A Black History of Photography: A Short Introduction with Drew Thompson

In this keynote lecture, Dr. Drew Thompson introduces the questions and themes that guide the Black History of Photography symposium.

LOCATION:
Room RCC204
Rogers Communication Centre
80 Gould Street (external link)

Free admission. Registration required.

RSVP guarantees entry up to room capacity on a first-come, first served basis.

What does a black history of photography actually look like? This talk takes up such a proposition. I will consider Blackness in the history of photography through the lens of form and color as well as from the perspective of Black populations. I argue through a range of historical and cultural examples from the late 19th century to the present moment that Blackness and Black life bring something urgent and essential to the history of photography. Such queries and investigations are important for two reasons. First, this approach offers a collective vision of the medium’s centrality to daily life, and second, it presents a framing of photography beyond issues of representation, visibility, and inclusivity.