Use of images from the collections of the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center is strictly prohibited by law without prior written consent from the copyright holders. The responsibility for the use of these materials rests exclusively with the user. The Bradley Center may assist in obtaining copyright/licensing permission to use images from the Richard Cross collection. http://www.csun.edu/bradley-center/contact
Description
A boy and photographer Richard Cross kneel down next to each other. The photographer is holding a toy camera made of clay in his hands while also carrying a real one hanging from his neck. San Basilio de Palenque, a town located 31 miles from Cartagena, is considered the first community to officially free enslaved people in the Americas because, on August 23, 1691, the Spanish King Charles II signed a royal charter recognizing the freedom of the runaway communities in the María Mountains. Local authorities, however, did not sign a treaty with these communities until January of 1714 acknowledging their freedom and ordering the establishment of the town of Palenque San Basilio Magno. People in San Basilio de Palenque speak a Spanish-based creole language known as Palenquero. According to local public records, in 1975 the village had 2,400 residents (mostly farmers or day laborers) and 388 houses. Colombian anthropologist Nina S. de Friedemann had been studying the Afro-Colombian community of San Basilio de Palenque for the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and Richard Cross joined her to do work as a visual anthropologist in June 1975. This image illustrates Cross's anthropological category: Social organization. Un niño y el fotógrafo Richard Cross se arrodillan uno al lado del otro. El fotógrafo sostiene una cámara de juguete hecha de barro en sus manos mientras también lleva una cámara real colgando de su cuello. San Basilio de Palenque, ubicada a 50 kilómetros de Cartagena, es considerada la primera comunidad de personas esclavizadas libres de América porque, el 23 de agosto de 1691, el rey español Carlos II firmó una carta real que reconocía la libertad de las comunidades en los Montes de María. Las autoridades locales, sin embargo, no firmaron un tratado con las comunidades de personas esclavizadas sino hasta enero de 1714 reconociendo su libertad y ordenando el establecimiento de la ciudad de Palenque San Basilio Magno. La gente en San Basilio de Palenque habla una lengua criolla con base en el español conocida como palenquero. Según los registros públicos, en 1975 el pueblo tenía 2,400 residentes (en su mayoría agricultores o jornaleros) y 388 casas. La antropóloga colombiana Nina S. de Friedemann había estado estudiando la comunidad afrocolombiana de San Basilio de Palenque para el Instituto Colombiano de Antropología y Richard Cross se unió a ella para trabajar como antropólogo visual en junio de 1975. Esta imagen ilustra las categorías antropológicas de Cross: Organización Social.
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