Tags
Black History Month, family, family history, genealogy, history, Indianapolis, Laura Nelson, Lynching of Laura and Lawrence Nelson, NBC, stories, wrtiing, WTHR
Today I had planned a very different post, but last night’s local NBC affiliate station WTHR here in Indianapolis ran this story as a “night cap.” I tossed and turned quite a bit thinking about this poor soul, Laura Nelson, and her image, taken from a 1911 photo, hanging from our city’s fancy new library’s ceiling…quite awkwardly coincidental since the subject of the photo is her lynching, and brashly portrayed as “art”on fabric.
It’s a painful image to see.
Meant as a piece of the Black History Month observance display, I “get” that this quilt is not meant to be pretty. It’s about a painful fact of our History. Most importantly (in my opinion), the vignette is about the pain of Laura Nelson herself. How awful. How unspeakably awful.
The reporter interviewed several library visitors and the Arts Curator as well. The comments were understandably mixed…one man (literally) applauded the portrait for its representation of what happened so commonly. Others expressed concern over it’s potential to emotionally terrorize children stumbling onto this life-sized image of a horrible death. Not just any death, a cruel and ugly death.
There were idiots interviewed too...I hope I don’t get attacked just for being white after someone sees this…
Perhaps the most telling part of the story though was captured by the news station’s photographer who caught the unfiltered reactions of those who “happened upon” the display with no warning.
I wonder how Laura herself would feel about this “art project”? Would she be proud, humbled, hurt…would it make her sad to be remembered 100 years later only as a photo representing terror and wrong doing by others who were also “human.”
Last night I was finally able to drift off to sleep when it occurred to me that maybe somewhere on the same night, someone was becoming inspired to write the bigger story of this woman. The story of Laura. The life of Laura Nelson. Maybe a Grandchild, or a distant cousin, or cherished neighbor, or friend.
Maybe, no, I am sure…
Someone should write that down…
This link will take you to the full story, it is disturbing, or it is beautiful ~it is as you perceive it. One thing is for sure, it is not easily forgotten.
http://www.wthr.com/story/20792708/lynching-quilt-shocks-some-central-library-visitors
Wonderful thought – I can’t imagine having this as part of a family history. That is why it is so important to keep the stories alive.
The piece certainly speaks volumes on it’s own. To me, it represents a part of history that we can’t close ours eyes to, proving the harsh realities of our past in a single, poignant image. If we are shocked, then may it be so.
Coincidently I brought up the fact that my great uncle Jim was a racist last night in my blog for today. Indiana had a very big connection with the KKK in the 1920s. Your comments are certainly thought provoking. We definitely do not want to forget what happened, but sometimes walking into a piece of artwork like that without prior warning is a little too much for some, especially children who might not understand the significance of the picture.
That is quite a creation. I’m not sure how I would have felt upon first glimpsing it.
It really does make you wonder what Laura would have to say about her image. So very sad and to think there were so many that met with similar fates. Thank you for you recent visit to my blog. I am so glad you enjoy it and will give some thought to your request about help for 8 ft ceilings. Maybe a future blog post!!! Blessings, Lisa
Lisa,
Love your work…and hate my 8′ ceilings. I ‘ll be looking for that post
Whew, this is a very thought-provoking post.