Professor John Edwin Mason has directed the Holsinger Studio Portrait Project since 2015, and says the project aims to transform the way people see Black history. The research done on these portraits has helped tell a more complete story of African American history in Charlottesville, and it has helped descendants in the Charlottesville and UVA community better understand their personal history.

Read more about the project here: Portrait Project Opens Windows on Black Citizens and Connections to Descendants