Emaline and ‘nem is an Instagram-based archival photography project created and curated by Kimberly Annece Henderson.

*Because seeing is believing, and we’ve always been us.

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In 2020, Kimberly Annece Henderson created @EmalineAndThem as a research outlet in honor of the many ancestors she found while mapping her family history. Today, it’s a popular curated selection of digitized archival photography—sourced from collecting institution across America—with an audience of over 40k followers.

Named after her own great great great great grandmother, Henderson shines a much needed light on the everyday ancestor and their contributions to our rich history.

*To learn more about any individual photo or video, please be in touch or visit the site of the institution or archive listed in the caption of each post.

c 1898, a couple posed on a swing in the woods {*💋💘✨ Happy Love Day! For the sake of contributing to your scrolling visuals, here’s a cute stereograph I found (and cropped for good reason). Hope you can see past the hallmark-holiday of it
c 1870-1900, full length studio portrait of a woman wearing a fancy ensemble. {*a composition, for the sake of remembering 🩶 p.s. I love getting lost in all the little details 🪡} 🗂️ —Library of Congress
c. 1880 - 1920, a classroom of young students raising their right hands in unison (holding what appears to be papers and handkerchiefs?), Richmond, VA {*keep your head in them books, especially the ones they went so far as to ban! ✏️🎓📓} 🗂️ &
c 1885, elderly man seated in an armchair on his front porch 🪑 {*we’re the only ones who can save us. Just sayin, in case you were waiting for somebody, that somebody is you. 🗝️🕯️🏺} 🗂️ —Library Company of Philadelphia
c. early 1900s, studio portrait of a cowboy dressed to ride 🐎 {*and to think, I get to share the same Moon that he looked long after. The same blazing Sun that he wrangled cattle under. The stars he counted to fall asleep at night… 🌙} 🗂
c 1894, photo of the (prominent) Roberts family standing in front of their home in Los Angeles, CA {*my thoughts are with those affected by the devastating blazes 🕊️ praying godspeed on the road ahead 🫂} 🗂️ —AfAm Museum and Library of
c 1890, studio portrait of Dr. Mary Fitzbutler Waring {*couldn’t find my fuzzy scarf to help brave these disrespectful winds this AM… In other news, found this glam pic of Dr. Mary Fitzbutler Waring (1870-1958). She was a physician
c. 1910 - 1920, scenes of famed rodeo cowboy Jesse Stahl on horseback at the Pendleton Round-Up in Oregon. {*2024 felt like… then I had to go and… now I’m riding into 2025 like… 🐎👒🪩 lol all that to say saddle up, Happ
c early 1900s, remaining portion of a photo of Elsie Talbert in front of First Baptist Church, Owen Sound, ON {*why yes, it certainly is time for me to dig that fur-trimmed coat from the back of my closet ❄️ and figure out where all my gloves went
c 1880 - 1920, Cheatham family posed outside for a formal portrait, Bon Air/Richmond, VA {*was eating leftover pie for breakfast and came across this absolute gem 🏡 …anybody know any Cheathams in VA?} 🗂️ —Cook Photograph Collecti