Rockwell / Rosie/ Propaganda

Rockwell / Rosie/ Propaganda 

One of the first things that come to mind when thinking of America is the American dream. Throughout many images, commercials, and magazines, we can see people living freely and equally. In the 18th and 19th centuries, African Americans were not treated equally to whites, which seemed to go against the advertised idea of equality. People of color were not allowed to attend school, eat, or work with whites because the U.S. Supreme Court supported segregation. Since segregation had detrimental consequences, it was often left unaddressed. 

The text “The Problem We Live With” by Norman Rockwell exposes the issue of segregation. Rockwell, who risked his career in 1964, illuminated America by depicting a picture of a black child accompanied by Marshalls because of segregation's violence. Despite its controversial subject matter, Rockwell's painting "The Problem We All Live With" paced straight to the heart of the issue, leaving people no choice but to acknowledge segregation as a continuing issue (Carson). Rockwell's depiction of American racism elicited emotion and eagerness in the viewer to engage in American life. Through the use of color, frame and racist language, Norman Rockwell's "The Problem We All Live With" opened the eyes of many to the wretched reality of segregation. Part 2 Image 1

Source: https://ehistory.osu.edu/sites/ehistory.osu.edu/files/mmh/1912/politicaluncletommers.jpg 

This image by eHISTORY in The Ohio State University depicts Jim Crow Laws that were imposed on people of color du. In the image, A ‘NEGRO VOTER” is seen being whipped by a white man with a heart written ‘TILLMAN.’  The condition of the “NEGRO VOTER” can be described as worse since he is helpless with tattered clothes and unkempt hair begging for help. The painting portrays the true nature of racial segregation of blacks. Tattered clothes and unkempt hair shows African Americans' bad condition during the Jim Crow Laws period. The whipping depicts the hardships they went and begging raising hands while looking at the sky showed how helpless they were during that period. 

Image 2 

Source: https://arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RXWDEDFGL4I6VCMOWINZVA7XSI.jpg 

The image by arc-anglerfish on the other depicts New Jim Crow Laws in U.S. This is an image of George Floyd who was killed on 25^th May 2020 by a police officer. In the image, we can see the head of a frustrated black man painted on a wall and another black man sitting. This image portrays the current Jim Crow Laws called “New Jim Crow Laws”. African Americans are still mistreated by whites, black people get killed by white police officers and the issue is yet to be addressed. The image showed police brutality on black people as a result of New Jim Crow Laws. 

Work Cited

Carson, Tom. “The Awakening of Norman Rockwell.” Vox, Vox, 19 Feb. 2020, https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2020/2/19/21052356/norman-rockwell-the-problem-we-all-live-with-saturday-evening-post. 

“Front.” EHISTORY, https://ehistory.osu.edu/. https://arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RXWDEDFGL4I6VCMOWINZVA7XSI.jpg