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.