DBQ: Photos

Petersburg, Virginia.  Gen. Edward Ferrero and staff.  1864 Sept.

Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

DBQ's:

1. Examine the photograph and describe what you see.

2. Locate the solo African American in the photograph and argue why he is distinct and set apart from the other men.

3. Using the photograph and its caption, analyze the African American's role in this photograph.

 District of Columbia Officers of 4th U.S. Colored Infantry at Fort Slocum Dec. 24, 1865

Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division

DBQ's:

1. Examine and describe what you see in the photograph.
2. Locate the African American soldiers in this photograph and evaluate their position.  Why are they positioned in the photograph the way they are?
3. The African American Soldiers in this photograph are labeled as NCOs.  Find out what NCO stands for and analyze the photograph based on your new knowledge.

 Bermuda Hundred, VA. African-American teamsters near the signal tower 1864
Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division

DBQ's:

1. Examine and describe what you see in the photograph.
2. Analyze the way these African American men are dressed.  What can you interpret about these men?
3. These men are labeled as "contrabands".  Explain what this means and write a letter from one of these "contrabands" to his family describing his experiences.

 Arlington, VA. Band of 107th U.S. Colored Infantry at Fort Corcoran November 1865
Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division

DBQ's:

1. Examine and describe what you see in the photograph.
2. Explain why these men are holding musical instruments.
3. Evaluate the meaning of their being a picture of a colored infantry carrying musical instruments, but no pictures of white infantries carrying instruments.

City Point, VA. African American army cook at work.  Between 1860 and 1865
Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division

DBQ's:

1. Examine and describe what you see in the photograph.
2. Interpret the meaning of this photograph.  Why would the photographer take a picture of an African American cooking rather than fighting, per se?
3. Write an entry from this man's diary/journal during his time as an army cook during the Civil War.  What does he see?  What does he feel?

 Falmouth, VA. Lt. Col. [Jos] Dickinson and group of officers.  Headquarters, Army of the Potomac March 1863
Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division

DBQ's:

1. Examine and describe what you see in the photograph.
2. Evaluate the difference in dress between the black man and the white men in the photograph.  Why is the African American man dressed differently?
3. Provide an argument for the African American in the photograph to present to his superiors about why he should be able to fight in the war.  Remember, this is after the Emancipation Proclamation, so African Americans were allowed to enlist.