This is the first post of my collection of over 280 glass plate negatives that I acquired in 1965. The negatives stayed with me for many years then a chance newspaper article in the late 1990's came to my attention. This article led to the re-discovery of my collection. The photographs are mostly of the African American and immigrant neighborhoods in Lincoln, Nebraska. Dating the photographs has been fairly easy since some of the photographs show construction of buildings that has been well documented and other show people holding magazines with readable dates.
Further research indicates that the photographs were likely taken by an African American photographer named Johnny Johnson with assistance from Earl McWilliams another African American who was listed as a photography assistant in city directories. Earl McWilliams is related to famous African American photographer James VanDerZee who was the premier photographer of the Harlem Renaissance in New York City.
With the assistance of my local congressman's office we recently sent four 24"x36" prints to White House photographer Pete Souza with the request that he show the prints to President Obama.
I'll post more pictures with captions as time becomes available. There is more RECENT info here
http://www.khsltv.com/content/localnews/story/Chico-Photographer-Sends-Photos-to-White-House/JcOlXENfWU2ulV5DsazZjw.cspx
