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Home > Digital Collections > Cook Photograph Collection

Selected Images from the Cook Photograph Collection

Digital Collections come from a broad range of sources, including materials that are offensive or contain negative stereotypes. VCU Libraries provides access to these items to support research and inquiry.

A note about searching: In an item-level search, digital objects with unknown dates may display a modern publication date (2023/2024). This date is inaccurate, and cannot be suppressed. Please see date approximation in individual item record for accurate item date.

About this collection
In 2000, VCU Libraries in collaboration with The Valentine selected and digitized this group of nearly 300 images, primarily of African Americans, from the George and Huestis Cook Photograph Collection held by the Valentine. These images are scans of the original prints produced from glass-plate or film negatives. George S. Cook (1819-1902) and Huestis P. Cook (1868-1951) captured these images primarily in the Richmond and Central Virginia area during the late-19th and early-20th century.

Many of these photographs, like others from this era, were posed or staged. They provide some insight into both Black life and white racist perceptions of that existence.

Display titles on select items have been altered to remove harmful and outdated language. All original titles from materials are maintained in the "Original Title" field for research and citation purposes.

In 2024, descriptions were added to the "Description" field in most items in this collection. These descriptions were created by staff at The Valentine, and have been added to this collection with their permission. If The Valentine has also hosted the image, a link to their website is also included in the item description.

Copyright
This material is in the public domain in the United States and thus is free of any copyright restriction. Acknowledgment of The Valentine as a source is requested. For information about ordering copies and commercial use of these images, contact The Valentine.

Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

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  • Cheatham Family by Huestis P. (Huestis Pratt) Cook and Cook Studio

    Cheatham Family

  • Chesterfield County Courthouse

    Chesterfield County Courthouse

  • Children Eating Watermelon

    Children Eating Watermelon

  • Children in Costume by Huestis P. (Huestis Pratt) Cook

    Children in Costume

  • Children in Costumes

    Children in Costumes

  • Children in Goat Cart

    Children in Goat Cart

  • Children on Lawn at Brook Hill

    Children on Lawn at Brook Hill

  • Children on Road

    Children on Road

  • Children with Coal Scuttle

    Children with Coal Scuttle

  • Chimney Sweeps by J. N. (Jerome Nelson) Wilson

    Chimney Sweeps

  • Circus Parade on Main Street by H.P. Cook Studio

    Circus Parade on Main Street

  • Classroom Scene

    Classroom Scene

  • Cold Harbor

    Cold Harbor

  • Cole-Digges House

    Cole-Digges House

  • Commercial Laundry Interior

    Commercial Laundry Interior

  • Confederate Camp

    Confederate Camp

  • Convict Feeding Squirrels in Capitol Square

    Convict Feeding Squirrels in Capitol Square

  • Corner of 7th and Cary Street

    Corner of 7th and Cary Street

  • Couple at Fireside by Huestis P. (Huestis Pratt) Cook

    Couple at Fireside

  • Couple in front of Cabin

    Couple in front of Cabin

  • Cradling Wheat

    Cradling Wheat

  • Crinion

    Crinion

  • Crinion

    Crinion

  • Crinion by H.P. Cook Studio

    Crinion

  • Crinion Sewing

    Crinion Sewing

  • Cucumber Harvest

    Cucumber Harvest

  • Cutting Tobacco by Cook Studio

    Cutting Tobacco

  • Davenport Tobacco Warehouse, Interior by Cook Studio

    Davenport Tobacco Warehouse, Interior

  • Demolition of Old Henrico Jail

    Demolition of Old Henrico Jail

  • Demolition of Old Henrico Jail

    Demolition of Old Henrico Jail

  • Demolition of Old Henrico Jail

    Demolition of Old Henrico Jail

  • Emancipation Day Celebration by Cook Studio

    Emancipation Day Celebration

  • Falk Tobacco Company, Granulating Tobacco

    Falk Tobacco Company, Granulating Tobacco

  • Family in front of Cabin

    Family in front of Cabin

  • Family in front of Cabin by Huestis P. (Huestis Pratt) Cook

    Family in front of Cabin

  • Family in front of Home by Cook Studio

    Family in front of Home

  • Family in front of House by Cook Studio

    Family in front of House

  • Family in front of House by Cook Studio

    Family in front of House

  • Farm Scene

    Farm Scene

  • Fishing on the Atlantic Coast

    Fishing on the Atlantic Coast

  • Flower Vendors at 6th Street Market

    Flower Vendors at 6th Street Market

  • Flower Vendors at 6th Street Market

    Flower Vendors at 6th Street Market

  • Flower Vendors at 6th Street Market

    Flower Vendors at 6th Street Market

  • Frances B. Scott

    Frances B. Scott

  • Gate Opener at Sabine Hall

    Gate Opener at Sabine Hall

  • George S. Cook Family

    George S. Cook Family

  • George S. Cook in studio with large format camera

    George S. Cook in studio with large format camera

  • George Washington Equestrian Monument

    George Washington Equestrian Monument

 
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