Who/what: This
image was photographed by Charles Moore and was printed in Life magazine. It shows high school students being sprayed with a
high-pressure firehose during a peaceful walk in Birmingham, Alabama. Moore was
considered the photographer of the Civil Rights Movement and his photos were
often published in Life magazine in
the 1960s. He was a white journalist who was protesting against Jim Crow
discrimination by taking pictures and documenting the inequality firsthand.
Where: This
image is from the Birmingham Campaign that occurred in Birmingham, Alabama.
This was a campaign of the Civil Rights Movement: Project C that consisted of a
series of lunch counter sit-ins, marches, and boycotting merchants downtown to
protest the segregation law in Birmingham. These peaceful demonstrations were
counteracted by attacks with firehoses and police dogs, and this campaign is
considered a major turning point for the Civil Rights Movement.
When: The
Birmingham Campaign lasted from April 3rd-May 10th, 1963.
Why (is it
interesting/relevant): This image is a powerful representation of how high
tensions were during the time when segregation was the norm. The publishing of
this photograph, among others, in Life
magazine allowed people who were not near the demonstrations to actually see
what was occurring. This photograph is a form of protest because the
photographer, Charles Moore, wanted to document the inequality and shed light
on what was actually occurring.
The identity he is articulating is African Americans that were affected by the segregation laws. This photograph is especially relevant because the Birmingham Campaign was ultimately successful as it was a starting point for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as desegregation in Birmingham. This image opened up a dialogue and brought attention to racial segregation.
The identity he is articulating is African Americans that were affected by the segregation laws. This photograph is especially relevant because the Birmingham Campaign was ultimately successful as it was a starting point for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as desegregation in Birmingham. This image opened up a dialogue and brought attention to racial segregation.
Works Cited:
O’Neill, Claire.
“Charles Moore, Photographer Of The Civil Rights Movement, Dies At 79.” NPR. N.p., 16 Mar. 2010. Web. 1 Sept.
2016.
“The Birmingham
Campaign.” PBS.org. Public
Broadcasting Service (PBS), n.d. Web. 1 Sept. 2016.
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