African American Photo Collection, 1850-2000

Source Information

This database contains collections of public domain photos and prints relating to African Americans. They are from two locations – The National Archives and the Library of Congress.

The pictures held by the U.S. Library of Congress’ Prints and Photographs Division are part of the following collections within the division:

• Detroit Publishing Company


• Photochrom Prints


• Stereograph Cards


• Gottscho-Schleisner Collection


• Popular Graphic Arts


• National Child Labor Committee Collection


• Brady-Handy Collection


• Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information – Color Photographs


• Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information – Black-and-White Negatives

The images from the National Archives and Records Administration can be found in the Archival Research Catalog (ARC). While ARC is a catalog, it also includes thousands of archival materials and documents that have been digitized.

All images contain descriptive data. This data often includes:

• Title of image or photograph


• Year


• Locality


• Subject


• Format


• Collection name


• Creator


• Notes and descriptions

This collection contains words and images that some may find offensive or inflammatory. Ancestry.com presents these photos as part of our American historical past. Ancestry.com believes these primary source documents have genealogical value, although they reflect the attitudes and perspectives of different times.