week 3

I found reading about Jules Lion and his affect on photography to be very interesting and inspirational. First, it is very thought provoking that so little is known about him. How did he get his first camera? How did he get to know and photograph such important figures?

Second, I always love to learn about people who have paved the way for others. Lion is considered to be the first Black photographer, and he definitely opened that arena to other Black people, including Robert Haggins.

"Any photographer–black or white–could have walked down a Harlem street in 1964 and taken a picture of an ebullient Malcolm X walking with Muhammad Ali after Ali won the heavyweight title. But white photographers did not take pictures of Malcolm X laughing. It took Robert L. Haggins, a black man, to make that photograph."

I appreciate that it takes a deep appreciation or understanding of the subject to truly capture it on film. Therefore, it makes sense that Black photographers were able to capture their counterparts in a real way on film.

I also found this quote from the same reading interesting, "Black photographers rarely knew each other, especially in photography’s first century, but from the outset their agenda was remarkably similar. First and last, they used their art as a corrective to mainstream white culture’s pictures of blacks. Whether the people in these pictures were rich or poor, they were never stereotypes. From the beginning, the photographers vigilantly guarded their subjects’ individuality and dignity." It is amazing to me that people who do not know each other, who are separated by location can be so united in their mission.

Another reading I greatly appreciated this week was the Frederick Douglass piece. I think this writing of him captured his heroicism. Though he was shaking, though he feared retaliation, though he was a disposable minority Douglass told his story. I greatly admire that. From a young age he was determined and always set goals for himself. When he was treated poorly as a slave, he set a goal to be free by the next year! Though this goal was not met and that time, I love that he did not lose his dream and once free he spoke for all those who could not.

In many ways, the first generation of black photographers were doing the same thing - 'speaking' through their photos for their black community who was unable to speak for themselves.

The Reid discussion

This article was very surprising and thought provoking. Numerous points of discussion were made on how African American's are viewed by Americans at large. I greatly appreciated Keli Goff's transparency and articulation on Senator Harry Reid's comments. I believe it is poignant that Keli Goff is an African American woman and was able to graciously annalyse Reid's comments on why Obama was electable to the American public.

For me, the most surprising discussion was about the affect Obama's black lineage being directly from Africa, not from American slaves has on the comfort level of white Americans accepting him. Simply put, this never would have crossed my mind. However, Goff confronts the topic, explaining that many white American's still feel guilt regarding the history of slavery. This was very interesting to me. When I talk to my black friends I rarely think about their family's history of slavery. It was surprising to me that apparently this is still such a big issue in the way white's see black people.

The other important pieces of the interview deal with Reid's comments about Obama being light skinned and having no negro dialect. Hearing these comments off the cuff I was shocked and immediately thought he was racist. However, Goff was able to clearly explain how Reid is trying to promote Obama in maybe the most ungraceful manner possible.

Yes, Obama is a light skinned African American man. This is a fact, not a racist comment in itself. However, how unfortunate that Obama's lightness in itself makes him more electable to the white public. Our country has come a long way in the fight against racism, yet we still have a long way to go. The topic of being light skinned reminded me of the poem we read by Phyllis Wheatley. White people are more likely to elect people who look and act like themselves. Therefore, Obama's lightness made him tolerable.

On a similar note, Obama's amazing use of language is powerful, and not seen as typical of the black man. I would say that Obama's eloquence is not typical of any race, it is a beautiful personal characteristic and developed by years of education.

Finally, Reid's use of an outdated word is offensive. As Goff explained, it is apparent that Reid has no close black friends. I am not talking about him having a black acquaintance, or a black employee, or a black dog groomer. I am talking about Reid not having any black people in his life who are his peers, who are on an equal level to him. Friends who are your peers will correct you when you need to be, and hold important dialog in shaping your views on things of the world. Given that Reid used a thirty of forty year old term shows that he is not close to black people.

I am not offended that Reid has no close black friends. I am however offended that Reid is in a position of power and is so out of touch with the public at large and a huge demographic that he is supposed to be representing. This is very disappointing though I'm sure Reid meant no harm.

In the end, Reid was supporting Obama and exposed his lack of education of racial terms.