MLK on the Alabama State Capitol Steps, March 25th, 1965
51 years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King completed his walk from Selma to Birmingham. He was barred from entering the capitol building.
by Michael Shaw
As appropriate, on MLK Day this year, Twitter featured two different threads. One was for tributes and remembrances, and the other tracked protests and activism. I came upon this photo here, in the latter actually.
It’s an image I’d never seen before. A little research revealed it’s was an AP photo from March 25th, 1965. The caption I found read simply:
AL state troopers bar Dr. Martin Luther King from the state capitol.
King’s appearance on those steps marked the culmination of a 5-day, 54-mile march from Selma. In the aftermath of the historic confrontation and violence in that city — the trek taking place eight days after President Johnson finally submitted voting rights legislation to Congress — the marchers were now under the federal protection of the National Guard. Arriving in the capitol, King was joined by 25,000 people to deliver a petition to Governor Wallace calling for: the right to vote; equal protection under the law; and an end to police brutality.
Here’s the NYT cover and the front page story that accompanied the event that day:
What makes the photo seem so immediate, and contemporary — besides the fact that voting rights are being rolled back again today — is how much it feels like a selfie. For a news photo, it’s unusually intimate even now.
“What makes the photo seem so immediate, and contemporary is how much it feels like a selfie.”
Another factor that reflects current news photo sensibilities is how cinematic it is. The way the trooper is oriented off King’s shoulder, like their bodies and roles are inextricably connected, could be straight off a movie poster.
The media and the country were completely galvanized by this point. Look at that long line of officers, standing curiously at ease. It is undoubtedly a theatric “show” as most displays of force tend to be (in addition to their potent violence).
Finally, it’s interesting to consider King’s expression.
Most certainly, his agenda is documentary as well as evidentiary. Wallace having agreed to meet before reversing himself, King illustrates how perfectly the Southern white resistance remains aligned. And the image brims with audacity. No matter how many troops were standing behind him, and regardless whether the Governor acquiesced or not, time was turning in MLK’s favor — he and the movement now, literally and physically, facing down the power. Most impressively, though, the quality of his gaze — in its equanimity and quiet understanding — manages to complement his brilliant oratory. With total poise, the look speaks of fearlessness, grace, and the imperative of the threshold.
This is an edited version of an article that was originally published at Reading The Pictures, the only site dedicated to the daily review of news and documentary photography. Sign up for the Reading The Pictures Week in Re-View email. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
