Amazed But Not Amused.

I gathered so much great material for my WaPo story on female Freedom Riders that I figured I should put some of the best outtakes on Tumblr. First up is Helen Singleton. For those who haven’t seen Eric Etheridge’s Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Freedom Riders, Helen’s mugshot adorns the cover of the book. The decision to put Helen on the cover was an inspired one, if only because her mugshot seems to communicate so much: Determination, amusement, strength…you name it. I asked Helen what she was thinking when the photograph was taken. Turns out, she was not amused.

I was sitting in the [Jackson, Mississippi] city jail and being alert to what was going on around me and I looked over my shoulder and there, on the wall, was a [police] recruitment poster. At the time I was living in Los Angeles and the LA police chief was William Parker; on that poster was a photo of Parker. He was recruiting these Mississippi policemen to come to Los Angeles to be on his force. That’s what I had just seen and then they called me in to have my picture taken. I was actually angry and amazed but not amused. But I didn’t want to let on what I was thinking; I didn’t want to start anything. Like I said, I was amazed but not amused.

I’ve read blogs about interpretations of [my facial expression]. People think I’m smiling; others ask, ‘What’s that smirk all about?’ These people don’t even know me, and they certainly never asked me.

It’s worth reading the linked Wikipedia page about Chief Parker.

Notes

  1. khamoshzulfon reblogged this from anonsy-anonso
  2. pithybanter reblogged this from annaholmes
  3. stupendous-operatic-spectacle reblogged this from somerset
  4. abagond reblogged this from blackculture
  5. kbasmuse reblogged this from blackculture
  6. fivelettered reblogged this from bowfolk and added:
    To be honest, firs time I looked I was like “She’s totally thinking this is bullshit and smirking because she’s like...
  7. zingha reblogged this from blackculture
  8. somerset reblogged this from remembertheladies
  9. soemily reblogged this from remembertheladies and added:
    Breach of Peace is an amazing book, fyi
  10. brightmoments reblogged this from annaholmes
  11. coucoukim reblogged this from remembertheladies
  12. 14kgoldnyc reblogged this from annaholmes
  13. thetaoofzoe reblogged this from femmenoire
  14. athinkinganimal reblogged this from femmenoire
  15. mizjenkins reblogged this from annaholmes
  16. wthellokitty reblogged this from glossylalia
  17. remembertheladies reblogged this from annaholmes