What can photographs tell us about an historical period or process? What can’t they tell us? What do we need to know or do to make good use of an historical photo archive in the classroom?

Objectives

This exercise allows students:

• to visualize major aspects of urbanization and understand how city dwellers experienced them
• to identify the "point of view" of a photograph collection, and take this into account in using photos as historical data

Resource

Photographs from the Detroit Publishing Company, part of the American Memory Web Site

Collection Background

The Detroit Publishing Company was an early maker of commercial photographic prints and postcards at the turn of the century. Between 1890 and 1920 the company amassed tens of thousands of stock images of American life, focusing on views of towns and cities (chiefly east of the Mississippi), new industries, views along railway lines, popular amusements and resorts, colleges and universities, and natural and historic landmarks. Having obtained a patent on the mass production of color images from these negatives, the Detroit Company successfully marketed its photographs to a growing middle class audience for commercial imagery, through mail order catalogues and as postcards available at tourist attractions and resorts. The collection thus presents a broad interpretation of America life - what commercial publishers at the turn of the century thought large numbers of their contemporaries would find interesting to look at. About 25,000 of these stock images are now accessible via the American Memory homepage.

Exercise

1) In pairs, choose an aspect of urbanization to examine: (5 min)

• industrial work
• commercial and office work
• immigrant life
• leisure and amusement
• the public street

2) Search the Detroit Collection: (30 min)

Find six to eight photographs that portray a range of experiences or perspectives on this aspect of city life. For example, you might find pictures of men, women, and children doing industrial work; or you might find pictures that show industrialization in a positive, or conversely a negative, light. If possible, print out the images as you locate them.

Searching tips:

• Try using synonyms, related terms and multiple terms as much as possible (eg, "Afro- Americans" is used in the index, not "African Americans").
• Scroll down to find the subject headings under which photos are cross-referenced - these are useful.
• As you search, note what sorts of views the collection emphasizes.

3) With your partner, discuss what the photos you have found tell you about the aspect of urbanization you have chosen. To focus your discussion consider these questions: (15 min)

• Observation: What exactly do I see in the photos?
• Knowledge: What do I know about this aspect of urbanization? How does the information presented in the photographs fit with what I know? Are there surprises? Things missing?
• Interpretation: Based on what we see here, what is the Detroit Collection’s perspective on this aspect of urbanization? What might explain this perspective? (Note: you may want to read the background on the Detroit Company.)
• Questions: What else do you want or need to know about the photographs, or the historical period, to evaluate these photos as historical data?

4) Questions to consider for follow-up discussion:

• What problems / issues arose in searching the collection?
• What views of urbanization are revealed in the photos each group chose? (Each group briefly shares its findings)
• What is the Detroit Collection's overall viewpoint or “bias” on the subjects it depicts?
• How should we evaluate the commercial intent of the photos?
• What questions should be kept in mind in using photos as historical data?

The Center for Children and Technology

The Center for Children and Technology (CCT) is part of the Educational Development Center, a not-for- profit educational research and development group that investigates the roles technologies can play in improving teaching and learning. Jeanne Houck, a historian, and Bill Tally, a researcher and curriculum developer, are working on the Library of Congress National Digital Library Project. Click here for descriptions of CCT projects and reports.