COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Nearly a century after Columbia photographer Richard Samuel Roberts captured Black life through his lens, his photographs continue to tell the stories of a community and a generation.
Roberts documented African American life in Columbia during the 1920s and 1930s, photographing families, professionals, business owners, and everyday moments. His work created a remarkable visual record of Black life during segregation.
His grandchildren, the Honorable Richard W. Roberts and Antoinette Roberts Smith, joined WIS’ Billie Jean Shaw on Awareness to reflect on the man behind the camera, the stories preserved through his photographs, and the legacy he left behind…