The picture worth a thousand words

At a glance, to the unsuspecting, this outdoor photo is simply an image of two African American men standing in front of a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There is so much more, however, to why this picture was taken and what it represents to me. The men you see are my husband, and oldest son. I aimed the Iphone camera purposefully so that their faces could be seen and Dr. King’s image is in sillouette. The area where the statue resides used to be called Henry Street and was nicknamed “ The yard.” This was the center of activity the black community in past decades and the area used to be booming with all black businesses.

There were restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, a movie theater and a church. James Brown and other famous entertainers once graced this neighborhood with their presence. Just behind my spouse and son about a half block away on the left there used to be a barber shop called The Bright Light. It was owned by my father’ father until he retired. Straight behind them is the Henry Street foot bridge that used to allow cars to travel across it. This was the gateway to the downtown area and separated the black and white segregated neighborhoods. Downtown was the place where all could go, even in the days of colored water fountains and limited restaurant seating for African American patrons.

The buildings in the background used to be businesses such as department stores and jewelers in years gone by. Now some of them hold studio apartments or eclectic establishments. Henry Street now house only two businesses, a culinary school and an arts center. Time has marched on, progress has come in many forms but racism persists. Dr. King’s day is over but his dream has yet to be realized five decades since his death. Because of recent events in America I wonder what he truly saw in his vision. I took this picture of my husband and son as a reminder to still have faith. Dr. King died 52 years ago but we who live now can still make choices so that race does not matter in America.

My husband and son stand in front of the silhouetted image at the edge of the bridge as African American males who can bridge a gap and continue the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Both of them have been stopped by the police for no reason and followed by law enforcement at night until they pulled up at home. They understand the fear of police brutality and the fact that Dr. King was assassinated for trying to bring the races together. Both my husband and son have had white male co-workers to harass them and make comments that can be interpreted as racist. They stand in front of this image as flesh and blood men who are in the here and now. They want to see a world where the next generation of black males are not targeted by law enforcement.

They hope and pray for a day when there will be no racial bias in the workplace. They stand in front of the statue of a man and the history of a neighborhood that are long past. These men want to work now in the present to make a brighter future for everyone in this nation. They stand as father and son to break stereotypes and show that not all African American children are from broken homes. Their very existence as Senior and Junior busts a lot of myths that even some in the black community hold onto. As I snapped this image, I desired to capture a present moment in front of a monument to the past that gives promise for the future.

Yesteryear is gone but today, steps can be taken to secure the future. Each time I look at this photo I am encouraged there will be a better day and I hope others do the same. I have to believe my husband and son won’t be manhandled by law enforcement or gunned down and become statistics. This photo is a point of contact that gives me faith each time I view it. I beli be that a better day can be achieved. Dr. King did what he could during his time on earth to bring non violent change. Michael Preston Sr. and Jr. I’m certain will do the same. I also believe it’s true that a picture is worth a thousand words.