This past weekend, my brother returned from college and over dinner I was explaining the presentation given by Louis Masur related to the photograph “The Soiling of Old Glory.” Mr. Masur commented that the picture does not tell a thousand words, but you actually need a thousand words to accurately explain what was happening when it was taken. My brother mentioned a photograph project he did in English class last fall on a photograph call “Trolley” taken in New Orleans around 1955 by Robert Frank and 
published in The American. In contrast to Masur’s “The Soiling of Old Glory,” “Trolley” shows a picture that reveals much about the racial situation in New Orleans just before the Civil Rights Movement and Rosa Parks famous bus ride.Take a look at the photograph. Do you agree that the "Trolley" photograph “tells a thousand words”?
3 comments:
Kimber this is a great post! I think that the Trolley photo DOES tell a thousand words, but I could be wrong. I think that there obviously could be a whole different meaning behind it, but it is very telling of the time in which (i think) it was taken. The two black men are at the back of the bus with the whites in the front. This is definitely a picture that does not just speak a thousand words, but it SCREAMS a thousand words!
Not only does it tell a thousand words, but it also offers a great look into social classes of the 1960's. Obviously we see the separation of whites and blacks on the bus, but look at the clothing. In the front, the woman is dressed in some sort of blouse with a fluffy scarf. We also see the white children in their Sunday best, dressed to impress. Then we see the African Americans in the back wearing old jackets and lonsgsleeve shirts, not exactly the nicest of clothing and thus reflecting the opportunities and class that blacks had and were in 40 some odd years ago. Also, look closer at the black man's facial expression, he looks as though he is in pain because of his lowly status in that society. I would agree with the statement made by Louis Masur and add to it that sometimes they deserve more than a thousand words, just look at his book for an example.
It is really interesting taking a closer look at this photo.. as miles did. My brother wrote a paper similar to our "junior theme" paper just on this one photograph. I think this really goes well with our topic of discussion from class and how much photography really can tell.
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