A landmark publication that transformed the documentation of Black photography history has returned with significant new content after a quarter-century. "Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers 1840 to the Present" by renowned photography historian Deborah Willis has been reissued with 130 additional images and an accompanying gallery exhibition at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
Willis, a MacArthur "genius" award recipient and one of America's foremost authorities on Black photography, has dedicated her career to discovering, cataloging, and showcasing Black photographers and photographic representations of Black people. The expanded edition represents decades of continued research and collection, building upon what was originally the first comprehensive single-volume work to highlight leading Black photographers' contributions to the medium.
Among the compelling new additions is a photograph of former First Lady Michelle Obama embracing a military veteran in the Bronx. Willis explained her selection of this particular image, noting the powerful intimacy of the moment. "The hug," she emphasized, describing how Obama's closed eyes and gentle gesture toward the older veteran conveyed a profound sense of connection that transcended typical political photography. The embrace, Willis observed, captured something essentially human rather than merely ceremonial.
The exhibition and book reveal how the American flag frequently appears in Black photographers' work, serving as a complex symbol that questions the relationship between Black Americans and their citizenship. Willis explained that these photographers use the flag to explore themes of belonging and rights, asking fundamental questions about Black Americans' place within the national narrative.
Willis's journey into photography began in North Philadelphia, where her mother operated a beauty salon stocked with what Willis called "the Black color wheel of magazines" – Ebony, Jet, and Tan – alongside mainstream publications like Life, Look, and National Geographic. Her father, who worked as both a police officer and tailor while pursuing serious amateur photography, influenced her early fascination with visual storytelling and fashion.
The book's origins trace back to an undergraduate research project when Willis discovered the glaring absence of Black photographers in academic photography histories. Despite knowing that Black photographers were actively working and publishing in specialized directories and magazines, they remained invisible in scholarly texts. Through meticulous research in segregation-era city directories, she identified photographers listed with asterisks marking them as "colored photographers." This initial investigation at the Schomburg Center led to the compilation of portfolios for individual photographers.
The transformation from academic paper to published book occurred through what Willis calls her "publishing angel," Richard Newman, who recognized the project's significance and helped her expand the research into a comprehensive volume with accompanying photographs.
The book explores how historical figures like Frederick Douglass understood photography's power long before cameras became ubiquitous. Research revealed Douglass as one of the most photographed individuals of his era, viewing photography as a form of biography. He was particularly concerned about degrading images of Black people and collaborated with photographers to create portraits that emphasized humanity and dignity.
Willis also addresses the complex legacy of photographs documenting slavery's brutality, such as the famous image of an enslaved man's scarred back from repeated whippings. She views these as evidence of horrific lived experiences, noting how such "human property images" were displayed at world fairs to degrade Black people. This historical context makes the discovery of W.E.B. Du Bois's 1900 Paris Exposition photographs particularly significant – images that Willis helped locate after they were initially thought lost, only to be rediscovered decades later by a young Black cataloger at the Library of Congress.
The role of Black magazines like Ebony and Tan in reshaping visual narratives receives particular attention in Willis's work. These publications deliberately showcased Black luxury, success, and beauty – celebrities with furs, cars, and elegant homes – countering dominant narratives that focused solely on struggle and hardship. Black photographers documented not only activism and mourning but also the full spectrum of Black life's richness and complexity.
For this reframed edition, Willis approached the material with fresh perspective, seeking to retell familiar stories and create new narratives about the photographers' lives. Drawing inspiration from poet Amiri Baraka's assertion that "imagination gives us possibilities," she reimagined how these historical images could speak to contemporary audiences.
The accompanying gallery exhibition, titled "Reflections in Black: A Reframing," runs through December 21 at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where Willis leads the photography department. The show provides visitors an opportunity to experience these historically significant images in person while understanding their broader cultural and artistic impact.
This expanded edition of "Reflections in Black" represents more than just additional content – it embodies Willis's ongoing commitment to ensuring that Black photographers receive recognition for their contributions to American visual culture and that their stories continue reaching new generations of viewers and scholars.
