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forverylongbutIwasfascinatedbythisideathattherewasawhiteschoolinablacktown.Ihadthisconversationabouttheschoolandthenatureofitwiththisgentlemaninthecommunityjuststandingonthestreetactually.AndthatsortofclickedformeandIthoughtschoolsarereallytheplacewhereweworkouttheseideasofraceinawaythateventodayremainsunresolved.SoIbeganworkingoutthatideaandforatimeIstartedmakingpicturesoftheschoolsanddoingthesamethingIhaddonewithSmallTownsBlackLiveswhichwasIhadatextpanelanarrativewiththeimage.AndgraduallyIgrewtiredofthatandeventuallyIstartedisolatingthebuildingagainstthelandscapebecauseIwantedtomakethatconnectiontoW.E.B.DuBoisandtheveil.MORSothatbringsusheretoManifestaclearthreaddirectlyfromSmallTownsBlackLivesandSchoolsfortheColored.TheseareindividualstoriesthattellthebroaderstoryoftheAfricanAmericanculturallandscapeandthehistoryofthecommunity.WWThiswasadirectconnectiontoSchools.IhadasabbaticalandwasinvitedtobeavisitingfacultymemberatRITsoIwentupforaquarter.IdecidedtostayinthelandscapeandwantedtoexploretheNiagaraMovementandtheestablishmentoftheNAACP.IplannedtogoovertoBuffaloandgoovertotheCanadianside.InresearchingthatIgotfascinatedwiththefactthatFrederickDouglasshadalltheserootsinRochester.OnethingledtoanotherandIfindoutthattheyhavealockofhishairattheUniversityofRochesterLibrary.AndthatjustblewupformeandIstartedgraduallylookingalloverwesternNewYorkinallofthesecollectionsthathadobjectsrelatedtoAfricanAmericanhistory.InfactthepeopleattheUniversityofRochesterLibraryweresokind.ThefirsttimeIwentthereandphotographIdidntreallyknowwhatIwasdoinginthesensethatIhadntformulatedwhatthiswouldlooklike.SoIreallyjustphotographedthingsonthetable.MORHowmuchresearchdoyoudobeforeyoupickupthecameraDoyouallowfortheserendipityofthemomentwiththecameraordoyouwanttohavesomekindofideabeforeyougoinWWIwouldsayitsalittleofboth.ItypicallygoinwithonlyahintofanideathatIthinkisinteresting.MORItsoundslikeyoureopentopossibilities.WWYesImopentopossibilitiesandthenImlookingtoseewhatwillcapturemyimaginationonceIgetthere.MOREarlyinyourcareeritwascertainlythevisualthatcapturedyou.IsitthenarrativenowthatdrawsyouinOraretheyintandemWWTheyareintandem.Itcantbeonlyvisual.AndinparticularIaminterestedinthearchivalobject.Theobjectthathadbeenheldthathavebeeninthelivesofpeople.MORMostlytheseareephemeralobjectsnotoriginallymeanttobekeptforever.WWManyofmyfavoritesarethosealthoughmanyweremeanttobetreasuredasinthecaseofFrederickDouglassshair.Thatwassomethingthatwasgivenandreceivedandheldonto.Andmyphotographofthesethingshasnotmuchtodowiththecontentofthething.EventhoughthatstoryisimportanttomeastowhyIphotographit.Imakethephotographbecausetheobjectiscompellingtometolookatorthereisaqualitythatevokesakindofghostlyspirit.MORFirstofallthereisanideaoflandscapeinallofthesewhichisreallyinterestinginthesesingularobjects.Andthereisthismystery.Youhaventshotadocumentaryphotograph.Icantreadeverywordonsomethingorthecolormaynotbetruebecauseofthewayyouveshotitorthewayitslit.Butyetthereisasenseofitandasenseofwantingtoknowwhatisbehindthisobject.Ilovethatyouveletthemysterybeasimportantasthedocumentaryportionofit.SlaveCollar.AlexanderLibrarySpecialCollectionsRutgersUniversityNewBrunswickNJ2014