Henderson Exhibit Travels to Baltimore City Hall

Paul Henderson with camera on ledge of City Hall. MdHS, HEN.07.07-022.

After much success and attention from the press for the Henderson exhibit at MdHS, I’m happy to announce that the Paul Henderson exhibition will soon be traveling throughout Maryland. The first stop will be Baltimore City Hall (100 North Holliday Street, Baltimore, MD 21202).

The original 26 photographs plus an additional 20 will be on display in the rotunda of City Hall. The exhibit will open June 5 and viewing times are Monday through Friday, 9a to 5p. (Photo ID is required for entry.) The larger exhibit also features a new title, Paul Henderson: Maryland’s Civil Rights Era in Photographs, ca. 1940-1960, as the traveling exhibit explores other areas in Maryland and not exclusively Baltimore. The exhibit was curated by the author of this blog, Jennifer A. Ferretti, as well as Joe Tropea, MdHS’s Digital Projects Coordinator.

The traveling exhibit represents our continuing attempt to identify people and locations in Henderson’s photographs. A majority of the exhibit labels contain a QR code for the images of unknown people and places. After smartphone users scan the barcode, they are taken to an online identification form where they can type information they may know about the photographs. Similar to the original exhibition, some labels with QR codes take the visitor to more photographs on this blog.

If you are interested in speaking with someone about bringing the Henderson Collection to a venue near you, please feel free to email me at jferretti@mdhs.org.

Related story: Henderson’s Civil Rights-era photographs going up at City Hall. (2013, May 23). Baltimore Brew.

Revisiting Our Past: Identifying Paul Henderson’s Photographs of the African American Community in Maryland

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MdHS and the Pierians Inc. Baltimore Chapter hosted Revisiting Our Past: Identifying Paul Henderson’s Photographs of the African American Community in Maryland, ca. 1935-1965 on Sunday, April 7. Roughly 90 people came to MdHS to help identify people and places in Henderson’s photographs.

Considering 90% of the 6,000+ black and white negatives are unidentified, while processing the collection, I created reference binders that contain positive images of each of Henderson’s photographs. The binders were copied and distributed to each table for the attendees to look through. To see the Henderson Collection receive this amount of attention when it had been forgotten for decades was an incredible experience. I look forward to attending more Revisiting Our Past events, as this is the first of more to come.

A special thank you must be given to the Pierians. One member contacted me before I left MdHS in August and let me know that her group was interested in helping MdHS identify people in the photographs. They were confident that they would know many of the people featured. This was obviously the case on April 7 when at any given time you could hear people say, “This is my sister!” or “This is me!”.

The Work Continues

The Maryland Historical Society and the Pierians Incorporated Baltimore Chapter are hosting an event on Sunday, April 7, 2p-4p, that will focus on identifying the faces and places found in Paul Henderson’s work. The event calls for individuals who lived or worked in the Baltimore area from ca. 1935-1965. The event will take place at MdHS at 201 W. Monument Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.

Take a look at this article in the Baltimore Brew: Images of Civil-Rights-era Baltimore tantalizingly uncaptioned. Fern Shen, March 27, 2013.

Postcard (front): Invitation to identify Paul Henderson’s work. Design by J. A. Ferretti.

Postcard (back): Invitation to identify Paul Henderson’s work. Design by J. A. Ferretti.

 

 

 

 

The Charm Centre

The Charm Centre, 1948. Paul Henderson, MdHS, HEN.00.B2-164.

The owners of this upscale women’s dress store, William “Little Willie” Lloyd Adams and wife Victorine Quille Adams, had impressive resumes that contributed to the civil rights struggle. Willie Adams, multi-million dollar illegal lotteries operator turned legitimate businessman, funded aspiring black entrepreneurs during a time when banks would not lend to blacks. He also funded desegregation lawsuits. Victorine Adams was a highly regarded woman for both her poise and political accomplishment. In 1946, she directed the “Register-to-Vote” campaign which resulted in thousands of new voters. She was the first elected woman of any race to be appointed to the Baltimore City Council in 1967.

Sources:

Diminutive Mrs. Adams received ‘giant’ tribute. (May 10, 1958). Afro-American newspaper.

Smith, F. (2008). Here Lies Jim Crow: Civil Rights in Maryland. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Pietila, A. (2010). Not in My Neighborhood:  How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City. Ivan R. Dee, Publisher.

Image information:
The Charm Centre
1811 Pennsylvania Avenue, Baltimore
September 1948
4 in. x 5 in. acetate negative
Paul Henderson Photograph Collection, HEN.00.B2-164

18th Annual Convocation, United Holy Church of America

18th Annual Convocation, United Holy Church of America, ca. 1930. Paul Henderson, HEN.09.09-006.

The black church is considered to be the focal point of the community’s social, political, and cultural life. Typically associated with collective action by blacks, the church created a community of support, spiritual guidance, and other groups. Parishioners of black churches throughout history took the lead in organizing their congregations in civil rights and political actions as well as spiritual revival.

Image information:

18th Annual Convocation, United Holy Church of America
Baltimore, Maryland
Not dated (ca. 1930)
4 in. x 5 in. acetate negative
Paul Henderson Photograph Collection, HEN.09.09-006.

Danny’s Shoe Store

Danny’s Shoe Store, 1953. Paul Henderson, HEN.00.B2-264.

Presumably, the couple depicted are Daniel Siegel and his wife Ruth, who operated Danny’s Shoe Store from circa 1942 through circa 1948. Danny’s, next to Chen-Yu Beauty Salon, was located within walking distance from Pennsylvania Avenue and Henderson’s home on McCulloh Street.

Image information:

Danny’s Shoe Store
1108-1110 Laurens Street, Baltimore
February 1953
4 in. x 5 in. acetate negative
Paul Henderson Photograph Collection, HEN.00.B2-264

Pearl Bailey in her dressing room

Pearl Bailey in her dressing room, ca. 1942. Paul Henderson, HEN.00.A2-247.

This iconic photograph is seldom credited to Paul Henderson. Pearl Bailey (1918-1990), raised in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, was an entertainer who started singing in nightclubs, later taking parts in films and a leading role in the first all-black Broadway production, Hello Dolly! (1968). She played Smith’s Hotel and Cafe as well as Club Astoria in Baltimore.

Image information:

Pearl Bailey in her dressing room
ca. 1942
4 in. x 5 in. acetate negative
Paul Henderson Photograph Collection, HEN.00.A2-247
Maryland Historical Society