800 High Street — "Then and Now"

“The photograph comparisons represent the “then and now” of 800 high St which was the address of both Vita Foods and Dixon Value. Think of them as the “black and white” piece of this project. They show two different eras of African Americans. Vita Foods being representative of the era of the late 1930’s – 1960’s, but the photographs only show the late 1950’s/early 1960’s. The Dixon era is 1970’s – present day, but the pictures were captured in 2020. The underlining tone for me was the shift of black consciousness that changed throughout the years… Defining moments shape the narrative of our experience. Learning helps us navigate between those instances which establishes an understanding of history. If one reflects while learning, one can gain a sense of self. These photographs are my journey.”

By Gordon Wallace