This image depicts members of the family of George T. and Serena DeGrasse Downing surrounded by family heirlooms and memorabilia. George T. Downing (1819-1903) was a successful caterer and restaurant owner in New York, Newport, Rhode Island, and Washington, DC. An abolitionist and civil rights advocate, he participated in antislavery meetings in Boston, where his brother-in-law, John Van Surley DeGrasse, practiced medicine.

This photograph is originally from the DeGrasse-Howard papers, a collection of research materials relating to members of the DeGrasse, Howard, Downing, and Asbury families that documents their roles in medicine, military service, and the struggle for civil rights. It can now be found in the DeGrasse-Howard photographs, a separate collection.