Dakar 2005: An Exhibit of Old Postcards of Senegal, and Peter Strickland, American Consul on Gorée Island

Images & Memories (I&M) is a cultural organization founded in 1995 specializing in ancient and present-day iconography in 18 countries––of which 10 lie in sub-Saharan Africa––in these fields: paintings, engravings, drawings, photographs, postcards, postage stamps, posters, signs, and textiles. It supports exhibits, illustrated inventories, reproductions, assistance in transferring images, university or professional research. A network of over 150 members (collectors, iconographers, historians, geographers, teachers, conservators, researchers, technicians, writers, and authors) represent libraries, museums, documentation centers, and other organizations.

The present bulletin cover article by Stephen H. Grant is entitled, “Dakar 2005: An Exhibit of Old Postcards of Senegal, and Peter Strickland, American Consul on Gorée Island. ” The essay begins with entries in the exhibit guest book, including, “I was very moved by your exhibit. For me, you are the first artist in the world who exhibited more than 400 images at one time. Even Picasso never did that. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” “It’s always an enormous pleasure to live historic moments through cards so old that we were not alive. We are convinced that these eras which charm us were better than today. We thank you, conservators of history through photography, and hope you will keep it up.”

In 2007, Grant authored the biography, Peter Strickland (1837–1921) was the first American consul to French-speaking Africa, with posting (1883–1905) to Gorée Island in Senegal. A sea captain in the merchant marine from New London, CT he made more than 40 voyages to Africa in the age of sail. Captain and Consul Strickland sent one postcard of note (reproduced on the bulletin cover) to the Assistant Secretary of State in Washington, D.C. On it, he drew a large flag over the American consulate, and a small flag over the office of the French director of the chamber of commerce, a cheeky gesture for a diplomatic guest in a French colony.

Peter Strickland: New London Shipmaster, Boston Merchant, First Consul to Senegal. Washington, DC: New Academia, 2007, 236 pp. An Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training “Diplomats and Diplomacy Book.”

DOWNLOAD Images & Mémoires – Bulletin n°64 – Printemps 2020