Paper short abstract:

While online geographic photo collections grow, there has not been a serious review of how these collections are used, especially those pertaining to the African continent. The paper will examine access, publication use and incorporation into instruction of 19th and 20th century African photographs.

Paper long abstract:

Photographs are a snapshot in time, that help provide context and a more thorough understanding of people, places, artifacts, events and activities of the past. When used effectively, they can be testimony, serve as educational tools and promote discussion. This paper investigates the ways in which photograph collections at the Herskovits Library of African Studies are accessed, utilized in teaching and analyzes their role in (print. media, popular) publications. Examples will be from the Winterton Collection of photographs, a collection "that documents both African life and European life in Africa in all its manifestations. It chronicles the daily experience of colonial residents: how they traveled, the lives they created for themselves, their social activities, and their early interaction with the rest of Africa". There will also be a discussion, on the potential use of the Duckworth Collection, a collection of 5,000 photos documenting Nigerian life in the decades just before independence.