Motorcycle Riders

Henry Clay Anderson was a professional photographer who chronicled the prosperous African American enclave of Greenville, Mississippi from the late 1940s until the 1970s. Documenting middle-class black Southerners in a segregated world, he brought attention to a much neglected chapter of African American history. Anderson photographed weddings, funerals, sporting events, nightclubs, and other gatherings. This photograph was taken in front of Anderson’s photography studio and captures a young couple on their customized motorcycle wearing leather jackets that express their personal identity.