Location: the basement community room of the Mulberry Center E.U.B. Church, Blairsburg Township
People: Nicky Nail, Lenny Curtis (b. 1952), Janey Curtis (b. 1953), all others are unidentified although they were all neighbor children in the Mulberry Center community.
Activity: The occasion is a Halloween party. I remember being terrified by the ghost sitting in the row behind me, to which my little sister replied, “Don’t be afraid of the ghost, Lenny.” Our mother made our costumes from footed yellow flannel pajamas. For more information on photos of redface, please read our blog post at https://blog.fortepan.us/2023/04/10/whats-wrong-with-this-picture/
NOTICE:
This image is racially offensive by today’s standards. It is a reminder of ways white Iowans have appropriated the imagery and symbolism of First Nation People. This photo participates in the racism that was normalized and accepted by the dominant culture, but that has always been critiqued by Native peoples. We include this photo in the archive to ensure that past cultural practices are remembered, interpreted, and dismantled.
Comments:
Location: the basement community room of the Mulberry Center E.U.B. Church, Blairsburg Township
People: Nicky Nail, Lenny Curtis (b. 1952), Janey Curtis (b. 1953), all others are unidentified although they were all neighbor children in the Mulberry Center community.
Activity: The occasion is a Halloween party. I remember being terrified by the ghost sitting in the row behind me, to which my little sister replied, “Don’t be afraid of the ghost, Lenny.” Our mother made our costumes from footed yellow flannel pajamas. For more information on photos of redface, please read our blog post at https://blog.fortepan.us/2023/04/10/whats-wrong-with-this-picture/
NOTICE: This image is racially offensive by today’s standards. It is a reminder of ways white Iowans have appropriated the imagery and symbolism of First Nation People. This photo participates in the racism that was normalized and accepted by the dominant culture, but that has always been critiqued by Native peoples. We include this photo in the archive to ensure that past cultural practices are remembered, interpreted, and dismantled.