American Historical Ephemera and Early Photography

Approx. 11 1/2 x 14 in. album with 38 thick card leaves containing 250 photographs, including 32 Yale faculty members and administrators, 163 students, 50 full and half-page views of the university's buildings and grounds, 5 photographs of African American employees, and a composite photograph "Class of 1872 Yale in College Chapel." Albumen photographs, most 5 1/2 x 4 in., mounted recto/verso on an album page, each lacking an imprint but originally taken by William Notman (1826-1891). Leather covered boards with gilt Yale University coat of arms and "Class '72." Name index at front of album is not utilized.

Amongst the notable portraits in the album are five photographs of Yale University's African American staff members, from a series of photographs taken in New Haven, CT, by William Notman's company for the 1872 yearbook. These images include: a full-length portrait of a fruit merchant identified as "Hannibal," wearing knee-length boots next to his vendor’s basket. -- A full-length portrait of "Candy Sam" carrying a box labeled "Yale Confectionary." -- A full-length portrait of "Candy Sam & Wife." -- A vignette portrait of a staff member sporting a goatee and wearing a suit, identified as "Jackson, Chimney Sweep." -- An artfully composed shot identified as "College Sweeps," featuring six African American men who served as the custodial staff at the university. This group, known as the "College Sweeps," included Carter Wright, the son of an A.M.E. minister, and George T. Livingston, who served in the 29th Connecticut Infantry during the war and who was active in Republican politics. Three men in suits stand at the back, two sit in chairs tilted towards the center, with the sixth man seated on the floor wears a knit cardigan sweater. Uncredited but known to have been taken by William Notman Co., [1872]. -- Also included is a portrait of Henry Ward Beecher. After Yale University established "The Lyman Beecher Lectureship" in 1871, Henry Ward Beecher taught the first three annual courses.

William Notman (1826-1891) was a Scottish-Canadian photographer with an international reputation. Though based in Montreal, Notman expanded his reach opening additional studios and seeking business opportunities throughout Canada and the US. In 1869 Notman garnered a commission to produce student and faculty portraits at Vassar College in New York State. He developed this line of business quickly and eventually set up seasonal branches at Harvard and Yale. 
While Notman was a prolific photographer, examples with people of color are exceedingly scarce. In addition to individual portraits, Notman produced composite photographs such as the one included in this album. The composites were produced by photographing each person in the studio, cutting the figures out of the prints, and then pasting them on a painted background. Copies were made for sale in various standard sizes.