W/NW: Signs

Ultra Foods. Rollei 35 Xenar, Ilford Delta 100, Rodinal 1:50

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August 29, 2005 was the date hurricane Katrina swept away most of the seaside town of Waveland Mississippi which has never been rebuilt. This photo is part of my Katrina reconstruction series.

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Some from my Mississippi Delta series where I have used signage plus explanatory captions to reinforce the message I wanted the photograph to deliver.

Pace Mississippi, 2008. Pace, a town of 274 residents has been in slow decline since the mechanical cotton picker began to replace workers over 50 years ago. This building continues to close and reopen as a bar, pool hall, store.

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Indianola Mississippi, 2008 - After a church had leased this building for a year, they took the sign out front when they moved out. The building owner said everyone knew the sign was there before the church moved in and gone after they left but felt necessary to let the community know the church did not have permission.

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Batesville Mississippi, 2009. This mural on the side of the old Eureka movie theater portrays an idyllic but unrealistic scenario. Black and white children did not play together during the time the theater was open. As Batesville was not large enough to support a theater for Negroes, they entered through these steps on the side and sat in the balcony.

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Glendora Mississippi, 2009 - The Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center is located in a closed cotton gin and warehouse. Emmett Till was a 14 year old negro boy who was murdered and mutilated for allegedly whistling at a white woman in 1955. The open casket funeral in Chicago showing the disfigured body caused much press as did the immediate trial of the woman's husband and brother in law in Glendora. After a quick jury deliberation, the men were found innocent but then sold their story to Saturday Evening Post magazine admitting their guilt as they knew they could not be retried.

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Leland Mississippi, 2016 - Mural on a side street commemorating some of the famous blues musicians from the surrounding area. Leland, similar to other delta communities, is attempting to reinvent itself as a blues music destination. Progress is coming slowly.

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Clarksdale Mississippi, 2012 - parking lot sign for downtown liquor store. Clarksdale has successfully turned around its downward economic spiral through its musical heritage. There are many blues festivals every year and successful music venues attracting visitors from all over the US and internationally yet the local color has not been lost.

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in a cotton field outside Merigold Mississippi, 2008. Signage on the front of Po' Monkey's juke joint is instructive about what is permitted and what is not. You are told not to wear your pants down over your ass, smoke dope inside, or wear a ball cap sideways. Po' Monkey's was such a photo destination that there is even a sign directing you to the contribution box for photographing there. Sadly, "Monkey" (Willie Seaberry) died in 2016.

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This sign with the image of Raul Castro with my translation "all there is now is hard work" has been one of my favorites because it just sums up the Cuban economic situation. Here a woman climbs back into the collective farms tractor after coming into town for supplies.

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