It was just a simple family photograph from 1872, but take a closer look at the sister’s hand.

Thanks to her knowledge of social history, Sarah understands immediately: This child wore metal shackles for a long time. The years haven’t erased them. In this family portrait, her hand reveals a past that the rest of the picture tries to overcome.

Suddenly, the photograph is no longer an ordinary souvenir, but a living document of the transition from slavery to freedom.

Sarah, fascinated by the Washington family’s story
, embarks on a quest – an investigation worthy of a novel. She discovers a faint stamp at the edge of the photograph, on which the words “Moon” and “Free” are barely legible. After some research, she finds the photographer Josiah Henderson from Richmond, who is known for offering affordable portraits to recently liberated families.

In an old ledger in his studio, one line caught his eye: “Family of seven: father, mother, two daughters, three sons, recently released. The father insists that all children be shown.”

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