SELMA — Pictures from the past lined the walls of the Harmony Club in an effort to raise money for the Selma-Dallas County Museum of History and Archives.

A collection of photos by Billy Rosenberg were presented to the public in the second show of its kind to highlight Selma’s culture as far back as the 1920s.

“People appreciate the history of Selma,” museum president Benny Austin said. “This is an opportunity to look back in the past, and for the older residents, to relive memories.”

The collection was presented to the public in the second show of its kind and was comprised of photos developed from old black and white negatives found in a trunk at the museum.

One of the images was given new life when it caught the eye of artist Vicky Stoudenmire. Stoudenmire was helping sort through the pictures and felt compelled to paint a picture of a boy dressed as a court jester.

The painting was auctioned off for $750.

Erika Smitherman purchased the painting, and said she saw it as a good opportunity to help the museum and expand her personal collection.

“I’ve always been an admirer of her work and I’ve been wanting something she painted,” Smitherman said. “I’m building a house in the country and I’m going to put it in the guest bedroom for my grandson.”

Vicky Stoudenmire was unable to attend the fundraiser, but her sister, Cindy, browsed the collection and said the pictures are an important reminder of the city’s lost treasures.

“The negatives are here to remind us what we’ve lost and teach us what we can be in the future,” Cindy Stoudenmire said. “The Hotel Albert was a beautiful building we had and it was torn down. It lets you see back in time and gives you something to strive toward.”