#1930s

[thesilliestpotato]

I was looking for references and stumbled across a series of paintings from 1930s by Soviet painter Alexander Samokhvalov called "The young women of metro construction"

[dat-soldier]

Life Story

[littlehorrorshop]

Josephine Baker in Zouzou (1934)

[nemfrog]

"Black cat before the attack." Martin Munkácsi. Arts et métiers graphiques. January 1, 1931.

Gallica

[toyastales]

Art Deco Ingrid perfume bottle made of malachite glass by Riedel Glassworks, depicting a figure beneath a waterfall, Bohemia, Czech Republic, 1930s.

[yesterdaysprint]

The Waco Times-Herald, Texas, June 19, 1936

[uptownlowdown]

✸ vintage black beauty is live!

i've been asked where/how to find early-mid 20th century images of black people to reference when drawing/writing/whatever, so i figured i'd link to my own personal resource anyone is welcome to utilize! :)

with over 900 pins and counting, this pinterest board focuses entirely on black style from the 1800s - 1970s. it’s been harder than ever to research historical fashion without running into AI, misinformation, and flat out mislabeling of different eras, so i’ve done my best to represent each period as accurately as i can.

i’ve included sections for non-caricatured art and illustration, print media, music, entertainment, styling tools, and ads. there are also sections for period pieces and more modern takes on vintage style. i did not add the 80s and 90s because there's already a wealth of imagery and information about those decades, but maybe one day :)

*NOTE: i am not a professional archivist or historian! just a black american passionate about my history. as such, this board is heavily centered on black americans and afro-caribbeans, although there are photos from across the diaspora, including africa and the UK.

*additionally: pins on pinterest come from all over and may not always have the correct information, depending on who uploaded it. while i’ve taken great lengths to research undated photos, some categorized pins are educated guesses based on the hair, fashion, or photography style of the photo. uncategorized pins are photos i can’t confidently connect to a specific decade without potentially mislabeling.

with this in mind, this board acts as a handy visual guide, but should be used in addition to your own research. happy researching! 🖤