Photograph of a performer, Toada, and three men dressed in theatrical costumes
date: label: Date
content: early 20th-mid 20th century
name: label: Photograph by
content: James Kollar
label: Distributed by
content: Moss Photo Service, Inc., American
label: Subject of
content: Unidentified Woman or Women
label: Subject of
content: Unidentified Man or Men
notes: label: Description
content: A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of three (3) men and a woman dressed in theatrical costumes. The woman stands left of center on a white platform with one (1) of the men. She is wearing an embellished, corset dress overlaid with a skirt that is short in front and drapes in the back, detached sleeves, a small hat with large feathers, and a small parasol. She is depicted looking towards the left edge of the image while holding her parasol above her with her proper right hand. Standing right of center on the platform, is a man wearing an open shirt, laced, with large dark and light bands on the sleeves, white pants, and sandals. He is wearing a brimmed straw hat decorated with diagonal stripes on the edge of the brim. He is depicted looking at the woman, wagging a finger at her. On either side of the standing performers, in the lower quadrants of the image, are two (2) additional men, both looking up at the woman. The man depicted on the lower left side of the image wears an outfit similar to the man standing on the platform. He crouches on the floor, with a large conga drum resting on his proper left thigh. The man in the lower right side of the image wears a white shirt, open and laced with pale bands of color, and white pants, and sandals. In each hand he holds a maraca. White text printed in the negative in the bottom right corner reads, [JAMES KOLLÁR / RADIO CITY, N.Y.]. Along the lower portion of the image is an inscription in blue ink that reads, [To "The Princess" / You're really regal and wonderful / Grand people - Success and / nothing but the best of / every thing to you / Toada]. The image is framed by a white border with black text printed in the bottom right corner that reads: [MOSS PHOTO, N.Y.]. There are no inscriptions on the back of the image.
label: Statement
content: Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
place: label: Place made
content: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
label: Place printed
content: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Entertainers
label: Topic
content: Music
label: Topic
content: Nightlife
label: Topic
content: Photography
label: Topic
content: Stereotypes
label: Topic
content: Theatre
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: The Laura Cathrell Show-Down Magazine Collection
label: Classification
content: Racist and Stereotypical Objects
label: Classification
content: Photographs and Still Images
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2013.46.25.35
objectType: label: Type
content: gelatin silver prints
label: Type
content: portraits
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Unknown - Restrictions Possible
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (Image): 7 7/16 × 8 5/16 in. (18.9 × 21.1 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (Sheet): 8 1/8 × 10 in. (20.7 × 25.4 cm)