When photographer Jill Freedman heard about the Poor People’s Campaign in Washington D.C., she dropped everything and joined.”Photography like this had the potential to change the world, at least in some small way, and Freedman wanted to play her part. By joining the PPC, she committed herself to documenting the campaign that King had called into being.” The campaign included a wide rang of participants including mostly African Americans, but also Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Native Americans. Jill Freedman’s photos were unlike the others that were taken at the protest. While other people focused on the more dramatic images of the rallies and police confrontations, Freedman wanted to capture not only that but more. She took images of normal people and their daily lives. The Time Magazine said, “she offers instead portraits of ordinary people — the women, men and children who were the unheralded heroes of the movement…. She asks her audience to see the dignity and humanity amid the grime, the anger, and the rain.” She was dedicated to the protest and to get people to see the “invisible poor.” In fact, she was one of the only photographers who lived in the city the entire time and her pictures reflect that. The New York Times said, “Ms. Freedman’s photographs affirm it was also a place of quiet defiance. These images depict solidarity among activists of all races. They reveal the dignity and courage of parents determined to provide their children with a better life.” Her pictures all depicted the beautiful parts of the protest.
This picture of a man playing the flute white looking out at the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Memorial resonated with me. It shows that amidst all of the congestion and poverty, people could still find peaceful moments like this one to enjoy their life and play music or do something they loved. It also shows that we are all alike. I found the scene to be so serene and calming.
These photographs also stood out to me because of their common theme: peace. The one picture shows a man on his bike looking at the work “peace” that is painted on the steps. It seems to me like he was riding the bike and then suddenly stopped once he noticed the word. This photo is embodying the true message of the protest. We are all human beings and deserve the same opportunities to succeed in the world, and this can be achieved through peace. The other photograph depicts a girl standing next to a sign that has the symbol of peace drawn on it and underneath it says, “Get real-world” Again the photo is relaying the same message as the other one. Why is it so hard to get peace in this world? I think Freedman’s ability to capture these random and meaningful moments is what makes her exhibit so symbolic. Through these images she was able to depict qualities like music and peace that unify us as humans instead of those that divide us.
