box 7, 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-5691
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
African American Children
African Americans
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Boy Scouts
First Baptist Church
Flags
Grove
Grove Baptist Church
Social Life
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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b66058b9862ac8e81df556ff4a4cf0fb
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
Charles City Training School Science Class
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American Photographers
African Americans - Education - Virginia - Williamsburg
African Americans children - Virginia - Williamsburg (Charles City County, etc.) - Photographs
Charles City County Training School (Charles City Co., Va.)
African American students - Virginia - Charles City County
Description
An account of the resource
Group portrait of members of the Charles City Training School science class, Charles City County, Virginia, circa 1950's. First row: 3rd from left Edith Cooke Heard; Third row: 3rd from left Louise Stone.
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
Circa 1950's
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1950's
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 8, Folder 12
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-5651
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
African American Children
African American Students
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Charles City County Training School
Children
Edith Cooke Heard
Education
Louise Stone
Science Classes
Virginia
-
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441ba62ba34639b16d6055811817a233
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
Bruton Heights School Band
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American Photographers
African American children - Virginia - Williamsburg (James City County, etc..) - Photographs
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African Americans - Education - Virginia - Williamsburg
African American musicians - Virginia - Williamsburg
Description
An account of the resource
1949 Bruton Heights School Band with teacher, Mr. Issac Cook. Band Members identified as (l to r): standing, Eunice Staff Gardiner, George Wallace, Flemming Pierce, John Reid, Roger Whiting, Alloen Lewis, Eugene Riddick, Raymond Wallace, Lawrence Gerest, Vernon Ratcliff, Clyde Moore, Lee A Royester. Sitting: Willard Cassell, Judson Lee, Edward Hudson, Vernon Ross, Charles Willis, Horace Lee, Calvin Taylor, William Palmer, Milton Cook, Roland Wallace.
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
1949
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1949
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert W. Durant Photography Collection, AV1992.1, Box 8, 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-5649
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
African American Children
African Americans
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Allen Lewis
Band Instruments
Bruton Heights School
Calvin Taylor
Charles Willis
Clyde Moore
Edward Hudson
Eugene Riddick
Eunice Staff Gardiner
Flemming Pierce
George Wallace
High School Band
Horace Lee
John Reid
Judson Lee
Lawrence Gerest
Lee A Royester
Milton Cook
Mr. Issace Cook
Musicians
Raymond Wallace
Roger Whiting
Roland Wallace
Students
Vernon Ratcliff
Vernon Ross
Virginia
Willard Cassell
William Palmer
Williamsburg
-
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de25671f49699ce372edcd326778645c
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
Peter Hornbeck Lantern Slide Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lantern slides - Hand-colored - 1930-1940
Hornbeck, Peter - 1936-1998
Williamsburg (Va.)--History.
Architecture, Colonial - Virginia - Williamsburg
Description
An account of the resource
Mr. Peter Hornbeck, a renowned Landscape Architect and Harvard professor, assembled this collection of lantern slides produced between the late 1930s and early 1940s. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Peter Hornbeck managed the landscape architecture firm of Hornbeck Associates in North Andover, Massachusetts during the 1950s. He became a faculty member of the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1963 and taught courses focusing upon historic landscape preservation and city planning.. These lantern slides served as visual aids during lectures he gave about the Williamsburg Restoration and eighteenth-century garden history. The lantern slides encompass a variety of images of Williamsburg available commercially from A.D. Handy, F.S. Lincoln, Eldredge Studio, and the National Geographic Society. They also include some images of historic homes and gardens in other parts of Virginia and in Great Britain.
This collection is significant as a record of how landscape architects were interpreting and presenting eighteenth-century garden history during the 1930s and 1940s. It also provides a visual record of Williamsburg buildings and gardens before, during, and after the restoration work undertaken in the early 1930s. In addition, the collection documents how the Williamsburg Restoration publicized its work through commercial slide sets. For example, Mr. F.S. Lincoln, a New York photographer hired to compile a photographic portfolio of restored Williamsburg buildings for a special issue of the "Architectural Record" in 1935, also created colorized lantern slides of his photos for sale in Williamsburg shops. The Peter Hornbeck Lantern Slide Collection contains numerous examples of these early souvenir images.
A precursor of 35mm slides, lantern slides are large format positive transparencies, usually 3.25 x 4 inches, sandwiched between two pieces of glass. Many were hand-colored. A projector allowed the slides to be viewed on a wall or screen. Instead of automatically advancing from one slide to the next, the lantern slides had to be manually placed into a slot on the projector.
Invented in 1848, lantern slides evolved from those associated with magic lanterns in the late nineteenth-century to the format represented in this collection. Between 1848-1870, oil lamps served as the light source for magic lantern projectors. By the 1890s, the carbon arc lamp offered a better lighting method. The introduction of electricity in the twentieth-century allowed the projection of lantern slides to become common in schools and universities. Lantern slides became obsolete in the 1950s when the Kodachrome three-color process brought about the introduction of 35mm slides.
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
Lantern slide
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
3.25 x 4 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
Boy Near Marmion
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American children - Virginia
Lantern slides
Description
An account of the resource
African American child on the grounds of Marmion, King George County, Virginia
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
A.D. Handy Co.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1930s
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Peter Hornbeck Lantern Slide Collection, AV-2000.9, Box 1
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
HLS-21
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
African American Children
Glass Transparencies
King George County
Lantern Slides
Marmion
Peter Hornbeck
Virginia
-
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6d7ab9057387c3203afca2f128311045
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
Little Zion Baptist Church Kindergarten Class
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American Photographers
African Americans children - Virginia - Williamsburg (James City County, etc.) - Photographs
African American churches - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African Americans - Education - Virginia - Williamsburg
Description
An account of the resource
Group photo of African American Little Zion Baptist Church, Williamsburg, Virginia kindergarten class graduates, circa 1940's. Children identified (l to r): Janie Wallace, John Roberts, Ann Randall, Paulette Palmer, Kendall Wallace, Gail Morton Wright.
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
Circa 1940's
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1940's
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 11, Folder 2
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-5515
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
African American Children
African Americans
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Ann Randall
Children
Churches
Gail Morton Wright
Graduates
Janie Wallace
John Roberts
Kendall Wallace
Kindergarten Classes
Little Zion Baptist Church
Paulette Palmer
Students
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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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
Children in Isle of Wight Homecoming Parade
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American Photographers
African American children - Virginia - Photographs
African Americans - Virginia - Photographs
Parades & processions - Virginia
Description
An account of the resource
Isle of Wight school children pose on the back of a truck prior to the Isle of Wight Homecoming Parade, circa 1950's.
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
Circa 1950's
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1950's
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 8, Folder 10
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-5461
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
African American Children
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Children
Education
Floats
Homecoming
Homecoming Parade
Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight County Training School
Parades
Students
Trucks
Virginia
-
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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
Bruton Heights School Prom
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American Photographers
African Americans - Education - Virginia - Williamsburg
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African American Children - Virginia - Williamsburg (James City County, etc.) - Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
Bruton Heights School Prom, circa 1950's.
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
Circa 1950's
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1950's
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 8, Folder 12
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-5428
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
African American Children
African Americans
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Bruton Heights School
Dances
Education
Proms
Students
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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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
African American Children Playing Baseball
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American Photographers
African Americans - Children - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
African American children playing baseball behind James City County Training School, formerly located in Block 27, ca. 1937. Mount Ararat Baptist Church is in the background.
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
Circa 1937
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1937
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert Durant Photography Collection, AV-1992.1, Box 8
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
African American Children
African Americans
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Baseball
Block 27
Education
James City County Training School
Mount Ararat Baptist Church
Physical Education
Sports
Students
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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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
Classroom Interior with African American Children
Description
An account of the resource
Classroom interior with African American children, possibly at James City County Training School, Williamsburg, Virginia, circa 1950's.
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
Circa 1950's
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1950's
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DUR-5445
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Subject
The topic of the resource
African Americans - Education - Virginia - Williamsburg
African American Photographers
African Americans children - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert Durant Photography Collection, AV-1992.1, Box 8, Folder 12d
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
African American Children
African Americans
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Classrooms
Education
James City County Training School
Students
Virginia
Williamsburg
-
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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
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Original Format
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Gelatin silver print
Physical Dimensions
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8x10 inches
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Bruton Heights School Chorus
Subject
The topic of the resource
African Americans - Education - Virginia - Williamsburg
Bruton Heights School (Williamsburg, VA.)
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African American musicians - Virginia - Williamsburg
Description
An account of the resource
Bruton Heights School Chorus, Williamsburg, Virginia, circa 1950's.
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
Circa 1950
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1950
Format
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jpeg
Type
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Image
Identifier
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DUR-5326
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
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 8, Folder 5
African American Children
Bruton Heights School
Choirs
Chorus
Musicians
Students
Virginia
Williamsburg