Write a complete bibliographic entry for the photograph you have selected.
Birney, Montana. August 1941. Marion Post Wolcott, photographer. "People who came to Friday night dance around the bar."
What is the setting of the photograph?
Indoors inside or out? This photograph has been taken indoors, inside a most likely white only pub.
Lighting? As the photo is black and white it makes it hard to tell what the lighting in the picture is. From what I can see the lighting does look quite light but not sunny light. Looks like inside the pub there are many lights on.
Urban or rural? This photograph seems to be set in an Urban city. I believe this because most of the women and men are dressed formally, indicating they have just come home from a job most likely based in the city, not a farm.
What time of day or night? I believe this photograph has been talking late after, around 5:00pm-6:00pm. I think this because it looks like the lights are on, but aren’t needed so much (indicating there is still some light outside). Also most of the people in the pub are dressed as though they have just finished work and gone for a beer.
Describe what you see in the Photograph. Include specific details.
There are about 6 visible people in this Photograph. But the Image does represent that there are other people in the room (most people are squished). The age of the people in the photograph vary from Late 20’s to early 50’s. The clothing upon these people are very modest yet if you were to walk past one of them you would know they were wealthy people and hardworking. One of the most significant parts of this Photograph is that all of the people in there are all WHITE. This obviously shows that black or coloured people are not positively welcome. A distinguishing feature that caught my eye when I first looked at this photograph was a sign pinned to the wall behind the bar stating “Positively No beer served to Indians”. I think in our time this feature would catch most people‘s attention, and definitely not in a ‘positive’ way.
What structures are in the photograph?
The main structure of this photograph is that it is based in a business and not a home. This shows that in this society discrimination is tolerated. The condition of this ‘whites only’ pub is very prestigious and as represented by the alcohol beverages in the bar the wide selection shows of a wealthier environment. Other structures visible in this photograph are a poster saying “God bless America”, A variety of alcoholic beverages, a television for customers to watch and men holding cigars. All of these structures signify the popular outcome of wealthy citizens.
What is the tone of the photograph?
The common tone shown in this photograph is neither a negative tone nor a positive. I say this because there isn’t any structures besides the “Positively no beer served to Indians” sign, which most white people were against black/coloured people during that time but the people in this photograph don’t look happy or look as though they are nice people. They just stand around the bar drinking and talking.
Write a paragraph explaining your response to this photograph. Use specifics from your responses to the other questions to support your answer
My response to this photograph is an understanding of how black/coloured people were treated during this time period. As seen in the Photograph no black people were in there as well as a sign stating that they were happy not to serve beer to Indians/coloured people. Any home or business that were for this protest of blacks not being worthy enough to at least sit in the same pub as a white I believe has no pleasant humanity.
Write two questions that you might ask the photographer or the subjects of the picture if you had the opportunity to learn more about the photograph or / and its subject(s).
1. What were the conversations being discussed around the room?
2. Whose idea was to not only have the sign but make the rule that Indians are not welcome? And why?
