Radcliffe Roye

Sixty years ago, just marching was considered an act of protest. Actually, in 1969, a group of young men burnt down 40 buildings in the town of Clinton South Carolina, after feeling that the pressure put on them by the Ku Klux Klan was too much to bear. That was their protest.

Thankfully, I have been able to grow up on the backs, sweat, and blood of those who made strides and steps in the direction that enabled me to do something other than pick cotton and chop sugar cane.

However, this life is not without its scars – there are still memories and vestiges of the toll – the struggle – had on a race of people still trying to find equality in this country. Recently, news of Black men and women being killed by some members of law enforcement has raised the consciousness of this country to see how black folks have been living. With the increase in social media platforms and the use of smart phones to both document and record everyday life, the United States and the World on a whole are seeing first hand the evidence of complaints that can be traced back to the death of Emmett Till.

In 2015, I walk around Brooklyn, South Carolina, Mississippi, Memphis, Manhattan, and Ferguson, photographing, recording and reading the tales of those whose living is a testimony to this ongoing struggle.

This Exhibition is my attempt to show a glimpse into what it means to live in ‘the struggle.’ From photographing everyday life in places like South Carolina, Memphis, and Mississippi, and documenting some of the tumultuous protests from the streets of Ferguson and New York City, I show you the faces of those whose lives are spent in protest.

When Living Is a Protest

Featuring: Ruddy Roye

Locations

• #Community
• #protest
• #Racism

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