History Professor Janette Greenwood Clark University History Professor Janette Greenwood has teamed up with retired teacher and Charlton historian Frank Morrill to research the identities of some early Worcester residents — people of color — pictured in rare photographs that date back to the turn of the last century. The photos are those of the late William Bullard, of Worcester, a photographer who, between 1894 and 1914, took thousands of images of the city’s streetscapes, businesses and local residents. Morrill, who has published books about Worcester, purchased Bullard’s collection — approximately 4,800 glass plates — with the intent to publish another book focused on the city’s streets and architecture. It wasn’t until his granddaughter inquired about a person of color in one of the photos that he realized he possessed a unique historical treasure — roughly 200 images of people of color — many of whom lived in the Beaver Brook area of Worcester within the first four decades after obtaining their freedom. A mutual acquaintance connected Morrill and Professor Greenwood, aware that the latter had researched the migration of former slaves to Worcester in the late 19th century. The pair joined forces in January, and since then, they have identified all but a quarter of the people in the photographs by referencing the photographer’s log book, census and other historical documents. “The number of negatives he had and the fact that we could identify most of the people in them by name, and even street number, was incredible,” said Professor Greenwood. Professor Greenwood immediately recognized some of the names of people she uncovered while conducting research for her book, “First Fruits of Freedom: The Migration of Former Slaves and Their Search for Equality in Worcester, Massachusetts, 1862-1900,” published in 2010. However, these photos revealed much more. They gave valuable clues about this period of history. “People focus too often on the Civil War and they look at the Civil Rights Movement when they think about black history, but there’s so much in between,” she said. “The collection represents a unique time often overlooked.” Professor Greenwood and Morrill were struck by the photographer’s obvious skill and also by the tone of his photographs. Bullard, a white photographer, treated his subjects with a great deal of respect. All of the people in his portraits appear dignified and proud; some of them are featured wearing formal attire, sitting proudly in their living rooms.
