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Museum object · Racist and Stereotypical Objects

Photograph of five male performers with drums

early 20th-mid 20th century

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of a group of five (5) male performers. The men are posed around a large drum, placed in the lower right quadrant of the image. All of the performers are depicted shirtless. One (1) man is seated cross-legged with a drum held between his knees to the left of the drum. His proper right hand is poised above the drum head and his proper left is resting on the drum. He is wearing a metallic costume that leaves his legs bare. Behind the seated man are two (2) performers. The man on the left has his arms extended above his head, bent at the elbows. The man on the right, kneels in front of a drum with his proper left side facing the viewer. His proper left hand holds the drum and the proper right arm is extended above his head.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2013.46.25.56

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