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Photograph Analysis Reveals Historical Context
1. Who are the people in the photograph?
1. Women
2. Hitler, a child, and the child’s parent
3. White policemen with a canine unit and a crowd of black men and women
4. A black man and Lady Liberty
5. A small family and (one again) Lady Liberty in the background
6. Military officers as well as potential recruits
What is the situation of the people in the photograph? Provide evidence from the photo that
tells you this.
1. They are cooking. There are stoves, pots, and pans surrounding them
2. Hitler is holding the hand of the child as his parents watch.
3. It seems as though there is hostility between the police officers and the crowd of black civilians.
The police dogs seem to be attacking a black man.
4. The black man is hanging from Lady Liberty’s arm. Whether he has killed himself or if he has been
strung up is unapparent.
5. A man, woman, and their child have arrived in America and are looking at the Statue of Liberty.
Judging by their clothes, they have come to America from across the sea.
6. The potential recruits are receiving a physical examination. The recruits have their shirts off and
one man is being examined
What message do you think the photographer was trying to convey?
1. Women are cooking because back then that was their place, There is also a sense of community
due to the fact that more than one woman is cooking.
2. That Hitler was a family man and was a man to be trusted. (Which honestly wasn’t as far off as
people believed)
3. That there was police brutality against black men during (I’m assuming) the civil rights era
4. The land of the free is not free for the black man
5. That the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of hope for those immigrants who wish to come to America
2. 6. That in this time (either 1914-1918 or 1939-1945) recruiting for the war was essential and recruits
had to be found.
Why is this photograph important to history?
1. The equipment shown implies a late 1800s to early 1900s and shows how women came together
to cook a meal for their husbands. It shows historical value to the evolution of our cooking processes
2. It shows the propaganda of the Nazi party during the Third Reich. It shows how his party was trying
to show Hitler as a good man who had Germany’s best interest at heart.
3. It shows modern people that police brutality was as relevant back then as it is now.
4. It shows the rampant inequality within the United States.
5. It shows how back in this era (I’m assuming late 1800’s early 1900’s) how the Statue of Liberty was
a symbol for immigrants. Most who came to live in America went through New York City, and the fist
sight they would see of America would be the Statue.
6. It shows young men willing to throw their lives on the line for their country before they became true
soldiers.
What questions does this photograph raise?
1. The time period is a bit skewed. The photograph appears to be taken in the 1900s but the
equipment implies an earlier time period. Another question arisen as to why they are cooking and why
are they in such a large group?
2. Where does the photograph take place? It is obviously Germany but where specifically? It also
raises the question, how many people fell prey to the Nazi propaganda? The family depicted seems
happy and trustful of Hitler due to the fact that they are allowing Hitler to shake their child’s hand
3. What exactly did this crowd of blacks do to antagonize the police? Or is it just because they are
black?
4. How unequal was the black man? Did the man kill himself because he is unhappy with the
treatment he receives? Or did the white man kill him because of their ignorant “differences”?
5. Where did the family come from? Why did they come to America? Could they possibly be Jews
fleeing persecution?
6. Which war are these men going to? How many of them are drafted? How many volenteered to get
shot up by Germans?
Write your own caption for the photograph:
1. Early 20th Century Women Cooking
2. Hitler: The Family Man
3. 3. The Only Difference Now is Colored Photographs
4. America: Land of the Ignorant
5. America: Land of the Immigrant
6. The War Effort in its Humble Beginnings
What could you do to find more information about this photograph?
1. Look up women cooking during this time period and possibly a reason as to why so many women
would cook together.
2. Look up pictures of Nazi propaganda before WW2 and Hitler and children
3. Research police brutality in the civil rights era
4. Research the inequality of black men and women throughout history
5. Research early immigration and New York City
6. Research requirements to become a soldier during the two great wars
Based on what you have observed list 3 things you might infer from the photograph
1.
A. Early 1900’s
B. All the women are cooking
C. Poor because they cannot afford up to date equipment
2.
A. Southern Germany (child’s clothes)
B. Photo around 1940
C. Later in Hitler’s career due to relaxed clothing
3.
A. It is the civil rights era due to the clash of blacks and police
B. Police brutality was rampant during the 60s
C. Women were not excluded due to black women being in the crowd
4.
A. Due to the style of the photograph and its contents, it’s safe to say that the picture was made no
earlier than 1886 and no later than the 60s.
4. B. It shows how intolerant we were considering we were (and are) proud to say we are in the “land of
the free”
C. The artist who created the photograph wanted to depict how ugly and cruel racism is
5.
A. Judging by their clothing (especially the woman’s head covering), I assume they are foreign
B. Also judging by their clothes and lack of luggage, I’d say they weren’t particularly rich
C. The family wanted a new start in America
6.
A. These men are going to war soon. Some may make it, some may not.
B. The photograph was most likely taken during one of the two great wars.
C. All the men have a similar body type, and that is what the military wanted.