Customer Reviews

The Soiling of Old Glory: The Story of a Photograph That Shocked America

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Anyone who was living in Boston in 1976 and had any interest in the news will remember this photograph all too well. It certainly shocked the City of Boston, and had reverberations around the world. Although the author states he cannot remember where he was when he first saw the photo, I can recall clearly where I was and what I was doing.

The author does a wonderful job of looking at all aspects of the photo, as well as what led up to the incident where the photo was taken. Included is analysis of what happened during the incident, who the players in the photo were, how they came to be where they were when the incident occurred, and probably most importantly, the back story of school bussing in Boston at that time. In addition, the author looks at how a city that is considered as progressive could be so racist in it's attitudes towards various ethnic groups.

Finally, after dissecting the photograph and the various players, the author looks at the reverberations caused by the picture and where the City is now on the issue. That, in many ways, was the most important aspect of the book.

The book is well written and contains all of the pertinent information needed to understand the issue of bussing and what caused these young men to be in City Hall Plaza at the time of the incident. It will certainly be a book of interest to historians and those with an interest in Boston's politics.

Louis Masur does an excellent job taking a single act of racism and hatred captured in one of the most shameful photographs in American history and shaping it into the proper context and providing the background which not only lead to the actual event, but was responsible for the deep feelings that the terrible action had not only on the American people but on people around the world. Mr. Masur gives a great background on the meaning of the flag in the American psyche but does a wonderful job of how very succinctly using other resources to explain the impact that busing had in Boston and how due to political mismanagement was the ultimate cause of this terrible racist act.

I also think Mr. Masur deserves credit for not beating up on the individual who committed this terrible act while at the same time not forgiving him for his act of racism caught forever. Mr. Masur does a great job of painting the picture of the news photographers whom he does not let off the hook very easily. All in all this is a well rounded and complete book much deeper then one might expect.

A young white man aims an American flag pole at a black man during a bussing demonstration in Boston. Masur analyzes details of this iconic photograph.

-- The scene is near the site of the Boston Massacre in 1770.
-- It evokes the killing of Crispus Attacks, an African American sailor.
-- The black man's posture evokes the crucified Christ.
-- The white attacker evokes the Roman soldier piercing Christ's side.
-- The bricks create lines perpendicular to the horizonal flag pole.
-- The flag furls as it did on the flag at Iwo Jima, another iconic image.
-- The camera lens distorts the left side of the photo adding motion to the thrust of the pole.
-- The crowd appears to be rushing to the attack.
-- The black man is being beaten and being lifted up.
-- The picture captures the victims point of view: "fist, flag, frenzy."

But the multiple exposures before and after this photo reveal:

-- The flag pole missed the black man.
-- The white man in the white shirt is anti-bussing, but trying to stop the attack.
-- A real person took the pictures; another photo shows him doing so.

Masur continues his analysis of this wonderful, award winning photograph, adding layer after layer of analysis and content. He describes and interviews many of the key players, including the photographer, describes the photographic techniques and the editorial decisions in running the photo, the historical and political context of the photo and the aftermath, all in fascinating, dense historical detail.

Along the way, he weaves in other iconic images involving the American flag:

-- "Flag Raising on Mt. Suribachi", 1945
-- "Spirit of '76", 1876
-- "Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights March", 1965
-- "Flag Raising at Ground Zero", 2001
-- "Milvertha Hendricks", 2005

This is a splendid analysis of an important photograph in the history of American filled with interest and displaying a profound understanding of how photographs can inform and distort history.

Robert C. Ross 2009

Masur has put together a very comprehensive discussion of Stanley Forman's famous Pulitzer Prize-winning image from 1976 Boston, and creates an interesting balance among several relevant elements: the actual event we see (or think we see) in the photo; the forced busing fiasco that infuriated both blacks and whites at the time; controversies surrounding the proper and improper display/desecration of our flag; and a look at where the important players involved in the photo and controversy are today (Forman, Rakes, Landsmark, and others). The book is very well-illustrated and contains many other images taken by Forman on that day in 1976. I found the book fully engaging and impeccably researched, and would highly recommend it to serious students of both photojournalism and the history of racial unrest in America.

I was old enough to have been aware of this picture and the results and somehow, it didn't enter into my radar. This was a very interesting piece about a picture that shook up a lot of people and the author really throws you for a loop at the end. Great read and makes you think about how conclusions are reached.

Thorough and balanced analysis of a controversial topic. Highpoints include an evaluation of the photograph itself and follow up on the persons involved.

The book came on time and in good condition except for one thing that was ridiculous. The company placed a pricing label on the FRONT COVER that destroyed the photo (the book is about the photo featured on the front cover). It was difficult to peel off and messed up the cover.