Hundreds of rare Civil War images, mostly made by Southern photographers, have been released online.
Collector Robin Stanford sold more than 500 images to the Library of Congress for an undisclosed amount, the Washington Postreports. “They’re just tremendously significant,” said Bob Zeller, president of the Center for Civil War Photography. “These are not post-war. These are actual scenes of slavery in America.”
Stanford, 87 and of Houston, had been collecting the images—many of them are stereo pictures, or two of the same frame that are printed on one card and meant to be seen in 3-D via a stereo viewer—since the 1970s. She had planned to donate her extensive archive to her son, John, but after his unexpected death last year, she sold parts of her collection to support her daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
“I’m so glad they’re here, because they will be available for everybody,” she told the Post. “On the other hand, I’m going to miss them.”
The Library has already digitized 77 of Stanford’s photographs. Among them are scenes from plantations in South Carolina, as well as pictures of a country in mourning after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
Members of the Marion Light Artillery cleaning a gun in one of the batteries on Coles Island, S.C., circa 1861. Osborn & Durbec—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of CongressFort Moultrie, Charleston, S.C., April 1861. Osborn & Durbec—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of CongressFort Sumter after bombardment, Charleston, S.C., April 1861. Osborn & Durbec—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of CongressFort Sumter the day after its capture, Charleston, S.C., April 1861. Osborn & Durbec—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of Congress"Rockville Plantation negro church," Charleston, S.C., Jan. 31, 1863. Osborn & Durbec—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of CongressRockville Plantation, Charleston, S.C., January 1863. Osborn & Durbec—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of Congress"A negro burying ground," Rockville plantation, Charleston, S.C., January 1863. Osborn & Durbec—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of CongressA plantation in Charleston, S.C., circa 1860-1863. Osborn & Durbec—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of CongressMen spearfishing in Mount Pleasant, S.C., circa 1861.Osborn & Durbec—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of CongressAbraham Lincoln's casket conveyed by funeral car through the crowd on Broad Street in Philadelphia, April 22, 1865. Ridgway GLover—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of CongressA view of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. after the death of Abraham Lincoln showing mourning bands draped on columns, and a flag at half staff. A caisson is parked in the foreground, 1865. C.H. Hall—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of CongressA street view of Abraham Lincoln's home in Springfield, Ill. draped in mourning on the day of his funeral. A horse stands near a wooden plank from the street to the sidewalk, circa 1865. Ridgway GLover—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of Congress
