The photo album had been sitting in my possession for years, patiently awaiting my attention. When I finally got around to scanning it – the last of my mother’s albums that I digitized – I was thrilled to find high quality images and delightful captions penned in white ink on the black pages. A 1950s precursor of Instagram or Facebook. At some point in her life, Bernice had the good sense to remove photos from the album that were irrelevant to her story. Only the captions remain on the pages, hinting at what she discarded.
Bernice’s photo album tells the story of the summer of 1950 – a time of love and excitement in her life.
In June, Bernice graduated from Syracuse University, where she had majored in journalism. Not only was she the first person in her family to attend college, but she had also moved hundreds of miles from home to earn her degree – a bold and uncommon path for young women in those days.
Previously that year, Bernice was pinned by Seymour. By the time of her graduation, they were engaged. While Bernice returned to Richmond, Seymour remained in Syracuse to complete his last year of medical studies.
Bernice and Seymour were married in Syracuse in 1951, on the same day Seymour graduated from medical school. This made it possible for his elderly parents to attend both ceremonies. The last two pages of the album have photos taken in June 1951, in the days preceding their wedding.
The album contains wonderful photos of Bernice’s family and relatives.
To view the online digital version: Bernice Meyer Saltzman 1950
