Because of where I live, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has always been a great city to travel to and visit when I'm yearning for a change of scenery. They have great museums and architecture, The Milkshake Factory (the best), and a colorful history.
I have always been interested in looking at and collecting old photographs, but lately I've found myself fascinated with photos of African-American life in eras I love, such as the 1940s. Sadly, these photos are usually difficult to find. So I was absolutely thrilled when I stumbled across the work of Pittsburgh photographer Charles "Teenie" Harris.
Teenie spent his life taking photos to chronicle everyday Pittsburgh life in African-American neighborhoods (mainly from 1936-1979), and they couldn't be any more gorgeous. People of color had few opportunities during this time in America, and it dazzles me to see photographs of these people who fought through oppression and made beautiful lives for themselves.
I find that the modern-day "vintage" community lacks diversity. This makes sense to me, though, because classic ladies of color such as Fredi Washington and Nina Mae McKinney were overlooked in the 1930s as the Bette Davises and Carole Lombards skyrocketed to fame. Throughout the gorgeous decades that I love and am constantly inspired by - this collection of photos reminds me that we were there, too.
Here are a few of my favorite breathtaking shots.
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Winter 1937.
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| Late 1930s. |
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| Cab Calloway surrounded by nine women, April 1938. (Seriously, what a ladies' man!) |
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| Early 1940s. |
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| Early 1940s. |
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Early 1940s.
Are you swooning over their outfits as much as I am?
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Ooh! Amazing post.
ReplyDeleteI love looking at the details, hair, shoes, and also the attitude etc....
Thank you!
DeleteI love looking at all of the details too... I get so inspired! ❤