CONTENT: This site contains nearly 300 photographs from the work of the father and son photographic team of George and Huestis Cook. Photographs were selected from the Valentine Richmond History Center's collection of more than 10,000 original negatives.
AESTHETICS: The layout is simple, attractive, and user-friendly. Real Player is needed to view the slide show introduction to the site.
ORGANIZATION: The photographs are organized into subject categories and can be searched by keyword or browsed. Links to various areas of the site are listed in the top navigation bar.
REVIEW: This Web site is a joint project between VCU Libraries and the Valentine Richmond History Center. It makes photographs of African-American life in turn-of-the-century Central Virginia available to every interested party -- from historical researchers to school children. The photos depict African-Americans realistically rather than stereotypically and give a pictorial history of African-American life from the 1860s to the 1930s. Categories of photographs include architecture, education, children, labor, religion, and more. Also included at the site is information about the photographers. This collection would be a great supplement to a history curriculum or to a social studies unit for Black History Month.
