This photo is important because it shows the hard times that black people had during this time and the struggle they had to go through. Even though this black girl is a free person and no longer considered a slave, she is still being treated unequally. This photo makes you feel sad for her, but also disgust for the white girls that are making fun of her. This was an important time for our country because the slaves had just been set equal to white people and so it still wasn't easy for black people to live their everyday lives.