The Push for Social Justice

Observations: 

The first thing I noticed when analysing the photograph is the foreground. Just look at the angry mob of people who are yelling, and the irritated looks they have on their faces, especially the women! Why are they so livid? We can see that the majority of people are Caucasian, whereas Elizabeth Eckford (center) is African American. Most of the women are wearing their hair in up dos, or they have short or curly hair. Most of the women are dressed in floral, checkered, white or plain dresses; some are carrying books, purses, baskets or lunch boxes, and others are wearing glasses or sunglasses. Some of the men have their hair slicked back while others are wearing fedoras, white collar shirts and/or sunglasses. On the left side of the photograph, there are security guards or police men in uniforms who appear to be bitter or angry as we see in their facial expressions. The photograph was taken outside, as we can see trees and what seems to be a school in the background. 

Historical Assumptions:

Based on the trends, fashion, the styles of clothing and hair, and the men and women's etiquette and behaviours perpetuated within this photograph, I would assume that this picture was taken in the nineteen fifties in a well-off, middle class area of American society at a time when racial integration was slowly beginning to be introduced in schools. The men and women in this photograph seem to be high school students because they are relatively young and nicely dressed, they are carrying books and lunch boxes and seem to be walking towards a school in the background. I noticed that the women in this photograph were extremely irate, aggressive, antagonistic and outrageous towards Elizabeth Eckford which made me question their livid behaviour. Were these white students racist or simply following convention? Were they against racial desegregation? Why did they see racial integration as harmful?

After some careful evaluation, I realized that the white students were malicious towards Elizabeth Eckford because of their upbringing. Often, white populations in American viewed African Americans as inferior due to the implications of slavery, inequality and segregated communities.  For decades, racial segregation caused ethnic and visible minorities to be treated as second-class citizens and were often ostracized and discriminated against for their culture, ethnicity and colour. In doing so, a massive civil unrest began to emerge in nineteen fifties America causing African Americans and other visible minorities to establish social equality movements to end all injustice. Black social justice movements began to disperse within America with the most influential being led by Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. The goal of these social equality movements was to provide advocacy for the human rights of all individuals, and most importantly, as a means to end all suffering and racial disparity in the United States.

When this photograph was taken in 1957, the push for racial integration in schools became first priority to end racial segregation. The hope was to create an inclusive social environment where students, despite colour or race, could be seen as equal and could obtain an accommodating education free of harassment or discrimination. Although racial desegregation may have caused harm to many African Americans and other visible minorities in its progression, it helped to establish an equitable, safe and collaborative social setting where people of all cultures can coincide, integrate  and peaceful live with one another. 

 

Observations:

In this photograph, these women are holding signs with slogans such as: "Women are enslaved by beauty standards," "Let's judge ourselves as people," "Consumer Con-Game: Pepsi-Cola, Toni, Oldsmobile- Youngmobile," and "If you want meat - go to (eat?)..." in a public display setting. The photographs consists of all women, some with long and short hair, some of which are wearing dresses, skirts, cardigans, tee-shirts, and others who are wearing head bands, bandanas, sunglasses and glasses. The women seem to be walking in a semi-circle since there are women on both sides of the photograph. Judging on the women's clothing, their sunglasses and their squinting eyes, it seems as though it is a hot summer's day on the boardwalk. Most of the women are either smiling, shouting, speaking or quiet. In the background, there are pillars which could be a bridge or a building of some sort, and there are picnic tables or barricades. 

Historical Assumptions:

After carefully analysing this photograph, we can assume that these women are involved in some sort of protest, picket or march related to the rights of women. The signs they are holding are addressing the inequalities with women's image and its aim is to breakdown stereotypical women roles. The sign that states: "If you want meat - go eat" could be eluding that women are not meat, and therefore, they should not be showcased like cattle while in beauty pageants or in the media. Given the period, these women are opposing the beauty standards set on women to be beautiful,  perfect, and limited to being a housewife, and instead are advocating women's sexual freedoms (birth control and abortion) and to control female image. Juding by the women's ages in this photograph, they could be high school, University or College students, or even educated women in their late 20's or anywhere in their 30's. Since most of the women are parading outside on a boardwalk, their protest is in public display somewhere near a beach or in a popular public area. These women are also perpetuating the discrepancies within the media, in commercials or with popular brand names using women's bodies as their logo or image (i.e. Pepsi-Cola, Oldsmobile Youngmobile). It seems as though these women are working together in an inclusive, collaborative and hopeful social movement aiming to achieve social justice for the rights of all women. They no longer want to be seen as patriarchal symbols, nor do they want to be told how to look or how to live their lives. This protest is aimed at the rejuvenation of social justice for the female gender, and the ability to represent themselves as they want to be seen.