This photograph was inspired by the SNCC’s sit-ins practice. The sit-ins were some of the tactics used by the SNCC in order to provoke a change. Just like the other activist groups the SNCC’s protest strategy was being non-violent towards the white supremacists in hopes that they would sympathies with the Civil Rights activists. The sit-ins consisted of groups of young activists who would go into public areas of Southern states where people of color weren’t allowed to be seen due to the white folks being there. Once the SNCC members would sit in those areas they would get harassed, and beaten by the white supremacists, in order to stay calm the SNCC members had to practice being mistreated. This picture shows a black person (me) practicing being beat by white people without reacting to the harassment.
In order to make this photograph I asked two of my friends to pose as if they were hitting me. I used our history classroom to simulate the sit-ins practice rooms, but the angle at which the picture was taken doesn’t show that I was sitting on a chair and it also doesn’t show my friends’ faces. I chose to use a black and white filter to make the situation look as authentic as possible, because with colors my facial expression would have looked a little less serious as I am not a good actress. One of my attentions while taking the picture was to look as if I was giving my cheek to Natalia, so that it would look like I am willing to get slapped and stay calm. I think the fact that the photograph takes place in a classroom makes it look more real, because the sit-ins had a major impact on colleges due to the white supremacists who wouldn’t let black student attend classes in the South.
I was inspired by the idea that there were social changes happening within college classrooms that our class did not really take our focus on. It is definitely true that the impacts of civil rights movement spread through not only in major public facilities and private institutions but also in educational institutions. Although we looked at the protests in school segregation as a class, we did not really explore the segregation within universities and higher institutions despite the fact that the student-led movements were launched from universities. I would like to know if any universities outside of HBCs (Historically Black Colleges) that experienced segregation since the number of African-Americans who received higher education was limited during 1960s compared to primary and secondary education.
Your analysis broke down and explained your image quite clearly. The one thing I noticed in your picture that contradicts with your post, is your expression on your face. Perhaps this could have been something that happened as this photograph is of ‘practice runs’ for people preparing to be harassed.Yet it takes away from the somberness that I believe you are trying to portray. Out of curiousty, although the protestor’s were nonviolent, would they welcome violence? As you are implying when you write “give my cheek”. Overall nice post!
Hi Jessica,
The blog post highlights an important strategy used by SNCC and the conscientious choice protesters made before participating in the sit-ins. The details included reflect heightened awareness of this perspective. What might be other perspectives that could be addressed in this post? In what ways might you elaborate on (and cite) the info presented about the “major impact on the colleges”?