News

Black Women Photographers in History: Florestine Perrault Collins

Florestine Perrault Collins was an American photographer based in New Orleans. Out of 101 African-American women who identified themselves as photographers in the 1920 U.S. Census, Collins was the only one in the New Orleans area.

Florestine Perrault Collins was one of the first professional African American female photographers in the country.

Collins was š›šØš«š§ to parents who were free people of color and her father had a well-paying job, but as the oldest š˜¤š˜©š˜Ŗš˜­š˜„ of six, she had to discontinue her formal education to help add to the familyā€™s income. She began to photograph at the age of 14 (1909). Her subjects ranged from weddings, communions, and graduations to returning soldiers.

At the beginning of her career, Collins had to pass as white to be able to assist photographers. By the time she opened her own studio, she did not have to hide her race and photographed African-American families. She gained a loyal following and had success, due to both her photography sš“€š’¾š“š“s and marketing sš“€š’¾š“š“s through advertising in newspapers and playing up the sentimentality of a well-done photograph.

She also often advertised her business by including a photograph of herself to distinguish herself from her male competitors who might not be seen as being as good as taking portraits of babies and š˜¤š˜©š˜Ŗš˜­š˜„ren.

Collinsā€™ career ā€œmirrored a complicated interplay of gender, racial and class expectationsā€. Indeed, her first husband, Eilert Bertrand, restrained her public appearances, conforming to the conservative idea that married women should devote themselves to domesticity and the household. In the early times of her career, she also had to pass as white in order to increase her employment chances.

ā€œThe history of black liberation in the United States could be characterized as a struggle over images as much as it has also been a struggle over rights,ā€ according to bell hooks. Collinsā€™ photographs are representative of that. By taking pictures of black women and š˜¤š˜©š˜Ŗš˜­š˜„ren in domestic settings, she challenged the pervasive stereotypes of the time about black women.

She opened her own portrait studio in New Orleans in the early 1920s.ā€

Related Posts

Furious Nigel Farage warns Keir Starmer ‘stop’ or Donald Trump won’t see UK as an ally

Nigel FarageĀ has warnedĀ Sir Keir StarmerĀ Britain’s deal with Mauritius over the strategically important Chagos Islands jeopardises the Prime Minister’s relationship with Donald Trump even before the President-elect comes into…

Gavin Newsom proposes ‘insane’ move against Elon Musk

Gavin Newsom’sĀ attempts to defy Donald TrumpĀ have now hit key allyĀ Elon Musk, asĀ CaliforniaĀ is planning an electric vehicle rebate program that intentionally leaves outĀ Tesla. The California governor is planning to…

Elon Musk Finally Speaks Out On His Daughter’s Death

Elon Musk and Vivian Jenna Wilson: A Family Rift in the Spotlight The strained relationship between tech billionaire Elon Musk and his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, has become…

What Elon Musk Did After This Boy’s Dad Died During Duty Will Make You Cry

Elon Musk’s Heartfelt Gesture Sparks Nationwide Support for Families of Fallen Heroes In a touching act of kindness, Elon Musk personally escorted 5-year-old Jacob Evans to his first…

Heartbreaking News For Elon Musk

Elon Musk Opens Up About Estrangement from Daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson: A Personal and Cultural Struggle Elon Musk, known for his ambitious ventures in technology and space exploration,…

Whoopi Goldberg KICKED OFF The View After Elon Musk EXPOSED This…

Whoopi Goldberg Quits The View After Clash with Elon Musk: A Turning Point in Celebrity Activism Whoopi Goldberg’s sudden departure from The View following a heated confrontation with…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *