From the Editor, Jerry Hayes
We were shared some old daguerreotype’s (first photos on glass) from the late 1800’s. We have identified most of them. But, and there is always a but, this one is interesting and intriguing. I had it converted from the glass photo to a digital one to share with you. This is unique considering the late 1800’s. Is this a Beekeeping Training Class? When was it? Is this in the USA or somewhere else globally? Who are the Beekeepers? Who is the Instructor? We have not been able to obtain any information on Who, What, When, Where and How? OK, all of you History Experts. What do you think?
Hi Jerry,
I’m not much of a history expert but I can offer an uneducated guess.
The nature of the photo, it being an old daguerreotype from the late 19th century and the adult men are black with one exception suggests that this photo would have been taken in the US or maybe Canada, after the Civil War. The man second from left being the only white man (and with his shirt sleeves rolled up) suggests he has been working and is the beekeeper and is showing off his apiary to the visitors. (It would have been difficult for most black men to own much of anything back then and where would one learn beekeeping skills in the segregated South that by design prevented any chance of education and upward mobility by current and former slaves?) It looks like only a single smoker is in use, which strengthens the theory that this is an educational event led by a single experienced beekeeper. The two boys in the background are probably the beekeeper’s sons, there to take in the unusual visitors and event. Given how slowly and begrudgingly the South accepted the new laws granting equal rights to Blacks, this photo was probably taken in the northern part of the States, or maybe Canada, where there were more people (though not all) with tolerant and accepting attitudes towards African Americans (and a little bit more tolerant of whites that offered assistance to blacks and treated them with some measure of respect and dignity rather than to exploit and denigrate them). The Black men in attendance are probably former slaves and sharecroppers, who not only had the courage to leave all they knew to try and find a better life, they are showing ambition and curiosity to learn and grow to a new profession/skill despite having mostly been downtrodden and discriminated against for the majority of their lives. These men have likely been in the North and freed for some time as they have managed to obtain suits and hats (one even has glasses) and are dressed like men who have managed to obtain gainful employment and have been established in the North for sometime as opposed to having just migrated recently up from the South with few if any belongings. Unless, this is in Canada where people of African and Caribbean descent enjoyed many more freedoms than those in the United States. However, this is all based on the claim that this was circa late 1800s.
Wikipedia states “Daguerreotype” (/dəˈɡɛər(i.)əˌtaɪp, -(i.)oʊ-/; French: daguerréotype) was the first publicly available photographic process, widely used during the 1840s and 1850s. “Daguerreotype” also refers to an image created through this process.
Invented by Louis Daguerre and introduced worldwide in 1839, the daguerreotype was almost completely superseded by 1856 with new, less expensive processes, such as ambrotype (collodion process), that yield more readily viewable images.
Since the hives are Langstroth-style removable frame hives, this photo was clearly taken post 1850 which means the photographer was possibly still using this old and outdated technology that was more expensive than the collodion process that replaced it. This photographer may have been experiencing financial hardship and/or may have been a Black person unable to easily access the newer more desirable technology, unless the photo is actually from the late 50’s or early 1860’s during the transition between the technologies. That’s about as wild a guess I can come up with. Helpful?
Ross Conrad
Jerry,
My best guess is that it is at an Ag & Tech college in the South, possibly at a historically Black school. Given the clothing, I would guess it is post WWI, pre-Depression. I think your best bet would be to identify the older white man who undoubtedly was the instructor. He could have been an extension agent or college instructor or professor. But, you probably already thought of all those points.
Good luck,
David Morris
Hi Jerry,
I am mystified by the photo. Don’t you have info? Date range or something?
Pete
