The images of Emmett Till’s unrecognizable, horribly brutalized body have not been locked out of public view since his murder in 1955. Mamie Till, his mother, insisted on an open casket funeral so the world would have to be witness to the violence that had been done to the fourteen-year-old.
The image is one that should elicit a strong response. A natural response would be to ask why. How, in a country that prides itself on freedom and sanctity of life, could this have been possible?
The photographic evidence of what people are capable of doing to one another should provoke a sense of horror in anyone who looks upon it. Important life lessons are often uncomfortable.
Ripples of that horror continue as one learns (or recalls) that the men who later confessed to the murder had been acquitted after only an hour of deliberation.
But this part of American history is all too often skipped in high schools. Though the curriculum at this level is supposed to focus on 20th and 21st century events, teachers are permitted to review earlier material when “necessary,” and with that, students are routinely exposed to the American Revolution and Civil War repeatedly, leaving little time for more recent history. Events, however, like One Book One Hartford can help to fill in the gaps for those seeking more than one is offered at school.
One Book One Hartford launched at the beginning of the month with the opening of exhibits in the Hartford Public Library and its branches. In the hallway of the third floor of the downtown library, there is a large display of memorabilia and documents belonging to archivist and collector Bill Costen. These cases contain historical documents, photographs, and ephemera like political buttons and magazines, documenting the life and death of Emmett Till, but also the larger context the Civil Rights Movement’s story.
Discussions of A Wreath for Emmett Till, a book of poetry by Marilyn Nelson, have already begun at several branches. Upcoming book discussions will take place on October 20th in the downtown library, October 25th in the Park Street branch, and October 29th in the Twain branch.
Four films related to this time in history will be shown in all. Free At Last:Civil Rights Heroes will be screened at the Blue Hills and Albany branches on October 23rd and 25th respectively. This film tells the stories of Emmett Till, Medgar Evers, Viola Liuzzo, Jimmie Lee Jackson, and the “Birmingham Four.”
Through early November, various programs for all ages will be offered. Antoinette Brim will be leading a poetry writing workshop to coach participants in how to write about difficult subjects. There will be a discussion group about Jim Crow laws and racial segregation, and another about race relations in the 21st century.
Nzinga’s Daughters, a five woman ensemble, will perform stories and songs in the Center for Contemporary Culture on the first Saturday in November.
Marilyn Nelson’s book reading and signing on November 8th will be free and open to the public. Besides authoring the book chosen for this autumn’s One Book One Hartford, Nelson was the Poet Laureate for the State of Connecticut from 2001-2006. This event requires no registration and will take place in the Center for Contemporary Culture in the downtown library.
One Book One Hartford will then wind down, wrapping up when the exhibits close on November 10th.
There are, however, pieces missing from an otherwise extensive exhibit displayed as part of One Book One Hartford. Originally, a photo of the deceased Till was installed on the third floor of the downtown library’s exhibit, but was later removed after the Hartford History Center’s curator found it and other images inappropriate because there was no explanation provided for them. She said that students pass through this area, including a recent group from Miss Porter’s School.
In this case, Costen and a librarian put together the exhibit. Given the lack of historical context, the curator said, an institutional decision was made to take out images such as those of lynching victims out of the hallway exhibit. The decision was backed by Matt Poland, the library’s CEO, who said that parents and caregivers should determine when their children are ready to view such materials, and “photographs of tortured and murdered young black men” displayed in the hallway on the same floor as the children’s library “would have been, in my firm opinion, the height of irresponsibility.”
No explanation was given by the Hartford History Center curator as to why the library could not create labels giving context to the images capturing violent and shameful pieces of our nation’s history.
Just steps away, in the ArtWalk Gallery, there are portraits of nudes on display. A small sign is posted cautioning parents and guardians to preview this exhibit and decide whether to permit their children in the space. In the case of the Civil Rights exhibit, no warning sign was posted, though the Hartford History Center’s curator said such a step “could be” taken.
The possibility of bringing the removed panels into the enclosed Hartford History Center and having archivist Bill Costen speak about them was also presented.
Any of these options would allow library patrons, many of whom are City taxpayers, to be able to decide for themselves and their families what materials they would like to view.
To see exact dates and times of all events connected to One Book One Hartford, download this PDF.
Karen
Mr. Poland’s decision, from the parental perspective, is solidly responsible. Even if, as it seems from the positioning in the article, high school students may have been the impetus for the removal, the concern is really the discussions and questions from smaller children.
From looking at the picture, it seems like that’s the wall across from the elevator to the right away from the children’s room. Bringing a small child into the library, the easiest way to not bother other adults in the library from the noise a young child makes is to go up the elevator instead of up three flights of stairs. Kids are drawn to the exhibits, as they should be since learning is the purpose of the library. However, fielding questions from a 3-6 year old regarding explicitly violent images is something that most parents of this age group would not want to do. Putting up warning signs and description tags is helpful. However, the warning signs only work if a small child doesn’t take a runner away from the caregiver. Description tags only work if a person can read. In both of these scenarios, it is highly possible for neither of these to be effective solutions outside the children’s room.
Parents and caregivers of small children should be the ones who choose what their children see when it is violent or potentially disturbing. The library is often used as a safe place away from real life violence and to have these images in the place precisely where a small child is taken to be safe would have undermined that attempt. While children may, and often do, see things that are upsetting, most parents try to shield the youngest from these visuals.
The ArtWalk gallery is not only on a different floor, but the idea of a small child seeing a nude portrait is also entirely different from a small child seeing a disfigured person. Many kids see the human form in their own homes and discussions about them often occur early in life.
From the perspective of a parent with a young child who inevitably will locate, zero in on, and obsessively ask questions about the one thing I would prefer him to ignore, the decision is responsible on the part of the library given the location of the exhibit.
Kerri Provost
I don’t think the only possible options are to have something visible or not have it at all. That seems like an extremely narrow and uncreative way of thinking about this. I don’t think anyone has suggested placing graphic photos at three or four feet from the ground where they would be at a child’s eye level.
Karen
And I agree with the characterization that it wasn’t intended to be at eye level for kids. I think, however, some short children would notice something even five or seven feet high on a wall. I think this because I’ve had it happen where I don’t see something and my son does, even though it’s not in an age-obvious location. Hence, putting the images In a less child traffic location might be the more appropriate route.
Richard
Oh the kids, the kids, the kids. You know I as an out open gay man am so sick of hearing about the kids. For so many years we have had to deal with what will the kids think, oh what will we have to explain to the kids concerning my people and our life and rights that I get sick of kids sometimes. Put the show where the little kids can’t see it, and the ones that can, talk to them about it. Maybe they won’t be so a quick to bully, kick or punch a black kid or a gay kid to death just because mamma and poppa think education in these matters is too horrific.
I have to wonder if the Till case or the offending photos are removed from the spot as placed in the exhibition will that distort the history that the timeline is trying to convey? From the look of the Till case I can’t see any photo that is so large that a little kid would be attracted to it esp. if it is in the long extension case. It looks more like an exhibition that one would have to zero in on to take in each photo. Having created many types of display case exhibitions on queer history from my experience it looks like this is the case.
But I have to say, my stomach turns just a bit to read of censorship in our beloved public library which has always stood out and up against censorship. I don’t know but we got to talk this one out.
Thanks Kerri, I didn’t know about this exhibition and will put it on my must do list.
Richard Denman-Nelson
Queers Without Borders, Hartford Ct.
Chris
I’ve seen the exhibit, and it’s amazing. There is a tremendous amount to see. I plan on returning to see it again, it’s really more than I could process in one visit. I hope there is a chance that my return viewing will be of a more complete exhibit.
Observations: The floor-to-ceiling height of the display cases would allow for a top-shelf location that would not be visible in any recognizable detail to anyone under adolescent height. This is one of many easy solutions that could/should have been implemented from the start, but there is still time. If anyone from HPL is reading this, I offer my professional display experience free of charge to help allow for thoughtful display of the original material.
The Hartford Public Library is, by titular definition, for the Hartford Public. The Emmett Till case, relevant and vital knowledge for all, has especially direct and sobering relevance to people of color, who comprise the majority of Hartford. The drawing juxtoposing Emmett and Travon Martin poses the legitimate question of how far we’ve come. It’s great that people come to visit from the suburbs and the prep schools, but we shouldn’t make the condescending decision to pander to their perceived sensitivity. Also, give them credit: they’ve had access to great education; they are either mature enough to deal with the ugliness of injustice or sorely overdue for a jolt of reality. Teachable moments, these.
Editing out the ugly bits of the civil rights struggle runs the dangerous risk of reducing it to a sanitized parable about lunch counters and bus seats. It was life and death, often brutally so, and it never actually ended. Suppressing it in public is to suppress it in ourselves, and that only undermines the progress we have made to date.
Notes for the previous commenter: The ArtWalk Gallery is on the same floor as this exhibit and the display case in question is on the same side of the hallway as the elevator, in the direction of the ArtWalk.
Matt Poland
Nothing is done at the Library “to pander” to the people who visit from the suburbs or prep schools. That’s an incredibly misinformed and inflammatory judgement and the post suggests that we would do otherwise if the exhibit was only for Hartford citizens. And the suggestion that this decision is somehow racially insensitive is incredulous to me. This type of allegation is what undermines our progress and they are also unfair to the public library staff in Hartford that are the best public servants bar none.
Perhaps the professional displayer, who has offered what I assume is free support, will also stand vigil in the corridor to explain these horrific images to young children throughout the exhibition.
Public libraries are NOT places where any image that any “taxpayer” wants to display or see will be posted. Think about how dangerous that would be. This exhibition is privately owned and the owner does not have the time to complete any contextual explanations. The Library does not have the resources to create the context for exhibitions not owned by the Library or created in collaboration with others.
Yes, the ArtWalk is on the same floor. Drawing a connection between classically crafted art and images of abject horror is clearly misguided.
And I would encourage your readers to review the entire program for One Book/One Hartford….it’s far more substantive than the exhibition alone.
Chris
I offered one example of a very simple, very workable solution to the risk of unintended exposure to young children. I’ll spell it out more clearly:
1) Put potentially disturbing images above the top shelf of the display case.
2) Add a sign explaining that they are graphic and could be disturbing.
3) Place an opaque piece of paper (or equivalent) on the glass shelf below said images so that they could not possibly be seen from below by any child without an adult deliberately making the choice to hold them aloft and show them.
Beyond that, I don’t see how the article or my previous comment warrant the defensive tone I detect from Mr. Poland. Ms. Provost wrote at greater length about all aspects of the One Book programming than I have seen from any other media outlet. This article seems factual and informative. I’ve read it over a few times, and I have yet to see an single word or implication of attack within it.
As for me, you are welcome to pore through years of budget hearing testimonials, the results of volunteer hours at my local branch and personal words of thanks from Louise Blaylock (or just ask around) to know how long and how much I have championed the library and its staff. This is Chris Brown if you haven’t figured that out by now. I’ll let my record speak for itself.
Questioning a decision is not an attack on a person or an institution. It is the act of questioning that decision. When a decision could be construed as censorship, it is reasonable to question it. When a question is asked in a reasonable manner, it warrants reasonable discussion.
Matt Poland
Chris: I apolgize if you were offended by my note, Chris. No tone intended, other than a reaction to your characterizations of the decision as both racial and class related. Nothing personal.
As Kerri pointed out the horrific images of violence will be available in the Hartford History Center for adults and minor children accompanied by adults to view.
I appreciate your committment to the public library in Hartford. I am not questioning your support at all. And I hope you know that there is no agenda here other than to protect our children. That is our responsibility too.
You and others will be able to view all the images as soon as we have the material in hand again in the Hartford History Center and we will post their availablity on the cases in the corridor.
Matt Poland
Here’s the full text of my e-mail to Kerri that provides some context:
Hi Kerri:
Thank you for your good questions about the very extensive collection of artifacts, photos and other materials on display at the Downtown Library provided by Robert Costen.
First of all, we are a deeply family-oriented institution, and families come together to see our exhibits, read together in the library, and enjoy our resources. We serve tens of thousands of families and children each year. I am the father of two grown children, and as person deeply interested in history in all its aspects, I tried to present to them the stories of the past as fully as I could. And what I learned with my own children is that there are truths that children are ready for at certain stages and not before. I believe also that it was my duty as a parent, and that it is the responsibility of every parent or caregiver, to decide when that moment is.
To exhibit, without explanation, and on the children’s floor of the library, photographs of tortured and murdered young black men would have been, in my firm opinion, the height of irresponsibility. I do not, for one moment, deny the historical reality that those photographs portray, and because our One Book/One Hartford program beginning in November will include discussions of the life and horrible death of Emmett Till, we know that we will be dealing with the racial prejudice that has long disgraced America’s history. And these conversations will have a context, and we will explain why we believe we need to do this. The book we have chosen is a full examination, in poem form, of a child’s murder and the racism that caused it. I can assure you that we will not shy from any discussions, but we will manage them in age-appropriate ways for our various audiences, and we will seek in every conversation to educate, not simply horrify.
I hope that this explanation answers your question. Thank you for your support of the Library. I appreciate it deeply.
Matt
Matthew K. Poland
Chief Executive Officer
Hartford Public Library
500 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06103
860-695-6303
860-722-6900 (F)
http://www.hplct.org
Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.
-Charles Kettering
Joanna Iovino
1. How can you have an exhibit about Emmett Till and NOT show the full extent of what happened to him and hundreds of others? That is a totally irresponsible revisionist method of teaching history. Come on, a young boy was tortured yet we have to protect children from that reality, so they can go through their lives blissfully unaware.
2. You absolutely cannot separate this decision from race. Every child of color, from a VERY young age, has no choice but to bear witness to racism, whether blatant or subtle. Shielding Becky and Bradley from the suburbs (or downtown) from these image is what is intended by taking them down. The reality of violence may suck, but there are children (esp Black and Latino children) who are witness to it every day, and no one talks about shielding them in order to protect their tender sensibilities.
3. Reality is, white people used to take their children to lynchings as a form of family entertainment. It is time to stop putting white kids in this little privileged bubble where they are shielded from the horrors or racim.
Jennifer S.
I spent two years and my life savings to earn the archivist title. Please do not apply it to any and every ephemera collector.
Kerri Provost
This is how he is described by the library’s own literature.