Photograph by
Olson, Martha, American
Subject of
Benjamin, Gwen, American
Irvin, Alice, American
Date
1970
Medium
silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
Dimensions
H x W (Image): 8 × 9 15/16 in. (20.3 × 25.2 cm)
H x W (Paper Frame Closed): 14 × 17 in. (35.6 × 43.2 cm)
H x W (Paper Frame Open): 28 × 17 in. (71.1 × 43.2 cm)
Caption
Martha Olson graduated from Northwestern University with her B.A. in Art in 1969, and within a year, she was working more than 800 miles away as the girls’ physical education teacher at Marion High School in Columbia, Mississippi. It was the first year of integration in Mississippi public schools. During that time, Olson photographed local students, their relatives, and other residents of Marion County, which she later compiled into a series entitled, "Marion County Mississippi: 1970-1971."
Description
A black and white photograph of (from left to right) Gwen Benjamin and Alice Irvin. Benjamin and Irvin stand shoulder to shoulder and look directly at the camera. Benjamin, on the left, wears a light colored jacket, while Irvin, on the right wears a dark colored jacket. The photograph is mounted to a paper frame. [Martha Olson] is handwritten in pencil on the interior frame below the photograph. Several inscriptions about the subject of the photograph, the photographer, and numbers.
Place depicted
Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi, United States, North and Central America
Portfolio/Series
Marion County Mississippi: 1970-1971
Classification
Media Arts-Photography
Type
gelatin silver prints
portraits
Topic
American South
Communities
Education
Photography
Youth
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Martha Olson
Object number
2018.21.44
Restrictions & Rights
© Martha Olson
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5e83e608d-d8e3-4e3b-81ea-7d74512162e0

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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