Photographing the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement

Robert Frank’s photographs of America were very controversial because Americans felt he was not capturing the ideal America. His photographs were social realistic, and with no aesthetic beauty. His purpose was to deliver a message of his personal vision about America and society. I think Frank’s art photography and Count’s news photography delivered the same message which was their commentary on American society. Frank’s photographs in the Americans were very powerful pictures that portrayed how the American dream was not the same for everyone (blacks and whites). His freedom to take the photographs implied a more real scenario rather than an staged scene. Counts’ image of Elizabeth Eckford going to High school in Little Rock, AK is also a very powerful photograph that instead of being artistic is more journalist. Both photographs are visually powerful and socially realistic. They showed the contrast of lives between whites and black during the fifties and the inequalities.