Bloody Sunday Memorial
Item
Title
Bloody Sunday Memorial
Description
Large assemblage commemorating the violent beating on Selma's Edmund Pettus bridge during the voting rights march to the state's capital. Minter calls this a "day of infamy for our people to put their souls on the line and say 'I just want to be a human being and want the right to vote.'"
Two long metal rods, arranged horizontally to the ground and parallel to each other, sit upon a series of vertical metal crutches and supported by additional poles, represent the bridge's infrastructure. A sign made of white plastic siding is partially in tact, partially deteriorated and fallen, and reads "RiGHt tO," "[]REE VOtE," and "SLAVE USA VOtE." Decaying wooden flats provide a walkable portion of the installation. Strategically placed are a number of plastic horses of different sizes and styles, cars, trucks, guns, baby dolls, and wooden bats, representing the "chaos and confusion" of the scene. A helmet on which is painted "ALABAMA / STATE / TROOPER" sits next to a painted plastic canister painted "TEAR GAS."
The bridge culminates at an arch, replicated here by a tall white metal rectangular box frame, probably formerly a part of a home gym. Across the top of the frame is a wooden plank, painted yellow with: "BLOODY SUNDAY 3/7/65 GOD WiLL TAKE CARE OF YOU / 600 NON ViOLENT ATTACKED BY POSSE GAD GLUB BEATEN." Another plank sits above it at an angle reading "EDMUNd PETTUS." Down the left side is a wooden post reading "RIGHT TO B HUMAN" and down the right is "RIGHT TO VOTE." Gas masks are fastened to the left, to the right is an oxidized 'Heart of Dixie' license paint repainted over with yellow, and to the upper right is a toy white man representing George C. Wallace giving the signal to the Klan to attack.
Two long metal rods, arranged horizontally to the ground and parallel to each other, sit upon a series of vertical metal crutches and supported by additional poles, represent the bridge's infrastructure. A sign made of white plastic siding is partially in tact, partially deteriorated and fallen, and reads "RiGHt tO," "[]REE VOtE," and "SLAVE USA VOtE." Decaying wooden flats provide a walkable portion of the installation. Strategically placed are a number of plastic horses of different sizes and styles, cars, trucks, guns, baby dolls, and wooden bats, representing the "chaos and confusion" of the scene. A helmet on which is painted "ALABAMA / STATE / TROOPER" sits next to a painted plastic canister painted "TEAR GAS."
The bridge culminates at an arch, replicated here by a tall white metal rectangular box frame, probably formerly a part of a home gym. Across the top of the frame is a wooden plank, painted yellow with: "BLOODY SUNDAY 3/7/65 GOD WiLL TAKE CARE OF YOU / 600 NON ViOLENT ATTACKED BY POSSE GAD GLUB BEATEN." Another plank sits above it at an angle reading "EDMUNd PETTUS." Down the left side is a wooden post reading "RIGHT TO B HUMAN" and down the right is "RIGHT TO VOTE." Gas masks are fastened to the left, to the right is an oxidized 'Heart of Dixie' license paint repainted over with yellow, and to the upper right is a toy white man representing George C. Wallace giving the signal to the Klan to attack.
Subject
Assemblages (sculpture) See all items with this value
Bloody Sunday See all items with this value
Civil Rights Movement See all items with this value
Creator
Minter, Joe
Language
English
Type
Assemblages (sculpture) See all items with this value