House of Bondage (1966) by Ernest ColePhotography Legacy Project
Getting to and from Johannesburg by railroad is a nightmare if you are Black. Trains are too few, too full, too slow.
"Some commuters must leave home as early as 5 a.m. to be sure of reaching their city jobs by 7.30 a.m. Some are unable to catch a train back to their Black township by 7 p.m. at night. These people may never see their homes in daylight except on holidays. Twice each day, at the morning and evening rush hours, the segregated station platforms are a bizarre sight. At one end, a few White travellers stand about, surrounded by space. At the other, a dense mass of Africans is congregated, crowded and compressed." - Ernest Cole, House of Bondage
House of Bondage (1966) by Ernest ColePhotography Legacy Project
With no room inside trains, some ride between cars. Which train to take is a matter of guesswork. They have no destination signs and no announcement of arrivals made. The head car may be numbered to show its route, but the number is often wrong.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
In confusion, passengers sometimes jump across tracks, some are killed by express trains.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
The whistle has sounded and the train is moving, but people are still trying to get on.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
A train accelerates with its load of clinging passengers. They ride like this through cold and rain for the entire journey.
House of Bondage (1966) by Ernest ColePhotography Legacy Project
Inside hands cling to a suitcase.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
A woman carries a baby on her back.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
All stand packed together on on floors and seats.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
At the end of the ride comes a big squeeze as passengers must show their tickets before passing narrow exit gates. As they wait trains pull in and unload. For many the delay lasts twenty five minutes.
Ernest Cole's influential 1967 photobook, House of Bondage, captured the everyday hardship faced by Black South Africans during apartheid. A new edition of this pivotal book published by Aperture in 2022, preserves Cole's original writings and images, and includes contemporary perspectives on his life and lasting impact.
This digitization of Ernest Cole's archives, along with his first-person accounts, offers the opportunity to appreciate and comprehend the work of one of South Africa’s most significant photographers. This accessible digital collection makes his legacy available for educational purposes, academic study, and research, effectively integrating Cole's contributions into the global visual heritage.
Read more about Ernest Cole’s biography in the title story, Ernest Cole Archives: House of Bondage.
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