Photograph by
Oliver, Tommy, American, born 1984
Subject of
Unidentified Man or Men
Unidentified Woman or Women
Floyd, George Perry Jr., American, 1973 - 2020
Reed, Sean, American, died 2020
Arbery, Ahmaud, American, 1994 - 2020
Taylor, Breonna, American, 1993 - 2020
McCree, Ariane, American, died 2019
Santa Monica Police Department, American, founded 1897
Date
May 31, 2020
Medium
digital
Dimensions
H x W: 4480 pixels × 6720 pixels
File size: 172.3 MB
Caption
Photographer Tommy Oliver is an award-winning producer and cinematographer in television and film. Best known for his 2020 documentary 40 Years a Prisoner on HBO, his docuseries Black Love (2017–2020) on OWN, and his feature film The Perfect Guy (2015), Oliver challenges audiences to question their assumptions about race, gender, and family. The film Kinyarwanda (2011), which Oliver co-produced, weaves together narratives of resilience during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. It won the Sundance Film Festival’s award for World Cinema Drama and was recognized as one of the top 10 films of 2011. This photograph is part of a broader portfolio of images taken during Black Lives Matter rallies in Los Angeles between May 31 and June 14, 2020.
Description
A digital, color image of a police line at a Black Lives Matter protest on Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, California. The image was taken by Tommy Oliver during the protests that followed the death of George Floyd. It features a police line standing in front of a crowd of protesters. Three officers, one partially depicted, are standing with their backs to the viewers, facing the protesters. They are wearing navy blue uniforms and black police protective equipment: riot helmets with face visors and tactical vests. The police officer at the center has white text printed on the back of his vest that reads [POLICE]. The police officer in the left foreground is wearing a white helmet with a black backpack. The windshield and handlebars of two motorcycles are visible between the three officers. In front of the officers, is a large, tightly packed crowd of protesters, many of whom are wearing face masks or other types of protective face coverings. Some of the protesters are holding protest signs above their heads. The cardboard sign at the center of the crowd has large, black, block text at the top that reads [BLM] with smaller text below that reads [#GEORGE FLOYD / #SEAN REED / #AMAUD[sic] ARBERY / #BREONNA TAYLOR / ARIANE MCCREE] with the last two names partially obscured by the person's hand holding the sign. A sign on the far right reads, [NO BRUTALITY / -IN MY- REALITY]. Other mostly visible signs read [SILENCE / IS / VIOLENCE] and [WHITE / SUPREMACY / = / TERRORISM]. In the background, on the left, is a building with balconies. Also visible in the background are street signs, traffic signals, and tree trunks.
Place captured
Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Photographs and Still Images
Movement
Black Lives Matter
Type
digital images
digital media - born digital
Topic
Activism
Justice
Photography
Police brutality
Race relations
Resistance
U.S. History, 2001-
Urban life
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Tommy and Codie Oliver
Object number
2021.31.2
Restrictions & Rights
© Tommy Oliver
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd581d36170-c0c9-4c0e-b678-84851f4e09b2

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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