Sunday, August 7, 2011

Daily Dose: International

Today's dose is a little off beat I found this amazing story on a museum of photography in South Africa. Along with that, in Johannesburg there is another museum founded on a single photograph. This is from the city's literature:


Hector Pieterson Museum
The museum is named after one of the first casualties of the march through Soweto on 16 June 1976, when police were ordered to shoot at a crowd of demonstrating students. Sam Nzima's photograph of the mortally wounded Hector Pieterson carried by a horrified youngster and his wailing sister came to symbolise the contribution of the youth to the liberation struggle. The museum is next to the Hector Pieterson Memorial, and the whole area has been declared a national heritage site.
Visitors move along a series of ramps and look through strategically placed windows at important scenes - including Orlando Stadium and the police station - and view exhibits such as television footage of the uprising. Participants and witnesses are invited to record their own experiences of the day. Knowledgeable tour guides include Hector's sister, Antoinette Sithole.
In case anyone was wondering yes I was making a point at the power of a photograph. It should be noted that the social revolutions where also sparked by a certain photo.

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