The Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to host the part two of The Photography of William Bullard, 1897-1917: Worcester's People of Color Community.
Throughout
the month of February, in celebration of Black History Month, another
part of the Bullard collection will be on exhibit. Through some good
luck, retired teacher Frank Morrill had the opportunity to buy this
significant historical collection of a uniquely rare treasure trove of
glass plate negatives of African Americans/Native Americans in
Worcester. Last year, another part of the collection was
displayed. This year’s exhibit will display many portraits that have
never been exhibited in public before. Also featured at the
Presentation on Thursday, February 27, 2020 at 6:30 pm will be a discussion by one of the descendants discovered through the research on the Bullard negatives.
The
negatives are those of the late itinerant photographer William S.
Bullard, of Worcester and later North Brookfield, who, between 1894 and
1917, took a vast amount of images of the city’s streetscapes,
businesses and local residents. Morrill, who has published
several books about Worcester and other local communities, purchased
the Bullard collection, approximately 5400 glass plates, in 2003 to use
in further research focused on Worcester streets and
architecture. In 2013 his granddaughter, Hannah, accidently
discovered a negative of a person of color that was incorrectly filed
and research began that led to this rare historical treasure.
There are approximately 240 images of people of color, mostly living in
the Beaver Brook area along Park Avenue within the first four decades
of having obtained their freedom. Approximately 80 percent
of the portraits were identified by Bullard in his logbook, which is
the key to the collection. Morrill and Professor Janette
Greenwood of Clark University have researched the identified
Bullard sitters since 2014 and have discovered a large number of
descendants, many of whom had never seen a photo of, or knew the
history of, their ancestors.
An Opening Reception will be held on Thursday, February 6 at 6:30 pm. All are welcome, light refreshments will be served.
Sponsored by the Southbridge Cultural Council. The Southbridge Cultural Council is a local agency funded by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
Light refreshments provided by
The Friends of the Jacob Edwards Library.
