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he mainly Spanish, French and English speaking island populations colonised by Europeans from the 16th century still reflect the cultural mix that the Atlantic trade in sugar, spice and slaves resulted from. Most Caribbeans of African descent have some Asian, Middle Eastern or European heritage.

Harry Johnston visited North America and the Caribbean in 1908-1909 to learn about what he then called "Negroes in the New World". His understanding about Africans and the African diaspora race was steeped in ethnographic theories and practices of the nineteenth century. Johnston's belief in the hierarchical stratification of races is clearly demonstrated in the photographs taken in the Caribbean where he explores the different racial types and mixtures resulting from the regions checkered cultural history. His photographs provide an interesting study of the race theories of the day and are a rare record of a class of people who would not otherwise have afforded the luxury of photography.

In Cubans at Work the negroes photographed are more likely migrant job-workers from Haiti and Jamaica. Typically in this era, economically motivated men and women wayfared the islands negotiatiating different cultures and languages to earn a living. The islands were linked by steam boats that opened up the Americas, regularly plying Caribbean waters with tourists and produce. It was a moment of regional integration, shaped more by accident than design. Both photographs convey a camaraderie existing between these culturally determined groups of people who after 1850, worked alongside each other in the canefields of and on the railway and construction sites of Panama, Haiti, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.



ohnston's earliest training as a draughtsman was gained through his work at the Zoological Gardens in London where he earned money from making botanical drawings. As a result of these skills he became an official artist documenting plants, trees etc on various expeditions throughout Africa. In the 1890's Johnston's drawings were replaced by his interest in photography. In his photographic documentation of the flora and fauna of the Caribbean,
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Johnston combined his scientific interests with his visual skills. The result is a series of photographs which provide accurate representations of Caribbean vegetation while at the same time being visually satisfying compositions. As a geographer Johnston was keen to provide an accurate picture of the countries he visited and his archive reads like a visual travelogue. Although some of this material is repetitive, certain of his images go beyond technical competence and demonstrate

his ability to pick out interesting scenes for their compositional value. Johnston's photography also demonstrate his environmental concerns. He was keen to capture aspects of Caribbean wildlife and nature which he believed to be threatened with extinction or the negative effects of modern living. His landscapes are picturesque featuring mountainous interiors, rural scenes, and river and coastal views.