Powerful Days: Civil Rights Photography of Charles Moore

by Andrew Young (Introduction), Michael S. Durham, Charles Moore

A moving record of a remarkable era in American and southern history, Powerful Days captures the turmoil of the civil rights movement through the lens of photographer Charles Moore.

There are few Americans who would not recognize Charles Moore's most famous photographs. His images of the civil rights movement have become, and remain today, internationally known icons-vivid, searing portraits of pivotal moments in the struggle for racial equality in the American South.

This chronological collection of Moore's most compelling and dramatic images, taken as the movement progressed through Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia, highlights activity from 1958 to 1965. Included are the iconic scenes of black protestors huddled in a doorway to escape the crippling blasts of fire hoses in Birmingham; a white bigot swinging a baseball bat seconds before cracking it on the head of a black woman during the desegregation of the Capitol Cafeteria in Montgomery; a young and stunned Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pinned to the counter of a police precinct, his arm twisted behind his back; the devastating aftermath of "Bloody Sunday" on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma; and Bull Connor's police dogs tearing mercilessly at the legs of a protestor in downtown Birmingham. Celebrity protestors-comedian Dick Gregory, poet Galway Kinnell, singers Joan Baez, Mary Travers, Pete Seeger, and Harry Bellafonte, actor Pernell Roberts, and writer James Baldwin-are featured alongside the many nameless but committed participants and the recognized major leaders of the movement.

Powerful Days was first published in hardcover in 1991. This new paperback edition will make these famous images, so etched in the memory of those who lived through the social changes of the 1960s, available again to enlighten a younger generation eager to know more about the national struggle that overthrew Jim Crow.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Photography

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

American civil rights leader and politician Andrew Jackson Young, Junior, served as executive director of the southern Christian leadership conference from 1964 to 1970, later as ambassador of United States to the United Nations from 1977 to 1979, and as mayor of Atlanta from 1982 to 1990.

This diplomat, and activist began his career as a pastor in an early movement as a close confidant to Martin Luther King Jr.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_...

Reviews

[Melanie Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning seems a little bit slow, but you soon learn that the introduction is meant to give you insight on what it takes to be a photojournalist. Moore was often in dangerous situations and broke into buildings to get the shot. The other day on NPR, I heard a story about how journalists often go undercover to get the story. A lawyer pointed out that lots of journalists go undercover or do things they're not supposed to, and it's against the law. They can be charged for their law-breaking methods, but many journalists will do it anyway to get the story.

Moore's photos take up the majority of the book, and they are heartbreaking, heartwarming, from a distance, up close, crystal clear, blurry...they are everything. Honestly, looking through all of the pictures made me feel sick, especially given the current political climate in the U.S. The faces of the white police officers and citizens of Mississippi, captured for all time, made me hope that those individuals saw themselves and felt shame, not pride, about what they were doing.

[Brian Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful Days: The Civil Rights Photography of Charles Moore is as relevant today as the photographs were at the time they were first published in Life magazine in the 1960s, and perhaps even more relevant than when the book was published in 1991. The text by Michael S. Durham is a chilling reminder of the vicious discrimination practiced against demonstrators & activists by police officers and public officials. The photographs are equally powerful and have lost none of their passion in the intervening years. Were the photos in color they could be mistaken for those most recently from Charlottesville, Chapel Hill, or a Trump rally. Charles Moore brought his keen eye, technical excellence, and courage to documenting the most critical civil rights events from Montgomery, Alabama in 1958 through to the Selma March of 1965. This is a unique collection that benefits from poignant commentary and superb graphic reproduction by the publisher, Stewart, Tabori & Chang. It’s often said that photojournalists produce the first draft of history. Powerful Days is more than a first draft. It is an enduring and inspiring commentary on a moral battle that rages still.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing read and strong photographs (not to mention a bit of the photographers story). The photographs (a few of them iconic ones I have seen before) - are moving and stunning in how relevant they seem today (“end police violence” “vote”, etc….). I’m very glad I read this book. It was moving and powerful and an important historic reminder of my early years of life.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly as titled, Powerful. It is a extremely valuable primer on the history and actions of the 1960s civil rights battles and serves as one piece of the foundation of an education to better understand the struggles and efforts of African Americans in our society.

[Cara Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a powerful book, “read” mostly through pictures.

[Robert Collette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful collection of historical photographs that almost made me hate the color of my own skin.

[Mira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful photos. The essay is meh.

[Mikey B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

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As per the title of the book, powerful photographs indeed of events during the Civil Rights era – riots at Oxford in Mississippi, Birmingham demonstrations, voter registration in Mississippi. It is definitely photojournalism at it’s most inspirational. It also illustrates the power of photos, as these were seen around the world.

The Civil Rights era used journalists to advertise this most righteous of causes. It would have been nice if there had been more text by the photographer himself – on his personal thoughts as these photos were being taken.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty great collection of photos- the images don't feel dated or weak- the emotions and power make them feel like they could have been taken last week. It's kind of shameful that I feel like I was exposed to more ancient European history than the sordid events in my own country in the past century. It was a good refresher course.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Moore is an incredible photographer, with a unique eye for capturing the truly human moments in life.

This book of civil rights era photos is touching and heart-rending.

[Trice · Rating 5 out of 5]

the photographs in this book take me to a place i'm too young to revisit...but with a beautiful sense of familiarity.

[Tressa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently found out that Charles Moore is an Alabama native; he died on March 11. He is the photographer responsible for many of the iconic images of the Civil Rights Movement in the south.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the reasons I love documentary photography.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of these photos rise to the iconic level. Charles Moore is an American hero.