Seattle Photographer Documents “Ghosts of Segregation”

The November 30, 2020 edition of the New York Times Travel section features photographs and text by Richard Frishman. His “Ghosts of Segregation” series makes the case that the buildings we construct form a type of physical history.

Drive by an ice cream stand and you may notice a somewhat oddly-placed drive-up window. Ask the owner about it and you discover that originally it was the “Coloreds Only” window, maintained long past its original usefulness so that we don’t “get lost again.” Clark’s Cafe in Huntington, Oregon, once advertised “All White Help” in a large sign painted on a brick wall. It was visible until 2019 when the structure caught fire and was later demolished.

In the Times article, Frishman said the goal of the project “is to heighten awareness, motivate action and spark an honest conversation about the legacy of racial injustice in America.” He noted that his images result from hundreds of shots stitched together so that the large prints have great detail.

Mr. Frishman also has an Instagram account.