An impertinent dignitary once suggested to President Theodore Roosevelt that he control his daughter. “I can be President of the United States, or I can control Alice,” TR replied frankly. “I cannot possibly do both.” Alice Roosevelt, the eldest child of Theodore Roosevelt, was a force of nature. She was a rebellious child, who turned…
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Mugshots were still new at the turn of the century. The people pictured here were criminals but their names, deeds, and victims are forgotten. Their photos appear quaint, and could never be mistaken for those of modern inmates. One interesting practice of this era was to allow prisoners to be officially photographed wearing hats. The hats tell us a lot…
Read MoreThe Library of Congress has a collection of photographs, arranged by W.E.B. Du Bois, especially for Paris’ Exposition Universelle. The collection depicts the “history and present conditions” (circa 1900) of black Americans. It’s a curious collection because nothing overt ties the photos together, except that everyone pictured is black and American. There are over 500 photographs of…
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