Details
Contributor Colburn, Helen M., approximately 1844-1912.
Title The colored band. [graphic].
Publisher [Washington, D.C.] : [Mrs. Rollinson Colburn] , [1887]
Publisher D.C. Washington. 1887
Physical Description 1 photograph : albumen mounted on cardboard ; mount 11 x 17 cm (4.5 x 6.5 in.)
Description Photographic reproduction of a print drawn by Helen M. Colburn, daughter of New Jersey artist Rembrandt Lockwood, depicting African American women and girl spectators reacting to a passing African American marching band. The figures are drawn with racist and caricatured features and mannerisms. Shows in the foreground, two girls and a younger and an older woman, running next to and toward the band, mimicking the band leader, and dancing. The girls and women are barefoot and wear shift dresses of either calf or ankle lengths. The older, running woman (in right) also wears a kerchief. The mimicking girl who stomps and raises her left arm in front of the band leader wears short-cropped hair and is attired in a dress with wornout sleeves (center). The young woman dancing (center) and the running girl (left) wear their hair full and wavy. In the center foreground, the band leader looks past the girl in front of him. He wears a mustache and is attired in a tall, round-top shako with plume and a uniform. The uniform has tassels at the shoulder and a decorative chest plate and pants with a vertical stripe on the outseam. He holds up a mace adorned with an eagle with his right hand. In the background, members of the marching band, attired in caps with plumes and uniforms, play tubas. A line of older African American boys and a girl walks ahead of the band. Two of the children look behind themselves toward the band, including a boy with a look of surprise. During the Civil War, African American brass bands were formed by white commanding officers to promote and increase recruitment of African American soldiers. Following the war, many of the ex-military musicians formed civilian bands associated with quasi-military drill teams, volunteer organizations, and social clubs.
Robinson, married to Washington U.S. Treasury clerk Rollinson Colburn, lived in the Capitol between circa 1870 and her death in 1912. In 1887 eight of her works, some purported to be based on her own eye-witness accounts during the 1870s, showing African American life in the city were published as a collectible series of photographs. Occassionally, Colburn described and signed her descriptions of the scenes on the versos of the photographs.
Notes Title printed on mount.
Date from copy right statement printed on mount: Copyright 1887.
Written in lower left of original print: Copyright 1881. Mrs. R. Colburn
RVCDC
Description revised 2022.
Access points revised 2022.
Purchased with the 2019 Junto Fund.
Subject African Americans -- Caricatures and cartoons.
African American children -- Washington (D.C.)
African American men -- Washington (D.C.)
African American musicians -- Washington (D.C.)
African American women -- Washington (D.C.)
Dance -- Washington (D.C.)
Marching bands -- Washington (D.C.)
Racism in popular culture.
Spectators -- Washington (D.C.)
Genre Albumen prints -- 1880-1890.
Genre photographs -- 1880-1890.
Reproductions -- 1880-1890.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| photos - 5 x 7 - unidentified - Events [P.2020.16.1]
Accession number P.2020.16.1