Ambrotype of a veiled woman

ca. 1860

This rare photograph captures a Black woman in mourning in the 19th century.

In the 1860s, veils worn by women in the United States were most associated with mourning rituals. After the end of slavery, African American women also adopted this practice. Wearing a veil allowed women to publicly grieve while maintaining privacy. This ambrotype—a photographic process most often used for portraiture in the mid-19th century—captures a veiled Black woman. Like Delita Martin’s portraits, this photograph brings visibility to African American women, their histories, and their experiences.