Margaret Bourke-White Analysis

Margaret Bourke-White, 1937, The Louisville Flood, illustrates a billboard in bold wording “World’s Highest Standard Of Living” with boarders of maybe red and blue put in three stars. An image of American family of four including a dog is in a car happily driving on the road in the valley. An added text on the side a slogan of “There’s no way like the American Way.” Just below the enormous billboard are people lining up for a job or shelter. The people in the line are African-American, adults dressed in long coats and hats, one with their child, others with bags and buckets in their possession.
Bourke-White give one an idea about some promising facts during this era to facilitate the Americans are predominant than other race. By evaluating
the photo, several factors are publicized in determining a person’s class. A person’s class consist of one’s lifestyle, expression and standard of living.
The era the photo was taken was during one of U.S history finest, The Great Depression. An era that impacted the values of photography. Bourke-White captured the image that documented the state people were in the Great Depression affected everyone in the U.S. The Louisville Flood, the billboard propagandize the ideal of an American lifestyle as stated earlier, an image of an American family of four plus a dog are in a car driving in the valley, happy. Whereas the African American families were put out of placed from their homes and lost majority of their belongings during the massive incident as if their life was washed away from the flood. In order to get back on their feet, they are lined up receiving shelter, food, or support from an organization just around the corner presenting their new lifestyle, standing in line receiving aid. A completely different lifestyle from the Americanize billboard located right above them.
Lifestyle matters to a person or a family because presentation of which class one is in; upper, middle, or lower. A class shows how much a whole family or person is making, of the way they are dressed, the area they live, the house, or how they use the money. The American’s in the billboard present their lifestyle broadly. They enjoy their life. One can obliviously point out they live in a vast lifestyle than any other race presented. On the other hand, the African-Americans are living the horror of reality, consisting struggling to survive the devastation. Society is giving a sense of reality that the African-American cannot live up to the lifestyle of the Americans. More so a fantasy, the image the billboard portrays is where they want to be, care-free.
As the billboard stands proudly of what the image portrays, a cheerful family that is happy and enjoying every moment of their lives. Ironic to say they are the ones living “the dream” in the Great Depression. The facial expression of those men and women under the billboard, are tired and exhausted looking. Not one person is standing in line showing a hint of happiness as the American family. Behind those tired and exhausted looks, expresses more of resentment, worry, and depression. In reality, the African-Americans aren’t happy what happened to them, a drastic change in their standard of living. None the less they must live adjust and maintain what they can do to make the best out of it. For everything they own was taken away from the downpour but they are able to retain their dignity.
In addition, the billboard shows the American family living the “World’s highest standard of living.” The definition of the text is that one must be able to afford a vehicle and support a family of four, which the American family proudly displays. The family is having a family-drive around the valley accompanied with the family dog. The family looks like they never had to struggle to get what they wanted in order to be where they are ironically the next text comes into play “the American way.” Text applies to them because the American. Luckily the text does not apply today. The Americans are not the only ones making the highest standard of living as the minorities are stepping up in the social class system. Despite the fact, African Americans are standing underneath the propaganda appear to be living a much subordinate standard as the Americans are. No car, no fancy clothes, or the ability to be happy. They are waiting in line in a cold weather in their long coats, hats, and gloves for some natural resource that will get them by during The Great Depression. Clearly depicting who are the upper class men and who are the lower class men. Race plays an important role on defining upper and lower class.
Bourke-White photographed two main races: American and African-American. Referred earlier, the Americans are presented within the billboard and it is only the Americans. No other race is in the billboard but the Americans. On the streets are the African-Americans in line and not a single soul of another race is in line with them waiting to obtain the same help as the African-Americans are or even in the same predicament. At the time the photo was taken, I believe the African-Americans were not the only ones who were struggling because of the flood. During this period, many outsiders were struggling as well. For instance the Oakelys, since the drought they are not able to obtain water to fertilize their crops in order to make money or food for them to support their own families. Bourke-White does not depict the situation. However, the African-Americans look as if they are obtaining help from someone or type of organization just around the corner of the building. The Americans must be helping them because of the billboard it shows the Americans are stable enough to continue living and help others who are in debt and there are no Americans physically presented in line with
them.
Bourke-White communicates to the audience during The Great Depression, while everyone was effected by The Great Depression and struggling to get back on their feet. Bourke-White’s insinuates the Americans are having a good time and have the upper hand of the chain. While everyone else is not high-quality enough to obtain the authority’s the Americans uphold. Those who were affected by the Great Depression, were constantly reminded by the giant billboard, that they do not have the upper hand like the Americans do. Ironically, the photo shows the Americas above the African-Americans. Ever since then, the whole “class” structure has been changing and in a number of ways still changing. Women and minorities now have a stronger presence in the higher ranks of the class system. How society perceives the low, middle, and high class is changing all around us.