POWERFUL. HISTORIC. MEMORABLE.
Looking through a window into the “Selma to Montgomery” exhibit in the Flaten Art Museum at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN.
That trio of adjectives describes Selma to Montgomery: Marching Along the Voting Rights Trail, an exhibit of 45 black-and-white photos documenting the 1965 Civil Rights Movement through the work of photographer Stephen Somerstein.
I was only eight years old in 1965, living in rural southwestern Minnesota, far removed from what was occurring in Alabama.
Faces of the Civil Rights Movement include Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., left, and his wife, Coretta Scott King, right. This shows a snippet of a photo by Stephen Somerstein.
But the exhibit, showcased at the Flaten Art Museum of St. Olaf College, took me to Alabama in 1965 and into the movement for equality in an up close and personal way.
An overview of a section of the now-closed exhibit at St. Olaf College.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Somerstein’s pictures are worth 45,000 words. My one regret is that I did not visit this exhibit until the day before it closed on April 12 thus failing to inform you, my readers, of the opportunity to see this for yourselves.
This portion of a photo by Stephen Somerstein drew my attention.
As I circled the museum space, I studied many of the photos in detail. These images by Somerstein, a then student at City College of New York and editor of the school newspaper, call for close examination. It is in the details that we begin to fully understand, to see the fear, the hope, the defiance, the anger, the love, the determination.
I found myself drawn to hands and arms—those of an interracial couple, that of a union member gripping a sign, activists carrying American flags, a soldier focusing binoculars, a mother cradling her son:
One of my favorite photos by Stephen Somerstein.
Skin color matters not, as showcased in this section of a Stephen Somerstein photo I photographed.
The two things I noticed in this Stephen Somerstein photo: the marchers carrying American flags and the soldier atop the building scanning the scene with binoculars. It’s truly a multi-layered image.
The Teamsters Union Local 239 sent supplies to activists who were marching. This is a selected section of a photo by Stephen Somerstein.
Eyes and words also drew me in:
Bobby Simmons, a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, wearing zinc oxide to prevent sunburn, wrote VOTE onto his forehead. This is a section of Stephen Somerstein’s portrait of Simmons.
The exhibit featured explanatory information about photos and the movement.
And although I did not participate in the interactive portions of the exhibit created by artist Nancy Musinguzi, I appreciated that visitors could photograph themselves and pen thoughts on working toward justice and equality.
Visitors could photograph themselves at the exhibit and express their thoughts.
Opinions expressed in the exhibit polling place.
They could also vote in a People’s Survey. Vote.
A St. Olaf College student staffing the museum makes sure a video is working properly.
The exhibit drew a wide range of interest at St. Olaf College with students in social work, history, art history, gender studies and more viewing the photos, says Flaten Art Museum Director Jane Becker Nelson. The timing of the exhibit—on the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement, relating to current day issues and release of the movie, Selma—added to the interest.
Another overview of part of the exhibit. Photos displayed are by Stephen Somerstein.
Additionally, Becker Nelson notes that the exhibit connects to the 50th anniversary of the death of St. Olaf graduate James Reeb. (More to come on that in a post next week.)
A chair placed before a Stephen Somerstein photo offers visitors a place to sit and contemplate.
This remarkable collection of documentary photos impresses in a deeply personal way. Beyond headlines. Beyond news stories. Beyond the pages of history books. Somerstein’s photos document the humanity of the Civil Rights Movement in the eyes, in the hands, in the stances of individuals. And that connects all of us, no matter our skin color.
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© Copyright 2015 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Original photos are by Stephen Somerstein. My photos of Somerstein’s images are published here with permission of Flaten Art Museum, St. Olaf College.
Selma to Montgomery was booked through New York-based National Exhibitions & Archives.
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Moving
It was quite moving. You are right.
Great exhibit; would like to see it. Photography is a powerful medium. It was the first form of mass media I believe. I think it was after Goodyear discovered vulcanization (1839) of rubber [by accident], the rubber industry exploded. I don’t recall if it was South America or Africa, but the indigenous people were treated very badly, lopping off hand and limbs, for whatever reason. This mistreatment was eventually exposed through photographs.
Dan, I regret that I didn’t tour this exhibit in time for other Minnesotans like you to view it at St. Olaf.
I absolutely agree with your statement that photography is powerful. Thanks for sharing the example of the indigenous people.
Audrey I was 13 at the time of the Civil Rights Movement and I remember it well. It was indeed a powerful and memorable time in our nation’s history. I do agree, there’s power in photography.
Is there anything specific that you remember from the Civil Rights Movement? One thing that stands out in your memory?
History books (especially today’s versions) and media coverage merely skims the surface of the movement that struggled (then) and continues today to declare that we all are, indeed, created equal. Reading a biography of MLK a few months ago gave me many insights into the pressures that he endured as the designated leader (not always a willing participant and many times just a high profile name whose role was orchestrated by others who had the larger agenda, using many of MLK’s connections….Lyndon Johnson for one).
Ah, perhaps time for me to read MLK’s bio.
It was very interesting to get “inside his brain” (at least as much as one can through an “auto” biography compiled from papers, etc, written by MLK and other first person sources!). He so struggled with the commitments/engagements that were lined up for him when he would rather be preaching in his home church. Very much torn between his ministry and the public civic role that was created for him. I believe this is the book I borrowed from the library…http://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Martin-Luther-King-Jr/dp/0446676500
Thanks for directing me to the book. I’ve not considered that before, being torn.
It’s a big book with mod. small font size! I started it with determination to finish and ended up loving it.
Oh, oh, small font size?
It seemed so, maybe it was “fine” print but I didn’t read it at bedtime much. The edition I had was a hard cover library (almost text book feel) copy and the text seemed ok for reading but not for extended periods of time like some of my other books.
Those must have been terrible times. My father won a scholarship to attend school in the USA in the 50’s. (The last year of school). One of the women who also won a scholarship was part Maori (they were all from NZ). My father was with her in the US one day and they went to get on a bus and they made her sit in the black section and separated her from everyone else in their group. Everyone from NZ was horrified! xx
It’s almost unfathomable, isn’t it, how skin color determined where you could sit on a bus, where you could attend school, from which water fountain you could drink? Thank you for sharing this personal story.
What a great moving and touching exhibit. Your photographs of “photographs” capture the spirit of the Civil Rights movment. You are lucky to live close to the college to be able to partake of their offerings.
I need to attend more events at these two colleges. I can’t believe I haven’t.