Pierre Fatumbi Verger: United States of America 1934 & 1937

"..new studies of Verger’s archive show a greater range of interest in his pictures, many of which celebrated jazz age nightlife and an emergent professional class. The rediscovered images are collected in a new book that offers a nuanced portrait of black America before the war."

"Verger’s pictures offer a different perspective: thoughtful, often hopeful images of arresting individuals in black communities, full of aspirational intent and not shy of beauty."

"Verger devoted his life to the study of the African diaspora across the world, always alive to human joys as well as social hardships." - The Observer

"...illuminating collection of images.."

"The 150 photographs – most previously unpublished – are, indeed, vibrant and full of energy, while the accompanying texts and images shine a light on this part of his life as well as his later career. This is an excellent study of a 20th-century great, for existing fans and those new to his work." - B&W Magazine

Pierre Fatumbi Verger is considered one of the most outstanding photographers of the twentieth century as well as a recognized researcher in the field of African Diaspora and religion studies. Verger traveled to the United States of America in 1934 and 1937, during the Great Depression, producing a collection of stunning images that document the national symbols that configure American identity and the challenging social and economic atmosphere of the time. Verger was able to capture with great sensibility the complex cultural and racial diversity of the country where many citizens still confront segregation and poverty, while struggling to live a better life. Verger´s photographs constitute an extraordinary contribution to our understanding of the 1930´s in the U.S., and to the growth of photojournalism, documentary and artistic photography, representing the world from new and enriching perspectives.

In the introduction, Javier Escudero Rodríguez frames Verger´s significant contribution to modern photography as well as the lasting relevance of this new collection of iconic images of the Great Depression. The 150 images included in the book, the majority of them never published before, were selected among 1110 negatives, after a meticulous research from Verger´s archive at the Pierre Verger Foundation in Salvador.