March 17, 2018, was the 100^th anniversary of Peachtree Station, currently the only passenger railroad station serving Atlanta, Georgia. For many years, however, Atlanta was a hub for passenger rail service, just as it is now a hub for the airlines.  Beginning in 1853, Atlanta was served by six passenger stations and countless passenger trains.  Now only Peachtree Station and one passenger train survive.

Katherine Kirkpatrick, one of the authors of The Art of William Sidney Mount: Long Island People of Color on Canvas, reveals the inspiration for her new book, and details the research process that went into finding the subjects behind William Sidney Mount's famous portraits. 

Picture this scene – a crowded saloon in Cascade, Montana circa 1885.  The saloon is filled with boisterous cowboys and rowdy miners.  Standing in the middle of the saloon is a Black woman over six feet tall – 6’2’’, to be exact.