For many years Patricia Smith has been collecting 19th-century photos of Black Americans. With a single exception, all of the photographs are anonymous, but in this collection Smith has invented lives, emotions, potentials, hopes, histories, fears, misfortunes and relationships for them in the form of poetry.

I selected this title to fulfill the Read Harder category "an indie published collection of poetry by a BIPOC author," and I love the idea of this work, the imagining of who these individuals were. Though it has left me on one hand with a feeling of tenderness, as the family archivist who gets excited every time a new, previously unknown photograph of my ancestors is unearthed, I find the idea that the descendants of these anonymous individuals may never have seen an image of their ancestor, even though these precious photos exist unidentified, more than a little devastating. The photographs were the most meaningful aspect of this book to me. The poetry didn't speak to me, but that is because poetry rarely speaks to me (confidential to all poetry: it's not you, it's me). ( )

Smith has amassed an amazing collection of largely 19th century photographs of African-American men, women, and children. All unidentified, their faces lost to history and lost to their descendants. Smith has written poems to give each of these faces a story--stories based on what clues she has. The photographer's location from the frame. Clothing. Expression. Clothing and accessories. She has done her research, weaving in events in those cities, jobs associated with clothing, a couple's expressions. This is really a fascinating collection, original and well researched. As a genealogist, I find unidentified old photos to be so sad--like everyone, I have so many not-so-distant ancestors I have no photos of. Maybe they exist, with no names attached. Maybe they are in antique stores or listed on ebay.

I can't help but wonder if maybe, somehow, someone will read this book and identify someone. Based on another photo saved. Or a recognizable piece of jewelry. Or someone who passed on their features to a descendant. ( )