When people of color are erased from popular depictions of historical eras, some folks can come up with a It of excuses for why their images are absent.
But here’s an awesome collection of Victorian era photographs that blow those excuses away. The photographs date from 1860 to 1901, and they show some of the gorgeous and diverse ways that people of color have existed throughout history.
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| African-American lady with parasol and fan |
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| African-American lady in Victorian Era |
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| African-American woman from Tallahassee, Florida, 1884 |
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| African-American women posing with a fan, ca. late 19th century |
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| Beautiful lady posing on the arm of chair, ca. 1890s |
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| ca. 1890s |
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| Lady in white dress |
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| Portrait of a beautiful woman, 1899 |
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| Portrait of a woman of the upper class |
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| Young Victorian girl, ca. 1890 |
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| Portrait of beautiful Victorian lady |
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| Young Victorian woman, ca. 1880s |
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| Sara Forbes Bonetta, Brighton, 1862 |
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| Soprano Marie Selika Williams, known as the “queen of staccato,” became the first black artist to perform at the White House, 1878 |
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| Victorian lady |
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| Woman with a fan made of feathers, ca. 1880s |
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| Young lady posing with hat |
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| Young Victorian girl |
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| Victorian lady on a sofa |
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| These two classy ladies have set the standard so high |
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| Portrait of an African American young woman |
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| Before Lupita N’yongo, this darling captured our hearts |