Photography reveals who is powerful and who is powerless. This content analysis of photographs related to the Black Lives Matter movement and Ferguson reveal that photography does not simply delight and inform; photography carries a historical memory. It can reveal to us what we do and don’t value. When read critically, photography can be a window into a society’s values, especially when those photographs capture a hard truth about a nation. This project allowed me to gain knowledge of critical theory and cultural studies. This project is a testament to my ability to communicate clearly, think critically, and summarize concisely.

1. NOW YOU
SEE ME,
HOW YOU
SEE ME:
A CRITIQUE OF BLACK PHOTOGRAPHY,
THEN AND NOW
ELINA N. MCGILL SPRING 2015

2. RESEARCHING CRITICALLY
This investigation criticizes structures of power.
Kellner states that media and photography
reveal who is powerful and who is powerless
(Kellner 2011).
Through photography, this project examines the
racial groups in America that may exercise force.

3. RESEARCHING CRITICALLY
Racism transcends individual uses of the “n-word”.
It is embedded in our legal texts, our contracts, our
boardrooms, and our schools.
Inequality is not only outward and violent; it
shapeshifts into many forms of systematic and
institutional oppression (Mills 2003).
This project will expose racist values hidden in
photographs.

4. RESEARCHING CRITICALLY
A critique is only as good as its proposed
alternative.
The findings show that intersectional
organizations and protests are imperative to
justice (Krolokke and Sorensen 2006).

5. METHODOLOGY
A content analysis and surveys were used in this
study.
102 photographs analyzed
• 34 from Google search “blacks lives matter
protest”
• 34 from Blacklivesmatter.com
• 34 from Google search “ferguson”
54 surveys answered

6. FINDINGS
The photographs revealed two major themes:
• See the victim
• Black people are “natural” sufferers of violence and oppression.
• “Hands up, don’t shoot”
• Black people are hapless victims and martyrs to social change.
• See the violence, not the system
• Only 2 photographs critiqued systems of oppression detached from
violence.
• Racism does not exist outside of violence (i.e. individual issue, not
institutional) .
• Photographs ignore the realities of multiple oppressions (e.g.
inequality in politics, living standards, education, etc.).

7. FINDINGS
The survey responses indicate who is socially
allowed to have power and what actions are
legitimate:
• Police have and can use power; Blacks
people/protestors should remain peaceful.
• Police standing with protestors is empowering,
but peaceful confrontations with police is are
concerning.

8. PHOTOGRAPH EXAMPLES

9. PHOTOGRAPH EXAMPLES

10. PHOTOGRAPH EXAMPLES

11. PHOTOGRAPH EXAMPLES

12. LINK TO LITERATURE
Previous literature on Black photography
suggested ways to create a criteria for
coding the photographs.

13. LINK TO LITERATURE
The literature revealed that Black people and white
people interpreted Civil Rights photography
differently.
Blacks people perceived these Civil Rights photos as
empowering while white people envisioned
themselves as saviors.
The literature showed that the multidimensional
identity of the viewer influences their perception
(Kellner 2011).

14. INTERESTING FINDINGS
No photo represented queer individuals. These
photos contrast my life where I am surrounded with
positive representations of queer folk.
No photo recognized institutional or structural
racism in the U.S. or in Ferguson. This is not
surprising as photography reflects societal focus.
Some viewers were against violent and nonviolent
protests and left no outlet for constructive social
change.

15. REFLECTIONS
I conducted complex and original research.
I learned the value of initiative and staying on
track with my projects.
I gained experience listening to and reading
material counter to my views while keeping an
open mind. This project allowed me to critically
assess my beliefs and values.

16. ADVICE
Advice to CMC 200 peers . . .
• You can do this.
• Choose a subject that evokes emotion. It will keep you
committed.
• At one point you will feel like you know nothing. That’s okay.
• Book your writing center appointments early.
• Stay on schedule.
• Read the feedback you receive.
• Edit. Edit. Edit. Edit.
• Use the outlines, PowerPoints, and worksheets. They are
there to help you.

17. WORKS CITED
Kellner, Douglas. 2011. “Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism, and
Media Culture.” In Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Critical
Reader 3rd Edition, edited by Gail Dines and Jean M. Humez, 7-
18. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Krolokke, Charlotte and Anne Scott Sorensen. 2006. “Three
Waves of Feminism: From Suffragettes to Grrls.” In Gender
Communication Theories and Analyses, 1-23. Thousand Oaks:
SAGE Publications, Inc.
Mills, Charles W. 2003. “White Supremacy as Sociopolitical
System: A Philosophical Perspective.” In White Out: The
Continuing Significance of Racism, edited by Ashley W. Doane
and Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, 35-48. New York: Routledge.