Freedom Riders

by Belle Waring on July 2, 2006

You should go now to the NYT Magazine and click on the “Lives” photo-essay. A photographer made a project of hunting up many of the original “Freedom Riders” from 1961 and pairing pictures taken of them today with their mugshots. The first pair of images is of a woman named Helen Singleton. Her mugshot shows a strange and wonderful facial expression: ineffable, justified self-satisfaction. When we think of someone being “pleased with themselves” it usually means we think they are being stuck-up or irritating. Mrs. Singleton looks pleased with herself in that picture, and it is anything but irritating. I wonder what the Jackson police photographer thought about that cocked eyebrow and that smile?

{ 11 comments }

1

abb1 07.02.06 at 12:26 pm

Isn’t this facial expression kinda typical for young Southern Californians? Ms. Singleton was a student of the UCLA at the time.
http://crmvet.org/vet/singleth.htm.

2

Delicious Pundit 07.02.06 at 1:40 pm

I wonder what the Jackson police photographer thought about that cocked eyebrow and that smile?

I sure don’t know, but he seems to have gotten some revenge in the last handful of Presidential elections.

3

bitchphd 07.02.06 at 3:32 pm

I loved that photo too, and for exactly the same reason. You rarely see someone looking so justifiably proud of themselves.

4

etat 07.02.06 at 5:33 pm

Belle, you may have ‘been there’ to a greater extent than I, but I see something different in those faces. Particularly the in the purposefully expressionless faces of the men. In Helen I see a degree of smug superiority, a clear indication that she knows more about the situation and its significance than the photographer/police do. She is smiling that slightly bemused smile of being above it all.

The men. Two look at the camera, blankly. One looks above and beyond, also expressionless. It is quite clear that to do otherwise is to invite trouble. Helen’s irrepressible expression is out of bounds. Probably for good reason.

Compare the men’s mugshots with their photos today. All of them are engaged, with a range of subtle and not-so-subtle hints playing across their faces. The differences could not be more obvious. So we may have to ask whether the mug shots carry the equivalent of Helen’s rebelliousness, but in some other way.

5

Steve 07.02.06 at 6:13 pm

I recall a quote from one of the Freedom Riders or Black Panthers, I believe, to the effect that “the only position for women in the Freedom Riders/Black Panthers is horizontal.” Perhaps Helen’s sense of satisfaction isn’t all self-induced.

Steve

6

Belle Waring 07.02.06 at 9:52 pm

I agree that the men look blank in a purposeful way, intending to avoid trouble. either she wasn’t in as much danger, wasn’t clearly aware of how much danger she was in, or she just plain couldn’t help herself.

7

degustibus 07.02.06 at 11:17 pm

Facial expressions by thesemselve out of context can be misleading — like a Rorschach inkblot. Thanks to Steve — for reminding us what an asshole looks like.

8

dave heasman 07.03.06 at 5:27 am

The ever-positive Steve : –
I recall a quote from one of the Freedom Riders or Black Panthers, I believe, to the effect that “the only position for women in the Freedom Riders/Black Panthers is horizontal.”

Actually Stokely Carmichael, in England, many years after his ego took over and even longer after he counted for anything.
(Not that the attitude wasn’t there, in the movement, mind)

9

jayann 07.03.06 at 7:42 am

“the position of women in the movement (in SNCC?) is prone”; Stokely Carmichael, 1968.

Perhaps, Dave, he went on saying it later?

10

P6 07.03.06 at 8:41 am

Steve:

Perhaps Helen’s sense of satisfaction isn’t all self-induced.

I think your meaning is more interesting than the source of your quote.
What do you suppose might be inducing that sense of satisfaction? Are you making assumptions about her based on what some unrelated person said?

11

jayann 07.03.06 at 12:04 pm

I forgot to add that Chris Harman (SWP) stole the quote in ’69; just in case anyone thought it was a SNCC thing. And see the memoirs of women of the US New Left (I do have more precise references, I’ve mislaid them — Robin Morgan, Marge Piercy, ?).

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