The Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) is presenting a special exhibition of rarely seen photographs as part of the FotoFocus 2022 Biennial program. The display, titled ‘Witnessing History,’ showcases a collection of photographs from 19th-century Black photographers, offering a unique glimpse into the lives of African American families between 1863 and 1900. These images, including tintypes, carte de visites, and cabinet cards, have been recently discovered and conserved by CMC’s curator of Photographs, Prints and Media, Arabeth Balasko.

In addition to the historical photographs, the exhibition includes original newsreels from the 1930s and 1940s, and an interactive element allowing visitors to experiment with infrared photography. These diverse offerings aim to explore the history and science behind photographic techniques. The ‘Witnessing History’ display is available with regular museum admission and is part of FotoFocus, a month-long celebration of photography and moving image, which runs throughout October 2022.

Source: https://www.cincymuseum.org/press/fotofocus-2022/