1910s Steel Mill Black Boxing Exhibition PGH Trolley Park Panorama Photo

Item Details

Titled in negative O.H. Department // Calhoun Park // June 10, 1911. Open Hearth was an iron ore recovery process heavily utilized at Carnegie’s Homestead Steel Works (later U.S. Steel) and Pittsburgh Railways (operators of Calhoun Park) served that factory.

 

Boxing ring appears to utilize an earlier wood stage (park dated from 1896 to 1908) w/ improvised ropes. Three bare chested black men pose equidistant across the stage, likely capitalizing on Jack Johnson’s heavyweight win the year prior. Fourth boxer, this time Caucasian, is nearly cropped from image bottom left corner.

 

Signed R.W. Johnston (the finest commercial photographer in Pittsburgh), every person in attendance is turned toward his camera.

 

Uniformed Pennsylvania Coal & Iron police (likely also Homestead Steel employees) guard the ring and boxers. Notably no women appear in that crowd, though scant black audience members dot the crowd without segregation.

 

Photograph exhibits heat damage (cracks) and water exposure. While no significant subjects are affected there are portions of the background that appear stuck to the glass. For that reason, it is photographed and will be shipped in the original frame. In addition the top rail (sky and trees) shows toning. 9 x 31” sight size.