For all the World to See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights an exhibit of photograph at the International Center of
Where Every Boy Can Dream of Being President-National Museum of American History, Behring Center, Smithsonian Institution
Photography, New York. The 1950’s, 1960’s and 70’s the struggle for equality in the United States had a face(s) that was visible daily. No longer buried inside of monthly magazines, Life, Look and others, despair, unrest and bigotry was being dramatically witnessed. Witnessed not just in the South but across the country, particularly in the Northeast which harbored a subtle form of racism which now was being disclosed. Even in cities like New York, in order to get a taxicab it was necessary for an African American sneak up on a cab and jump into the backseat, because most cab drivers would turn on the on their “off duty” lights once they saw you.
Today when I hear people say “We want Our Country Back” or “Stop Obama” I sense the same bigotry of fifty years ago. For those who want to go back to something, see this exhibit and then think about it. This is no longer or was it ever the America depicted in the illustration on the left. “Keep it Free” suggests just the opposite for Women and People of Color.
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