UWF Historic Trust opens “Centennial Faces” exhibit in February
The University of West Florida Historic Trust will host “Centennial Faces” at the T. T. Wentworth Jr. Museum from Feb. 1, 2016 through April 25, 2016. The exhibit – comprised of 49 portraits by late 19th century Tallahassee photographer Alvan S. Harper – provides a fresh perspective on the lives of African-American citizens in Tallahassee 100 years ago.
The subjects of Harper’s studio portraits suggest the presence of an affluent middle class within African-American society of that time. Elaborately beaded dresses, flowered hats and finely tailored waistcoats reflect the subjects’ prosperity. These Tallahassee residents appear far-removed from the hardship and poverty experienced by many African-Americans after the Civil War. The portraits in the “Centennial Faces” exhibit, part of the Museum of Florida History’s Traveling Exhibit program, are select images from the 2,000 glass plate negatives in the Alvan S. Harper Collection, located in the Florida State Archives.
The T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Museum is located at 330 S. Jefferson Street St. in downtown Historic Pensacola. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. “Centennial Faces” is included in admission to Historic Pensacola. Admission is free for members; $8 for adults; $7 for seniors, AAA members and military personnel and their dependents; and $4 for children age three to 14. Tickets are valid throughout Historic Pensacola for seven days. Annual passes to Historic Pensacola are also available, starting at $50.
For more information, visit historicpensacola.org.