Augustus Washington

Augustus Washington (1820/1821 - June 7, 1875) was an African American photographer and daguerreotypist, who later in his career emigrated to Liberia. He is one of the few African American daguerreotypists whose career has been documented.

Biography

He was born in Trenton, New Jersey as the son of a former slave and a woman of South Asian descent. He studied at Oneida Institute in Whitesboro, New York and the Kimball Union Academy before entering Dartmouth College in 1843. He learned making daguerreotypes during his first year to finance his college education, but had to leave Dartmouth College in 1844 due to increasing debts. He moved to Hartford, Connecticut, teaching black students at local school and opening a daguerrean studio in 1846. [cite web
last = The Connecticut Historical Society
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Augustus Washington: Hartford's Black Daguerreotypist
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.chs.org/graphcoll/augwash.htm
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accessdate = 2008-03-18]

Despite his success he decided to resettle to Liberia as he was worrying about his future as an African American in America society. He moved in 1853 with his wife and his two small children. He opened a daguerrean studio in the capital Monrovia and also traveled to the neighboring countries Sierra Leone, Gambia and Senegal. He later gave up his photographic work and became a sugarcane grower and politician, serving in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. He died in Monrovia in 1875. [cite web
last = National Portrait Gallery
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = A Durable Memento
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date =
url = http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/awash/awintro.htm
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accessdate = 2008-03-18]

Works

References

External links

* [http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/awash Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery]
* [http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=621 Letter by Augustus Washington to The Tribune]