For Project 3, I chose to revise my piece from project 1. Project 1 focused on analyzing both the Black Panther Party and the Black Lives Matter movement. Specifically how both movements progressed, advertised, and the leaders they had guiding them. For this project, I chose to focus on how women played a significant role in both parties. I noticed that women weren’t generally praised when thinking of the movements. My essay mentioned and gave credit to notable figures, however didn’t highlight their efforts. I decided to create a visual essay of how women were equally as important to men in both the Black Panther Party and Black Lives Matter.
I created a college that solely featured women’s call to action, specifically how they helped in the fight for equality. On the top portion of my narrative, I included images depicting the various roles and contributions of women in the Black Panther Party emphasizing their significant impact on the movement. I decided to include prominent members of the party, like Kathleen Cleaver and Angela Davis. Both women have received recognition for their parts in the party and how they have continued to stand for their rights throughout their careers. To finish the upper portion of my collage, I added graphics that presented the actions taken to further the cause. For example, the Free Food Program, providing children with education, and more. The lower half, mainly concentrated on those who participated in the Black Lives Matter movement. Similarly, I included the founders of BLM which were Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. As well as photographs of women attending protests, walks, and more. I kept the color scheme of my piece black and white to draw an emotional and visual connection, emphasizing the seriousness of discrimination.
The intended audience for my visual essay would be those who choose to research and learn more about the Black Panther Party along with the Black Lives Matter Movement. Prior to analyzing both campaigns, I didn’t know the influence women had with advancing the cause, only of the men that advocated. My collage would showcase the impact women had, while stressing the importance of their recognition to those who choose to attain more knowledge of the mission.
While designing the composition, I sought for visuals that were able to express the hard work women put into both movements. I wanted them to represent the determination and great efforts they gave to fight for their rights. I compiled images, from The New York Times and Scientific American, that painted a vivid picture of the significant roles these women played that are often overlooked in historical narratives. The photos demonstrate that the fight was not solely carried by men; women were equally at the forefront.
A constraint I faced while working on my project was deciding on the layout. I wasn’t sure on how to place the images in a way that would resonate with the audience, I also struggled with cropping and choosing a color scheme. However, I then decided that grouping the Black Panther party and Black Lives Matter would correctly represent each side. I also found a way to crop the images without overlapping others, and decided on the black and white theme to further prove my point.
Overall, I found this project to be very entertaining and enjoyed the process. It was nice to try and view project 1 in a different light and present it to another audience. While Project 1 discussed the tactics used by both movements, I chose to represent women’s contributions. Creating a visual essay allowed me to showcase the part women played in advancing the cause of equality.