Van Der Zee's gelatin silver prints are novel for recognizing the value of photographing Black deaths and the rituals that accompany them early, as well as for the narrative-structuring he presented that turned their deaths into richly-layered visual stories.--Naomi Elias "The Brooklyn Rail"

[Immortalizes] a forgotten cultural touchstone...--Maggie Turner "Air Mail"

Just as Van Der Zee wanted to make his living subjects look a little better than they did, he wanted death--or, more accurately, grief--to look better than it was.--Hilton Als "The New Yorker"

Van Der Zee helped commit Black Harlem, its people and its outings, to record. And there is no greater affirmation, this collection would suggest, than in its final ritual.--Walker Mimms "The New York Times Book Review"

Publisher: Primary Information

Pub date: 2025-10-14

Length: 104 pages