Pool Baptism I: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black-and-white photograph by Kenneth Royster of a pool baptism. The foreground of the image shows a group in a pool. Most of the individuals are wearing white button-down shirts, white pants, and black bow ties and belts in the water. There is one (1) woman, wearing white in the water on the right side. On the left is a religious figure wearing a black garment and cap. The people are facing different directions and helping to submerge individuals in the water to be baptized. In the background, a group of musicians is standing along the pool edge. They are wearing white shirts, pants, and shoes, and black ties. A few are holding trombones and there is a tuba and drum set in back. There are some spectators behind the musicians. The edge of the negative is partially visible around the image. There is a numerical inscription on the reverse.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1995
• Photograph by: Kenneth Royster, American, born 1944
• Subject of: Unidentified Woman or Women
• Subject of: Unidentified Man or Men
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (image): 14 × 13 3/4 in. (35.6 × 34.9 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (sheet): 20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.6 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (matted): 22 × 28 in. (55.9 × 71.1 cm)
• Place depicted: United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Christianity
• Topic: Communities
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Music
• Topic: Musicians
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Prayer
• Object number: 2018.41.13
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kenneth Royster in honor of Prof. Samuel L. Green
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Kenneth Royster Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.