The Photographic Past, Part VI

Lyndon B. Johnson's program of civil rights reform, which resulted in the passage of landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968, relied heavily upon a collaborative relationship with Martin Luther King, Jr. According to Pullitzer Prize-winning reporter Nick Kotz, "They were people who knew how to take advantage of an opportunity and Kennedy's assassination created a chance." (ca. 1966)

A grocery storefront in Lincoln, Nebraska advertising oranges for one cent. One cent. Fruit by the penny: Oh, how a serial snacker could dream. But grapefruits sure were steep back then… (ca. 1942)

A classic Volkswagen advertisement campaign featuring then-Philadelphia 76ers' Center Wilt Chamberlain.  Though I'm not so sure about the "enormous infant" bit (note: knowing Wilt, he probably had a lot of those), it is refreshing to see an automobile ad that actually focuses on the car being advertised. (ca. 1966)

Two young protestors at Tiananmen Square link arms in solidarity with then-ongoing popular demonstrations for social and political reform in the People's Republic of China. The protests were forcibly suppressed after seven weeks in an event commonly known as the "Tiananmen Square Massacre," at least outside of China. The Chinese government has since prohibited any discussion of the events, and many details of the tragedy remain unknown or unconfirmed. (ca. 1989)

Pep: a black labrador retriever accused and sentenced to life in prison for killing the Pennsylvania governor's cat.  As it was, the account of the event was entirely fabricated by a newspaper reporter. Pep, who was guilty of no more than an insatiable desire to chew the governor's couch cushions, went on to spend the rest of his life as a therapy dog for Pennsylvania prison inmates. (ca. 1924)

An Iranian soldier looks out upon a cloud of burning oil produced by Iraqi attacks on oil refineries in the area. An ominous sight and an even more troubling sign for the future; oil-related conflicts have continued to plague the region for decades, with no end in sight. (ca. 1980)

A photochrom print of Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. The iconic structure was commissioned by the "Mad King," Ludwig II of Bavaria, and served as the inspiration for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle. The castle was intended as a private retreat for the king, but the site became open to the public soon after Ludwig's death in 1886. (ca. 1892)

President Abraham Lincoln meets with Union General George McClellan, with whom he had a tumultuous relationship, following the Battle of Antietam. "The Battle of Sharpsburg," as it was known in the South, still remains the bloodiest single-day battle in American history. This colorized photograph, in some ways, helps to humanize these two historical figures at odds under the immensely stressful conditions of the time.  (ca. 1862)