A compelling 3 3/4"X 6 3/4 early 20th-century unmounted silver print photograph of an African American man leaning casually against a brick building, smiling broadly with one hand at his chest and the other resting at his side. His clothing is tattered and patched, evoking the hardships endured, yet his expression radiates resilience and dignity. Period editorial marks and cropping instructions in grease pencil and red ink are visible, along with handwritten annotations on the reverse including the caption "Happy Contraband." Stamped verso with "The P.J. Press Bureau, 908 Walnut Street, Philadelphia" and a rare Paris distribution stamp, suggesting the image's use in international reportage or pictorial journalism.

An evocative and socially significant image from the Reconstruction or post-Reconstruction era, capturing both the struggle and humanity of formerly enslaved individuals during a turbulent chapter in American history.