Running from 16 May to 26 June, a public reception will be held on 21 May 2015 at 6:30-7:30 pm, Barrett Room, Headquarters Library, 151 South Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306.
Looking at Appalachia
In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson declared unconditional war on poverty in the United States and nowhere was this war more photographed than Appalachia. A quick Google image search of “war on poverty” will yield several photographs of President Johnson on the porch of the Fletcher family home in Inez, Kentucky.
Many of the War on Poverty photographs, whether intentional or not, became a visual definition of Appalachia. These images have often drawn from the poorest areas and people to gain support for the intended cause, but unjustly came to represent the entirety of the region while simultaneously perpetuating stereotypes.
In an attempt to explore the diversity of Appalachia and establish a visual counter point, this project looks at Appalachia fifty years after the declaration of the War on Poverty. Drawing from a diverse population of photographers within the region, this new crowdsourced image archive will serve as a reference that is defined by its people as opposed to political legislation.
This project is now in its second year and is open to submissions from 1 January - 31 December each calendar year.
This project is designed and directed by Roger May.
The Southern Documentary Fund serves as their fiscal sponsor and is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organization that cultivates documentaries made in or about the American South. Inspired by a core belief that documentaries have the power to change lives, SDF serves as a leading advocate for powerful Southern storytelling, providing filmmakers with professional support, fiscal sponsorship, and creative community. You can support this project with a tax-deductible charitable contribution.
In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson declared unconditional war on poverty in the United States and nowhere was this war more photographed than Appalachia. A quick Google image search of “war on poverty” will yield several photographs of President Johnson on the porch of the Fletcher family home in Inez, Kentucky.
Many of the War on Poverty photographs, whether intentional or not, became a visual definition of Appalachia. These images have often drawn from the poorest areas and people to gain support for the intended cause, but unjustly came to represent the entirety of the region while simultaneously perpetuating stereotypes.
In an attempt to explore the diversity of Appalachia and establish a visual counter point, this project looks at Appalachia fifty years after the declaration of the War on Poverty. Drawing from a diverse population of photographers within the region, this new crowdsourced image archive will serve as a reference that is defined by its people as opposed to political legislation.
This project is now in its second year and is open to submissions from 1 January - 31 December each calendar year.
This project is designed and directed by Roger May.
The Southern Documentary Fund serves as their fiscal sponsor and is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organization that cultivates documentaries made in or about the American South. Inspired by a core belief that documentaries have the power to change lives, SDF serves as a leading advocate for powerful Southern storytelling, providing filmmakers with professional support, fiscal sponsorship, and creative community. You can support this project with a tax-deductible charitable contribution.
