John J. Smith — Hamilton Sutton Smith

John J. Smith

Discover John J. Smith portrait – a striking 19th-century daguerreotype by Hamilton Sutton Smith. Explore this formal Victorian image of an abolitionist leader & his captivating story.


Hamilton Sutton Smith (1857 - 1924)

Hamilton Sutton Smith (1857-1924) war ein US-Fotograf, bekannt für seine Bilder aus Washington, D.C. & Familienporträts. Entdecken Sie sein Werk, das Geschichte und das lokale Leben festhält.

Museum of African American History (Boston, Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika)

Erforschen Sie Bostons vielfältiges afroamerikanisches Erbe im Museum der Afroamerikanischen Geschichte! Entdecken Sie Abolitionismus, Kunst und Kultur durch beeindruckende Ausstellungen.

John J. Smith (1820-1906), born free in Richmond, Virginia, moved to Boston in 1848, joined the antislavery movement, and opened a barbershop. His business became a gathering place for self-liberated people and abolitionists including Charles Sumner, William Lloyd Garrison, and Lewis Hayden. During the Civil War, Smith worked as a recruiter for the 5th Cavalry in Washington, DC. Smith returned to Boston after the Civil War. Elected first in 1863, he served three terms in the Massachusetts Legislature and was elected to the Boston Common Council. Smith also helped other blacks attain elected and appointed government positions.