Roll, Jordan, Roll

Published in 1933, the Book Roll, Jordan, Roll intended to assist in creating public works depicting African Americans in a humanizing way during a time in which segregation was still common practice in the United States. Working with Julia Peterkin, the author of Roll, Jordan, Roll, Ulmann photographed the descendants of previously enslaved individuals in the Georgia, South Carolina area.

Roll, Jordan, Roll also highlighted the Gullah Geechee People, a community of previously enslaved people that traditionally resided along the Atlantic Coast. This enabled Peterkin and Ulmann to begin representing Southern African Americans in a non-objectifying way, as well as highlight their traditions and cultures.

Even though the book’s contents span Georgia and South Carolina, many of Ulmann’s photographs featured in Roll, Jordan, Roll were taken on a plantation owned by Julia Peterkin’s husband. Because of this fact, it is not certain whether many of the people depicted in this collection were working on the plantation still.

At the time of its initial release, Roll, Jordan, Roll met a significant amount of public criticism for representing a then very liberal, outlandish idea. Segregation was not abolished until the 1960’s, which enabled many Americans to continue practicing discriminatory behaviors towards people of color. Even though she was not without her own biases by any means, Doris Ulmann can still be considered a visionary for her time.

Below is a small selection of photographs featured in Roll, Jordan, Roll.