These Gorgeous Photos of Victorian Women of Color Will Change Your View of History

Originally curated by Don Noyes-More and published on Downtown LA Life.

“But there weren’t any black people back then!”

When people of color are erased from popular depictions of historical eras, some folks can come up with a lot of excuses for why their images are absent.

But here’s an awesome collection of Victorian Era photographs that blow those excuses away. We came across these images on Downtown LA Life. They date from 1860 to 1901, and they show some of the gorgeous and diverse ways that people of color have existed throughout history.

Unfortunately, many photos from this period have no names attached to their subjects. Some of these were taken during the time of slavery in the United States.

But we’re so glad for this glimpse back in time to help us recognize and celebrate the lives of people who are too often excluded from our history books and media.

With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism

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Studio portrait of an African American woman equestrian rider from the late 1880s.

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Aida Overton Walker

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