African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia
Scope and Content
These photographs depict the conditions of a tenant farmer known as Aaron working a piece of land on the John T. Lewis, Jr., estate in Clarksville, Virginia. These photographs, taken around 1930, show the conditions in which tenant farmers lived and worked during the Great Depression. President Franklin D. Roosevelt attempted to improve the conditions of farmers around the country with his New Deal legislation, making parity payments to landowners who were then expected to share these payments with their tenants; however, some of these landowners took the opportunity to keep the money for themselves. By the late 1930s, nearly forty per cent of all farmers were tenant farmers.
Dates
- c.1920-1930
Language of Materials
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Historical Note
Tenant farming was common after the abolition of slavery. Agriculture in many parts of the United States had been built upon the work of enslaved people. Once enslaving people was no longer legal, landowners had to find another method to farm their land. At the same time, former enslaved people needed homes and jobs. Tenant farming was the solution chosen by many landowners and former enslaved people. A landowner would rent a portion of their land to a tenant for a price that was, many times, half of the crop or a significant amount of money. Farming was unpredictable and this type of arrangement often proved problematic for tenant farmers if their crops failed.
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
This collection contains six black and white photographs of a tenant farm in Clarksville, Virginia.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Source of Acquisition
The African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, were purchased by Special Collections in 2009.
Existence and Location of Copies
This collection has been digitized and is available online.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, commenced and was completed in August 2009.
- Photograph, Second View of Tenant Farmer's House, Clarksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
- Photograph, Portrait of a Tenant Farmer Known as Aaron, Claksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
- Photograph, View of Tenant Famers on the Front Porch of a Tenant House, Clarksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
- Photograph, Portrait of a Tenant Farmer Known as Aaron with a Horse, Clarksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
- Photograph, View of Tenant Farmers and Tenant House, Clarksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
- Photograph, View of Tenant Farmer's House, Clarksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
- African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, c. 1920 (Ms2009-110)
- Title
- African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, c.1920-1930
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Lora Settle, Graduate Assistant
- Date
- 2009 (CC0 1.0)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu