The photograph depicts a group of African Americans and white cops in a situation where the cops are allowing a police dog to attack a black man. This raises questions about what the man did to deserve being bitten and conveys the message of racism during the civil rights movement. As an important part of history, the photograph highlights the unequal and unfair treatment of African Americans that was prevalent at the time. Further research could provide more context about this photograph and the civil rights era it represents.