Garfield at 16

What it is

A black-and-white studio portrait of a young man with swept-back wavy hair, wearing a dark jacket, patterned vest, white shirt, and dark bow tie. This is the earliest known photograph of James A. Garfield, taken around age 16, during the period when he worked as a boy on a canal boat.

Why it matters

This image later became part of Garfield's political image as a "self-made man" who rose from poverty to the presidency. Early photographs like this were used to construct a narrative of humble origins and hard work, which was a powerful political story in 19th-century America.

Look closer

• What does the young man's serious expression and formal clothing tell you about how people wanted to be seen in photographs at this time?
• Why might a photograph from someone's youth become important decades later, after they became famous?
• What parts of a person's life does a single photograph leave out?