Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-04-18)

66 18 April 2020I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

Final Analysis

ZeldaCheatleis a well-knowncuratorandeditorof photography.Aftersomeyearstakingphotographs,shebegana gallery career at The Photographers’ Gallery in London before setting up and running her
own eponymous photography gallery from 1989 to 2005. For more information, visit her websitezeldacheatle.com.

ZeldaCheatleconsiders...‘Mississippigrassroots

community organiser’, 1968, by Doris A Derby

Photo Critique

D

orisA Derbywas
bornintheBronx
in 1939 andnow
livesinAtlanta,
Georgia.Sheis anactivist
knownforherinvolvement
withtheMississippiCivilRights
Movement,butherskills
includebeinganadultliteracy
teacher,photographer,painter,
academicanda professorof
anthropology.Sheworked
withtheStudentNonviolent
CoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)andthecivilrights
movement,andhashada long-
lastinginfluenceoneducating
andawarenessofraceand
AfricanAmericanidentity.
Derby’sgrandmotherwasan
earlyactivistintheNational
Associationforthe
AdvancementofColoured
People(NA ACP);herfather
wasa skilledcivilengineer
oftenrefusedworkdespitehis
qualifications.Atschoolshe
becameawarethatthehistory
andliteraturedidnotaddress
peopleofcolour,nordidthe
movies.‘Whyaren’tblack
peoplebeingrepresentedin
thesebooks?Andstories,
movies.Weweren’tinthem.
Butwewerehere,’ she is quoted
assaying.

Famousspeech
In 1963 Derby,having
graduatedfromHunterCollege,
respondedtotheterribleevents
ofBirmingham,Alabama.She
witnessedthemotivatingand
movingspeechduringthe
MarchonWashingtonin1963.
MartinLutherKingspoketo
theassembledcrowdswiththe
famouswords,‘I havea dream’.
Althoughshehadprevaricated
ongoingtoMississippi,she
decidedforthwithtogo,and
joined the SNCC. ‘If these

peopleweresobravetodo

that,tofightfortherighttovote

forallofusasblackpeople,

thentheleastI coulddowould

betogotoMississippi to work,’

shesaid.

Humanside

Havinguseda BoxBrownieas

a child,whenDerbywasgiven

a camerain 1966 bySouthern

Mediatodocumentthecivil

rightsmovementshehad

confidenceinherpicture-

making.Thepeoplesheworked

withwerehersubjectmatter

• thestudentsinthe
  mathematicsandliteracy
  classes,andthesewing
  initiatives.Bydoingsoshe
  humanisedthecivilrights
  movement.Derbyhadbeen
  workingwithwomenand
  children,shewitnessedhow
  dailylifewasexperiencedin
  theSouth.Herphotographs
  werenottoheadlineorbeseen
  onthefrontpagesof
  newspapers,butusedon
  pamphletsandpostersandin
  bookletsthatwentdirectlyto
  theblackfamiliesandlocal
  groups,showingthe
  possibilitiesandinitiatives
  available.Herpicturesarenot
  confrontationalviolent
  pictures,butshowa gentle
  side,ofworkingtogether,the
  powerofeducationand
  emancipationthrough
  learningandknowledge.
  ‘Myfocuswastodocument
  blackpeoplewhowereengaged
  inthestruggleforequalityand
  justiceforall.Todepictthe
  life-givingforceoftheblack
  communitykeepingon.Even
  thoughtheyfacepovertyand
  injustice,they’resurviving.’
  Thispicture,ofa grassroots
  communityorganiser,sumsup
  for me what Doris Derby

accomplishedinher

photography.Thereis power,

thereis focus,thereis

intention.TheAmericanflag

hangsinthebackground–

these women are Americans.

Theabilitytorecorda quiet

historyasit unfoldedis

inherentinDerby;sheandher

familyappreciatedandhave

nurturedhowartand

activism are to be valued.

© DR DORIS A DERBY

PhotographsbyDorisA Derbywerefeaturedin theexhibitionWeWillWalk– Art

andResistancein theAmericanSouthatTurnerContemporary.Atthistimecheck

turnercontemporary.org for more information about the re-opening of the gallery.