Week 5 Blog

When thinking of famous civil rights photographs, this photo by Bob Adelman comes to mind. It was taken in 1966 of Reverend Joe Carter who waits on his porch after he registered to vote in Louisiana. He was the first African American to register to vote in his area, with 2/3 of the population being African American, and expected a visit from the Ku Klux Klan.

While we often think of important characters such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Stokely Carmichael, and Huey Newton, people such as Reverend Carter played a huge role in the Civil Rights Movement by building up the courage to be the first people to register and vote in their areas.

To me, this photo represents a huge part of the Civil Rights Movement. It represents the bravery and courage of African Americans who had to protect their family just to have the right to vote. It shows that although African Americans had the legal opportunity to vote, they still had to fight for what they believed in and had to be prepared to suffer the consequences if need be. This photo represents the start of freedom for many African American families.

I would highly suggest looking at some of Adelman's other photos which can be seen in his photo essay book "Mine Eyes Have Seen: Bearing Witness to the Struggle for Civil Rights".