Today we live in a world where the idea of being “politically correct” is shoved down society’s throat. Today we must carefully plan out how we speak as so we do not offend one type of minority or another. Today we must be carful with what we say because our words can be twisted into racist statements without us realizing it. For my essay assignment I decided to see how the early publications of Life dealt with the challenges presented to journalism today. To see Life at the earliest stages of publishing could present to me an idea of how minorities, specifically African Americans in my research, were portrayed by the media. The year 1937 had many different portrayals of African Americans, however three common ideas highlighted how Life portrayed African Americans in 1937: the idea that African Americans are trouble to society, the idea that African Americans can have a prominent place in society, and the idea that African Americans were still considered property and in many instances liked it that way. I believe that these are understandable ideas and portrayals even though they may be frowned upon in today’s society. The first portrayal mentioned is how African American’s were, or caused, trouble. The first example is Joshua Cockburn’s troubles while moving into a new neighborhood. The Cockburn family had just moved into their new house before their Caucasian neighbor took the family to court because they neighbor felt African Americans could not live in the neighborhood. The article did not show any sympathy toward the Cockburn family and reported this story in a sense that made readers think that the Cockburn family caused too much trouble when in fact this was a petty argument. Unfortunately, Major Green’s troubles we much more petty than an unhappy neighbor. Major Green was arrested for killing a woman and his picture was featured in the magazine. This picture was of Green in a jail cell with a sad look on his face. Not much detail was given about his crime, however the caption made a point to mention that Green was a Negro. This made a point that the color Green’s skin was an important factor in his crime. The color of someone’s skin could even affect important African American’s in 1937’s society. The last example is when Paul Robeson, described as an “American Negro” singer, visited Russia and sang in the Moscow Conservatory. See the attached Figure One for this article. The article elaborates how Robeson was searching for diversity for his son and felt that Russia was a perfect fit because being a Negro was a novelty. The way the article was written could convince a reader that Robeson was potentially a communist, which was becoming a rising worry in 1937. Although Robeson was a possible communist, he was also a prominent member or the African American society, and possibly society as a whole. Paul Robeson was not the only prominent African American member of society, and Life was sure to mention the others. Another “great Negro singer” was named Marian Anderson. Anderson had an entire article dedicated to her and her accomplishments. Besides being a wonderful singer Anderson was described as an intelligent and modest girl. Naturally she was someone who the magazine admired and promoted in her success. The magazine also promoted the success of William Edmondson, a sculptor with no training but a command from God. Edmondson answered a call from God to cut tombstones and sculpt and luckily for him a photographer found his sculptures and purchased several of them. The same photographer also convinced the Manhattan’s Museum of Modern Art to give Edmondson his own exhibit. This article really promotes the idea that African Americans could have success with a little hard work, determination, and in Huddie Ledbetter’s case a little salvation. Huddie Ledbetter was twice imprisoned for murder, however he was able to pardon himself by singing his soulful songs about his savior. After he was pardoned, Ledbetter became the number one African American minstrel. These show readers that even the lowest African American could be saved and earn their prominent place in society. Unfortunately, many portrayals did not show progress for the African American society but instead regression. These portrayals often conveyed the idea that African Americans should still be treated as servants. The Flood of 1937 was the perfect example of how African Americans were used as servants. There were multiple pictures of African American’s trying to protect towns from the flood by raising levees, boarding up buildings, and even moving cotton to higher grounds. The last example of moving cotton is legitimately a flashback to slavery in the south. Chain gangs also helped prevent damage for the flood and were also mentioned many other times throughout the year’s publication. The images of chain gangs were usually of predominately or all African American chain gangs, which reinforces the idea that African Americans caused trouble. The chain gangs were used for working, just like slaves were back in the day. Unfortunately, criminals and southern African Americans were not the only people to serve, however younger African American boys were used to serve Justices of the Supreme Court meals from home. Each Justice had their own “colored boy” who brought means from home and heated them in the oven. The same high class group of people who helped put an end to slavery did not stop the use of African Americans as servants. Perhaps it’s because they were all stuck in the daze of the “Plantation Myth.” The “Plantation Myth” can be defined along the lines of: a nostalgic feeling that everything was perfect in the old south, before the Civil War, where everyone knew their social status and enjoyed it. In more simple terms: African American’s loved to be slaves. Advertisers loved to use this concept because it was a source of comfort to older generations and a way to subconsciously influence newer generations to think this way. One advertisement, for Heinz pickles, shows many different Caucasians happily eating the pickles and a hefty African American woman smiling. The woman is talking about how her favorite pickles are Heinz and that is all she recommends. These must be good pickles if a Mammy figure approves of them. Approval from helpful African Americans was also the theme in a Sal Hepatica advertisement where a Caucasian couple doesn’t feel well at all. The curious African American porter overhears their problems and offers his advice, in a stereotypical African American dialect. Please see the attached Figure Two for this advertisement. The porter is more than happy to be serving Caucasians, like the advertising companies want people to believe. The last example is not from an advertisement, however it is from one of the many parties that Life was able to attend. This article shows a picture of a happy African American serving others and is captioned to be a “proud Negro.” I’m sure that this said African American could have a cheery disposition, but I’m sure that he is not proud to be a servant. Unfortunately, the picture makes readers believe that he is proud to be a Negro servant. These portrayals are only what a reader interprets and we must acknowledge that many different interpretations could be made from these articles. Due to not knowing the exact story of the people in these articles, the amount of pages missing from the library’s copies of Life, and the changes of time these portrayals are just the idea of how African Americans were treated 1937. In today’s society there is a constant push to make every minority feel equal, however this was not the case in 1937. The idea that African Americans may have been free at this point of time does not mean that they were treated as equals as well. These points aside, I do believe that the mentioned highlights in this essay could be understandable, although frowned upon, in today’s society.