Picturing African Turks

This photo series presents some rarely seen images of military personnel and civilians in the late 19th and first half of the 20th century, thanks to the generous permission of Dr Mesut Uyar. These images are from archives, auctions, newspapers and his private collection.

Dr Uyur is a Professor at Antalya Bilim Üniversitesi, whose huge body of academic work focuses on World War I. An Ottoman Military historian, his work has led him to uncover images and records of African-descended soldiers of the Ottoman Empire and Early Turkish Republic. He is set to publish his research on this group soon.

Soldiers, pilots and high-ranking officers can be traced through this military record. Most of these officers are either from or came through Libya, in either case they specifically attended the military academy in Tripoli. However, the origins of many of these soldiers are varied, coming from all across North Africa, Sudan, and even as far as Nigeria. In addition, this research has also uncovered portraits of children, teachers nurses and newlyweds.

We thank Dr Uyur for providing these images and research. For further questions he can be contacted here and we invite readers to contact us for further discussions.

We have a Turkey section on our Black Pearls resource page! Head over to find out more about this community.

A photograph of a teacher of African descent. She taught Literature at İzmir Atatürk High School .

Lieutenant Kemal, an Ottoman officer of African descent. The photograph was taken before 1908.

An African-born aviation officer (as far as I can see, a first lieutenant) posed with his wife in a photograph in Adapazarı during the Second World War.

Lieutenant Abdullah Ağa, from the time of Sultan Abdülhamit.

Children of a wealthy Istanbul family at the beginning of the 20th century. The child in the back row is marked as a “maid”, though this may not be accurate.

Ahmet Cevat Pasha, who was the grand vizier during the reign of Abdülhamid between 1891-95, with a group of European (possibly French) officers. The photo may have been taken in Damascus, where the Pasha took office.

Early 1900, an African petty officer from the Zuhaf Regiment of the Palace Guard Division posed with a Martini-Peabody rifle. This soldier could be Boruzan Onbaşɪsɪ Bayram Ağa, a soldier who was assigned to protect the ruler in the Ottoman Hassa army.

Mehmet Yusuf Ağa, the eunuch of the Nazime Sultan. Nazime Sultan was the daughter of Abdülaziz.

African Turkish r Mesut Bey seen here wearing an Independence War Medal. He was well known as a soldier who contributed to the independence movement. Later in life his songs made his honour and was affectionately termed “Uncle Mesut”. Image from the 1940s.

An Ottoman gentleman who encouraged all his sons to become soldiers, including his African adopted son.

An Ottoman cavalry captain of African descent in the early 1900s.

A young African Turkish officer who graduated from class 1924/25 at the Military Academy.

On the Galician Front in August 1916. Two officers of the 15th Corps posed in front of their tents. The standing officer is a first lieutenant and is displaying a War Medal ribbon in the button of his jacket.

A collective photograph of an elementary school, probably taken in Safranbolu in 1933. At the back, two African students are found.

This is Baha Ongel. Not only did he enjoy a long and successful career, but it is very unusual to see more than one image of African descended people, let alone from different stages of their life. A student at Libya Derne Military Rusdiye (Middle School) he lived his life in the military. A teacher in many academies, he was also a French teacher with his own dictionaries and textbooks which are still being sold today!