Ernest Cole: For Whites Only

"The infectious spread of apartheid into the smallest detail of daily living has made South Africa a land of signs. They are everywhere written in English or Afrikaans or in local Native dialects as the situation may require. The purpose is always the same: to spell out the almost total separation of facilities on the basis of race. A stranger to South Africa might find the forest of apartheid signs helpful, even indispensable to avoid embarrassment or possibly tangle with the law. But to the African the signs are nothing but oppressive. " - Ernest Cole, House of Bondage

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.