Circa 1915-1920: Enigmatic Creole Portrait

This photograph, taken between 1915 and 1920 by the Bain News Service, features a subject labeled simply as CREOLE. While the specific context is not detailed, the term Creole historically refers to people of mixed European and African ancestry, particularly in regions influenced by French, Spanish, or Portuguese colonialism. This photograph likely captures a moment reflecting the diverse cultural heritage unique to the Creole community during this period in American history, possibly in areas like Louisiana, which is renowned for its Creole culture.

The image is preserved as a glass negative, a popular photographic method in the early 20th century known for its clarity and detail. Glass negatives were widely used by newspapers and news services, like Bain, to capture candid moments and portraits, providing a window into daily life and the social dynamics of the time. While we lack the specifics of the location or the individual’s identity in this photograph, it stands as an artifact of an era when photography became integral to documenting and sharing the complexities of contemporary society.