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Subscribe to RSSPhotojournalist Andrew Lichtenstein is documenting sites important to America's past, with the idea that what he finds there reflects on what's important to people in the present. Introduction: About this project
Andrew Lichtenstein / Facing Change
Galveston, Texas
Above: A crowd listens to the annual reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by local officials at a ceremony for Juneteenth, a Texas holiday that commemorates June 19, 1865. On that day slaves were told by a Union general in occupied Galveston that the Emancipation Proclamation, written two years earlier by Abraham Lincoln, had set them free.
Andrew Lichtenstein / Facing Change
Cross Keys, Virginia
Above: There is no marker or monument at Cabin Pond, a small swamp in rural Southampton County, Va., where the slave Nat Turner first received a vision that it was his assigned task to free America's slaves with a rebellion. Cabin Pond is also where Turner planned the rebellion in the summer of 1831 and where he fled to hide after the revolt's failure. A few weeks later he was captured about a mile away. Turner's rebellion so terrified slave owners in the region that they attempted to erase it from history, as well as enacting new laws that made it illegal to teach slaves to read or write.
Andrew Lichtenstein / Facing Change
Montgomery, Alabama
Above: At the exact bus stop where Rosa Parks boarded a city bus for her famous trip to fight segregation in 1955, participants in a Sons of Confederate Veterans "Confederate Heritage Rally" wait to march up Dexter Avenue in downtown Montgomery, Ala., to recreate the 1861 inauguration of Jefferson Davis. Strongly denying that the Civil War had anything to do with the issue of slavery, speakers at the rally celebrated Jeff Davis as “the last president of a truly free Republic.”
Andrew Lichtenstein / Facing Change
Lake Placid, New York
Above: John Brown's last family home outside Lake Placid, N.Y., is a preserved National Historic Site. Brown moved to the farm, in what was then called North Elba, in the late 1850s at the invitation of the wealthy abolitionist Gerrit Smith. He came to the remote Adirondack Mountains to help black farmers to whom Smith had given land grants. Soon enough, however, he left the community, known as Timbuktu, to plan his raid on the federal arsenal in Harper's Ferry, Va.
Andrew Lichtenstein / Facing Change
Memphis, Tennessee
Above: The Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., where Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, is now the National Civil Rights Museum. The museum recreated King’s last room, with cigarettes in the ashtray and the bed sheet pulled down. Mahalia Jackson’s song “Oh Precious Lord,” King’s favorite song, plays over a set of speakers, and visitors from around the world still come to pay their respect, to both the man and the dream.
Editor's note: This is Part 1 in a three-part series, History through the lens of today, that we're publishing in PhotoBlog this week.
Lichtenstein continues this work with the help of a grant from The Aftermath Project.
Leave a Comment:
Wow! I'm surprised! Not one single comment on civil rights or racism in America?! I would have thought there would be plenty to talk about on this subject. Especially considering racism is very much still an issue and a problem in this modern society. While progress has been made, after seeing how the current president has been treated it is clear racism still has a hold in America. And that isn't playing the race card. That's just reality.
How come there is nothing reported about the negative results on the passing of the Civil Rights Act. I can think of and experienced a few. Affirmative Action, reverse discrimination, quota systems, black T.V. and entertainment, extortion of companies, black power groups, bids on jobs given solely to black owned companies, tax payer funded black caucus in Congress. I'm for fair across the board. Just eliminate the word race from any applications. I think it is disgusting that any race should have more rights given to them than another.
unfortunately people like OBOMBO and his left wing liberals and Jesse Jackson
and Al Sharpton and the liberal media especially psmnbc are the ones making
racism remarks and calling tea party terrorists but supporting the lunatic fringe
and spoiled hippies protesting against exactly what OBOMBO is doing spending
more money taking more bribes and paying off big union and supporters! what a
joke! MLK would be embarrassed by OBOMBO and his liberal socialist thugs!
GoodvsEvil - "OBOMBO" - at best you sound like a third grader. Shouldn't you be in school?
No problem with Civil Rights for people of all colors....I just don't agree with calling unnatuaral sexual behavior a reason for Civil Rights. Not even in the same ball park.
On the other hand, I don't agree with reverse discrimination. I doubt any of the original slave owners are alive today, so it's time for black people to forgive and forget. There are many who have let go of the anger but there are still many blacks that hate peopl of other colors. I also don't think it is right to receive government assistance based solely on the basis of having black skin. I've heard part of the settlement of the Civil War included lifetime pensions to all black people with no expiration date. Does anyone know if all black people receive a monthly government check just because they are black?
What nonsense.
Maybe that's some of the problem, hatehatehate, if we hold on to experiences of racism, that is what we will focus on. And, a focus on negative things can only result in more negative things - and prevent healing and moving forward.
Of course racism goes both ways; it never has been a one way street. In fact, that's one of the things that keeps it alive and well today - it's so easy to blame the "other" race for the problem. At some point though, the blaming needs to stop so the forgiveness can begin.
I wonder will it ever end?
What America needs to realize is that, because we are a global economy and (through the Internet and social networking) a global society, we are becoming like much of the rest of the world. That is: we are separated more by economics than race. Long gone are the days when all blacks were uneducated and poor, and all whites had every right and privilege. Today, a black man with education/money will enjoy more benefits/freedom than a white man in poverty. A poor white man in a court room stands little chance of avoiding jail...just like a poor black man.
I'm a black man. My grandfather (yes, he was black) graduated from medical school in 1917. My father practiced surgery for 52 years...his brother has been practicing over 40 years. I am a former Naval Aviator, hold a MS in Computer Science and am a member of Mensa. I have more rights and privileges than poor whites today....hands down. Five members of my family have graduated from Ivy League schools...this is not as unusual as you might think.
My point: Times are changing...some say for the better. These young kids these days didn't experience racism the way I did...and my upbringing was a different world than that of my parents and grandparents.
Tuskegee perhaps?
Both of you are correct, and you're both collectively making a dangerous point. Most Americans will agree that racism exists, however most, will point to their own experiences as true racism while pointing a sceptical finger at others. I think this is a result of America never really having that talk that should have happened long ago; and definately after our present President was elected. We should have that race talk. I know what kind of storm that would ensue... but we need to clear the air for everyone that would want to listen. We as a country need to realize one and for all that racism is racism; you can have racist motives toward a person even if you are not rich, and the meaning of "reverse racism" is "no racism", not racism against whites. Let's get it together... politics alone will eat us alive if we don't.
Maybe in four or five hundred years the white and hispanic races will absorb the black race and racism towards black people will cease.
I think it will be sooner, but nonetheless, you are right. i think in 100 or so years, there will be so many "mixed" races that race will all become irrelevant.
It took about three hundred years to happen in Brazil. With an even larger black to white population. However, there was a larger number of natives than here. Attitudes towards race were more liberal as well. Now when you see pictures or film from Brazil there aren't any black people in those photos. Where did they go? They were assimilated!
One of my favorite themes about Martin Luther King Jr. was that, although he rallied for Black rights, it was about equal rights for everyone. I love the imagery in his "I had a dream" speech -- crossing racial lines and joining hands. I love it!
I agree....I was one of 12 white children in a school of 500 when i was growing up. MLK was talked about alot, especially during January. I moved to a white neighborhood (predominantly Jewish)...we didnt get the day off of school...it wasnt celebrated. Now my daughter gets off for Jewish Holiday...today she gets a half day....but it is for teachers convention.
I think when someone has a dream or believes in something....that can be very powerful as Martin Luther King Jr. so proudly displayed.
That is why i respect Ron Paul so much...for exactly the same reason!
Do you love how he was an adulterer? How about do you love how he plagarized his way through college? Did you even know his real name isn't Martin Luther King JR? Why does he even deserve a holiday named after him? No other person in US history has a holiday named after them. There are much more deserving men. MLK was nothing but a fraud.
Really, MG? 'No other person in US history has a holiday named after them.'?
Well, let's see: we've got Lincoln's birthday and Washington's birthday. That's two. There may be more, but your irrelevant comments don't deserve that much effort.
Racism has taken on a different meaning today (my opinion). While many people have moved foward, and it has declined (somewhat)...it still lingers. White / Black racism still exists! But i think the Government is creating a different form of racism, for the sake of war. I believe that the "war on terror" is just another way to cause racism againt the muslims...to create fear, hatred that will support more war.
I am white. I grew up in a large black community and had mant black friends. At 12 years old, i moved into a large white community. At first, because of my way of speaking, i was frowned upon....but that quickly evaporated. By the time i was a senior in H.S. there were many blacks, and everyone got along well! This was 1993. In my town in NJ, i have not noticed any racism against blacks or whites, by either side. However a large Jewish community....i am noticing the Jewish are forcing their vews into the municipality, and they do so by crying discrimination if the municipaluty doesnt play along.
One of the worst displays of racism i noticed was by the Republican Candidate Rick Santorum....he claims that the Christians should have more babies, to out number the muslims.....he also wants to eradicate Islam...not a good choice for a president...imagind a racist president?
here is proof...
I think there will always be racism in one form or another. But as for America....this is the one place that it should not exist, because it is founded on people of other religions, other nations...etc.
Are you for promoting a 'religion' that beheads people for daring to differ with them?
thats a pretty ignorant statment....Anyway, No...however, I am also not supporting a "religion"(christians) that blow abortion clinics up either. What i am saying is there is racism still going on....and by your statment, i can see that you are probably one of them.
Personally i am not religious. Neither is better than the other. What i am and was saying is their is racism in another form! That is all!
that's right...no mail today
There are good and bad people in all races.
White on black racism is a terrible thing. Black on white racism is OK in the eyes of many blacks. Example: BET
Black Entertainment Network, Miss Black America, Black Caucus. If these are not examples of racism, what is?
How about a White Entertainment Network or NAAWP, National Association for the Advancement of White People. Come on, give me a break. This would be racism and the black organizations are too. Anytime we have any group or organization that specifically caters to one race, that is the very definition of racism. To disagree is a refusal to admit that blacks are promoting the very thing that Dr. King worked so hard to overcome. For blacks to have these racist groups is in their eyes getting in touch with their heritage, when in actuality it pure and blatant racism. Oh but I am not politically correct. Political correctness is one of the main causes of the sad state of many black neighborhoods. The refusal to come down hard on the gangs, thugs, and drug dealers for fear of riots in the black community, has allowed violence, death, and destruction to prosper. Dr. King worked towards harmony and desegregation, but as long as the black community continues to separate itself, racism will continue.
that's because "racism" is an industry $$$ here in america. around the world, no one gives a damn if you are black
Dr. King wanted "EQUALITY". Is it wrong for there to be all black networks when there are clearly all white networks? Not to mention, white actors and personalities are not barred from performing on BET or other "black" networks...imbecile. There is not one black person in about 80% of all films...should I be offended as a black person and start screaming racism? No. Not only is it ridiculous, it's just absolutely wrong.
What a beautiful photograph. Nobody is perfect- black or white, it's irrelevant. I have seen the names of the slaves in my grandmother's grandparents' wills and the wills of their ancestors. I am happy and proud that once my grandmother grew up and met my grandfather, she changed her heart and they both spent the rest of their lives supporting civil rights with their volunteer work, votes, and the way they raised their children. I consider their descendants of those slaves to be my brothers and sisters as Americans. They may not feel the same way, and I understand that. But I hope they do. To those of you making ugly comments: I'd feel sorry for you, but you're old enough to know better.
To TTANBTT, If Black people got an automatic anything from the government, we would have pooled it, bought the country and deported all the ignorant people who would even ask such a question as you did.