I was curious about the subject of black people during the Victorian era. The Victorian era was from 1837 to 1901. A Google search revealed some of the most beautiful photographs of people of African descent during the Victorian period. I am thrilled that these photographs were taken for posterity. It is nice to see people of color so well dressed and put together for those times. These photographs are very important because they document an aspect of black history that is generally never spoken of.
This is a photo of Lady Sarah Bonetta Forbes Davies. Sara was born in West Africa and subsequently captured during the slave trade. Captain Frederick E. Forbes of the Royal Navy gave her the name Sara Forbes. Sara was taken to England and given to Queen Victoria. The Queen immediately noticed that Sara was exceptionally intelligent, and so she took Sara under her wing. Queen Victoria raised Sara as her god-daughter within the British middle class.
When Sara was brought to England as a young girl she developed a cough caused by the climate change. Sara was never able to rid herself of this cough and passed away at age 37 of tuberculosis.