Thread by @CarlaJeanStokes

A quick break from #BlackHistoryMonth to talk about the #LunarNewYear - I did a similar search for Chinese representations in Canadian official war photographs, and found 10 results. Here's a little #thread about them -

(Photograph is: Chinese Labour Battalions in France celebrating the Chinese New Year on February 11, 1918. William Rider-Rider, LAC MIKAN 3396797) #warphotos

Rider-Rider took four additional photographs by that same title. They're LAC MIKAN 3396798 - 6801. This is neg # O-2447

O-2448

O-2449

And O-2451. Just a head's up - the image at the top of this thread is O-2450.

Rider-Rider took an additional 5 photographs of #Chinese men doing various tasks at a Canadian Labour Camp (there appear to be lots of sources online re: the use of Chinese labour for the Allies during #FWW if anyone is interested).

Chinese bootmaker at a Canadian Labour Camp, February 1918, Rider-Rider, LAC MIKAN 3404867.

Chinese working in a quarry, February 1918, William Rider-Rider, LAC MIKAN 3404880.

Chinese working a stone crusher, February 1918, William Rider-Rider, LAC MIKAN 3404879.

A #Chinese barber at a Canadian Labour Camp, February 1918, William Rider-Rider, LAC MIKAN 3404866.

A Chinese missionary reader in a Canadian Labour Camp, February 1918, William Rider-Rider, LAC MIKAN 3404865.

Interestingly, when we compare these photograph's titles with the original ledgers, they're the same! (This is good news. When working as an intern at LAC there were a few racist titles I decided to change).

Also interesting: of all minorities represented in Canadian #warphotos, Chinese are the most highly represented (that I've found so far) with these 10 photographs. That's right - a minority with 10 photographs = the most visibility.

Another interesting thing to note: Ivor Castle definitely took 1 photo of black soldiers, while all other images of minorities (First Nations, Black soldiers, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, etc.) are attributable to William Rider-Rider.

I talk about the importance of naming the photographer all. the. time. because it matters - if you're a minority in the #FWW you're more likely to have been photographed by Rider-Rider.

With that, allow me to wish you all a happy #YearOfThePig and thanks for joining along in this (again) very preliminary research. Also I'd like to add in my #vegan propaganda and challenge you to cuddle a pig today, instead of eating one. You'll thank me later.