signed
by African American, A&T College
[African American] [HBCU] North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College (now North Carolina A&T State University) photo archive. 1940s-1950s. An archive of 27 original silver gelatin photographs, including studio portraits, candid group scenes, and four images of a patriotic parade. Prints range from 2.5" x 3.5" to 5" x 7". Some are inscribed on verso, with legible signs and visual details such as a “Veteran’s Sweetheart” float and campus-era clothing.
This compelling archive documents the everyday and ceremonial life of students at North Carolina A&T, a leading historically Black college during the Jim Crow era. The majority of photographs depict well-dressed young Black women and men, posed in both studio settings and on tree-lined campus grounds, exuding pride, confidence, and solidarity. A number of formal portraits are individually signed, while the candid shots capture friendship groups and couples in stylish dress, emphasizing the social rituals and fashion culture of mid-century Black college life. Several subjects wear tailored suits, fur-trimmed coats, or sweaters—attire reflective of A&T's postwar student body, which increasingly included veterans, first-generation college students, and aspiring professionals.
Of particular note are four photographs from what appears to be a college parade or homecoming event. One image shows a young woman crowned as queen, seated on a float draped in patriotic bunting. Another features a car with a handmade sign reading “Veteran’s Sweetheart,” nodding to the presence of World War II veterans on campus under the G.I. Bill and the patriotic pageantry that often accompanied A&T festivities. North Carolina A&T played a crucial role in shaping Black civic and professional leadership during this period, and its students regularly organized events that blended national service with community celebration. These parade scenes, combined with the studio portraits and group photos, present a textured visual record of student identity, pride, and resilience.
Minor wear to corners, including light creasing and some adhesive residue to a few prints, but overall very good condition with strong photographic clarity. A rare and intimate archive capturing mid-century life at North Carolina A&T College—an essential record for the study of Black higher education, visual culture, and postwar African American identity. (Inventory #: 22238)
This compelling archive documents the everyday and ceremonial life of students at North Carolina A&T, a leading historically Black college during the Jim Crow era. The majority of photographs depict well-dressed young Black women and men, posed in both studio settings and on tree-lined campus grounds, exuding pride, confidence, and solidarity. A number of formal portraits are individually signed, while the candid shots capture friendship groups and couples in stylish dress, emphasizing the social rituals and fashion culture of mid-century Black college life. Several subjects wear tailored suits, fur-trimmed coats, or sweaters—attire reflective of A&T's postwar student body, which increasingly included veterans, first-generation college students, and aspiring professionals.
Of particular note are four photographs from what appears to be a college parade or homecoming event. One image shows a young woman crowned as queen, seated on a float draped in patriotic bunting. Another features a car with a handmade sign reading “Veteran’s Sweetheart,” nodding to the presence of World War II veterans on campus under the G.I. Bill and the patriotic pageantry that often accompanied A&T festivities. North Carolina A&T played a crucial role in shaping Black civic and professional leadership during this period, and its students regularly organized events that blended national service with community celebration. These parade scenes, combined with the studio portraits and group photos, present a textured visual record of student identity, pride, and resilience.
Minor wear to corners, including light creasing and some adhesive residue to a few prints, but overall very good condition with strong photographic clarity. A rare and intimate archive capturing mid-century life at North Carolina A&T College—an essential record for the study of Black higher education, visual culture, and postwar African American identity. (Inventory #: 22238)
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