Richard Samuel Roberts: A Columbia Legacy

Richard Samuel Roberts (1880 - 1936) established his photo studio 1119 Washington Street in Columbia in 1922. He was one of only a few professional African American photographers operating in the South at that time and counted the burgeoning Black middle class as his patrons. Largely self-taught, Roberts possessed a keen eye for detail and composition, elegantly posing his sitters in a manner that exuded dignity and grace. 

In 1977, Roberts' work was rediscovered in Columbia's Arsenal Hill neighborhood, when over 3,000 glass plate negatives were found stacked together in the crawl space of his family home. Over the course of the next decade, the plates were restored under the auspices of the University of South Carolina, once more bringing to life the contributions of this important photographer. The images on view here were reproduced from the original plates.

The CMA held a major exhibition showcasing over 130 of Roberts' photographs in 1986. Coinciding with the city's bicentennial year, the opening reception of Richard Samuel Roberts: A True Likeness remains one of the most celebrated in the museum's history. The exhibition thereafter traveled to numerous venues across the country, cementing Roberts' legacy on the national stage.