Quote of the day
Most of the slaves, who were thus unconditionally freed, returned without any solicitation to their former masters, to serve them, at stated wages; as free men. The work, which they now did, was found to better done than before.
James Van Der Zee
Born: June 29, 1886
Died: May 15, 1983 (aged 96)
Bio: James Van DerZee was an African-American photographer best known for his portraits of black New Yorkers. He was a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Aside from the artistic merits of his work, VanDerZee produced the most comprehensive documentation of the period.