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This Family Portrait from 1897 Holds a Mystery That No One Has Ever Been Able to Unravel — Until Now
This wasn’t just one family’s love story.
It was evidence of a broader network of black Atlantans who chose protection and inclusion over the prejudice that dominated the society around them.
Rebecca knew that finding Clara’s own words would be nearly impossible.
Most black women from this era left few written records, and someone with Clara’s medical challenges would be even less likely to appear in historical documents, but she searched anyway.
She contacted the Atlanta University Center archives, explaining what she was looking for.
Anything related to Clara Washington, born 1891, who would have been a young woman in the 1910s.
The archist called back 4 days later, excitement clear in her voice.
I found something.
Not much, but it’s definitely her.
Rebecca drove to Atlanta that afternoon.
The archist led her to a temperature-cont controlled reading room and carefully placed a worn ledger on the table.
This is from the Philly Sweetly YW.
CA, which served black women and girls in Atlanta from 1910 through the 1960s.
They offered classes, cultural programs, and social activities.
She opened the ledger to a marked page in the attendance records for a 1913 poetry reading series, Clara M.
Washington, age 22.
She participated in their programs.
The archist continued flipping through pages.
Look, 1914 music appreciation course here.
1915 member of the literary discussion group.
She was active in their social and cultural activities.
Rebecca felt tears forming.
Clara had lived a social life as a young woman.
She hadn’t been isolated or hidden.
Then the archivist pulled out a slim folder.
This is what I really wanted to show you.
Inside was a single sheet of paper, a handwritten contribution to the YW.
C.
A’s 1916 newsletter titled On Being Seen.
Continued on the next page
