Figure 1.--The photograph here was taken in Savannah, Georgia, probably in 1907. It shows an African American family. As was common in rural area, many familes like this one were quite large. We can see the parents and 10 children. Presumably, looking at the age of the children, some more children will be born later. Notice the small size of the brick buildings in the back. These may have been former slave quarters. Most of the rural homes I remember seeing in the 1950s were larger and made in crude wooden planks. I am not sure how common brick slave quarters were. There is a sign over the doorway, but we can not read it. (Click on the iange if you want to try ti figure it out.) The family wear standard 1900s styles. All the youngr children are barefoot which was very common in the South at the time. Source Library of Congress LC-D4-34666.

At the turn of the 20th century, the great bulk of the Afro-American population in the rural South. The Great Migration was just beginning and would not reach really large numbers until the World war I era. The photograph here was taken in Savannah, Georgia, probably in 1907. It shows an African American family. As was common in rural area, many familes like this one were quite large. We can see the parents and 10 children. Presumably, looking at the age of the children, some more children will be born later. The mother looks very young and the older children look to be in their early teens, noy much older than 15 years of age. It would no seem biolgically possible to have a much larger family in the 15-16 years they were married. Their home is also interesting. Notice the small size of the brick buildings in the back. These may have been former slave quarters. It is likely that they are share cropping on a former plantation. Most of the rural homes I remember seeing in the 1950s were larger and made in crude wooden planks. I am not sure how common brick slave quarters were. Perhaps readers will know more. There is a sign over the doorway, but we can not read it. The family wear standard 1900s styles. One girl wears a boy's cap. All the youngr children are barefoot which was very common in the South at the time.

Created: 5:06 PM 10/26/2013
Last edited: 5:06 PM 10/26/2013