As Professor McKinney mentioned in class, Without Sanctuary is a collection of photographs and postcards of lynching in America, complied by James Allen. These images are accessible online and through a book featuring the same title. In commenting on the nature of these images being distributed and available through a postcard Allen comments, “In American everything is for sale, even national shame”. The photographs are displayed as art, complete with clear attention to details being paid to the lighting and presentation of the individuals within the shot.
I am still reeling from the disturbing and graphic nature of the content of this project. I cannot mentally or emotionally grasp the participation of anyone represented within these photos. The most terrifying aspect of that feeling is even partial comprehension of the power of the collective. Even with a firm understanding of this time period and the prevailing thoughts of the day, I find it impossible to view these images and not ask yourself how something like this was EVER permitted to happen. Not only did an individual commit the act of murder in every single one of these situations, there are spectators at ALL of these events. As James Allen narrates a stream of images on the website, providing information tied to the images and his own commentary and feelings, he refers to the spectators as “the pack”, describing them as wolves or dogs hunting their prey. As we have discussed before, many scholars believe that when the issue was finally addressed, America was too much involved in the institution of slavery to be able to stop it. For me, the jury is still out on this question; I am not convinced that this was the case.
In hindsight I believe anyone would react to these images as I did, with a mix of disgust, shame, confusion, and fear; however, things always look different when you are standing right in the middle. In the early twentieth century these lynching’s were common place and not considered out of the ordinary within American society, but I have to wonder, did we learn our lesson? In the past century what has this country been willing to stand for just because everyone else wasn’t saying anything? What practices, behaviors, and laws have we institutionalized, that to this day dehumanize members of our own society and the societies of others? And finally, what is the responsibility of an individual or a group to stand up for what is right, even in the face of adversity and threats to one’s own wellbeing?
http://withoutsanctuary.org/main.html
Like Carson, I also checked out the Without Sanctuary website after we discussed it in class today. When I stumbled upon the first image, I was horrified at the gruesome and alarming image on display. No description of these events could prepare me for what I saw. The “Spectators at the Lynching of Jesse Washington” really spoke to me, simply due to the sheer number of spectators in the photograph who watched as a human being was brutally murdered. “The Burning Corpse of William Brown” also had a major impact on me, because the photo vividly depicts an enormous amount of physical suffering; however, everyone in the photo just intently watches a black man burn to death. I am simply shocked at how other human beings could enjoy watching such hideous events such as these and remain complacent in a society that functions this way. The number of postcards on this website reveals to me that the distribution of these images was quite common, and whites during this time thoroughly enjoyed and relished in these lynchings.
ReplyDeleteI too looked at the website after class. The pictures were extremely graphic and brought many questions to mind: how could people enjoy watching this? how could you let children watch this? and why would you ever send this to someone on a post card? I tried thinking of a correlation to something in today's society. One example I thought of was in the movie Blood Diamond. Specifically, the parts where the children are trained to become soldiers. In the movie, boys as young as six and seven go through brutal beating and training to be stripped of their childhood. The only justification for the postcards would have to be that the spectators were brain washed and didn't know any better. The cruel lynchings were certainly not unusual in this time.
ReplyDeleteI viewed the website as well. As I went through the pictures, a feeling of cold and emptiness filled me. I looked at every picture and thought to myself..."these are actual people that have the desire to live and not die so brutally...not this way..." but the people who comment this atrocious act probably didn't have the slightest feeling of remorse. That alone turns my feeling to anger and rage. I mean, imagine seeing your mom, dad, sister, brother, cousin, or friend hanging by a rope from a tree fighting to hold on to the only ounce of breath they have left...can you see them? I pictured them to be my family, and tears began to roll from my eyes. This was common to the society and it was celebrated. Another example where I think parts of America have institutionalized is gang affiliation. Most people know that gangs are not very positive and enlightening groups to be a part of because you put your life in greater risk of being ruined each time you commit to an act of "your gang," whether it's making a drug transaction or "jumping (brutally beating)"someone for something you want and can't get. The neighborhood in which I'm from, parents are called proud OG's (old gangsters) of these terrible gangs, and believe it or not, most of the kids are blessed in during their birth. So, they are subject to participate in the same inappropriate actions.
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