In Our Glory Photography And Black Life Summary

The Importance of Black Photography

I think that the point of the reading, “In Our Glory: Photography and Black Life” is seeing the struggle the black people had to go through involving the image people thought they represented, and also how photography has become an important aspect in their life. A long time ago black people had to deal with the fact that white people thought they weren’t equal. The whites were perceived to be better than the blacks. Images can be looked at in the same way. Once photography came out, black people were able to capture themselves for who they were and not for an image of them that everyone thought were unequal. These days though, things are becoming more and more equal. The reading first starts off by talking about the photograph of her father. I think this is a good example of how images shape someone’s life. They tell stories, hold memories, and share the past. I believe this when the author states this passage: “This snapshot was taken before marriage, before us, his seven children, before our presence in his life forced him to leave behind the carefree masculine identity this pose conveys.” (Bell Hooks. “In Our Glory: Photography and Black Life.” Rhetorical Visions.
Just like the reading states where it became a way for black people to come out and be noticed and respected; to be represented. Photographs show the truth in the lives of people, in our country, in the world, past, present, and sometimes even the future. The images that are portrayed always have a much deeper truth then what can just be seen with a quick glance. The author talks about how her parents took photos of her family and their lives constantly. The reason for this being that there is a deeper truth behind it. They weren’t able to express themselves in the past and so much of their lives had been lost. Therefore, they were taking every opportunity to capture and cherish