[Unidentified man and woman, three-quarters length portrait, seated]

The daguerreotype is a photographic process invented by the Parisian inventor and entrepreneur Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre (1787-1851) who was the first person to publicly announce a successful method of capturing images. His invention was an immediate hit, and France was soon gripped by ‘daguerreotypomania’. Daguerre released his formula and anyone was free to use it without paying a license fee – except in Britain, where he had secured a patent. Daguerreotypes required a subject to remain still for several minutes to ensure that the image would not blur.

James Presley Ball (1825-1904) was an African American photographer and abolitionist who played a major role in the American photographic scene of the 19th century. Born in Virginia in 1825, he later moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. He gained his freedom in 1847 and learned the art of daguerreotype photography, establishing his own photographic studio in Cincinnati in the 1840s. Ball was active in the abolitionist movement, using his photography to advocate for the rights and freedom of African Americans. He created portraits of well-known abolitionists and leaders, including Charles Sumner and John Mercer Langston. In addition to his photography studio, Ball was involved in several business ventures. He operated a photography gallery, a photography supply house and a fine art gallery, contributing to the growing African American middle class. Ball's studio gained a reputation for producing high quality portraits. He photographed both African American and white clients, helping to break down racial barriers in the field of photography. In the mid-1850s, Ball moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he continued his successful photographic career. He became a respected figure in the local community and beyond.

Anthony Barboza is an American photographer, historian, artist and writer, born on 8 September 1944 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He is best known for his documentary photography, which focuses on African American culture and history. Barboza began his career as a photographer in the 1960s and has since captured images of some of the most influential figures in African American history, including Malcolm X, James Baldwin and Muhammad Ali. He has also documented important events such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power Movement. In addition to his work as a photographer, Barboza is also an accomplished artist and writer. He has exhibited his work in galleries throughout the United States and has published several books, including Black Borders and In Our Time: The World as Seen by Magnum Photographers. Barboza's contributions to the field of photography have been recognised with numerous awards and honours, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. He continues to be an active member of the photography community and a leading voice in documenting African American history and culture.