Theoretical Democracy

"Wanted Poster No.4 " (Sara) (1969) by Charles White

A Precious Commodity

Popular Culture History

Lesson 10

"Wanted Poster No. 4 (Sara)" shows the Head of an African American child, clearly framed, but within a blur and maze of myriad frames. Hands, each with pointed finger come at her from four directions. Listlessly, the child stares upward; it is difficult to tell if she is alive or dead with her eyes open. Underneath her framed head is a price tag--$3600.

Exercise:	Identify historical periods and/or regions in the United States where bounty hunting was prevalent and draw parallels between irony of situation that surfaces in one of these periods and/or regions. To accomplish this task, study a message that surfaces in bounty hunting posters or flyers that advertise a price tag on someone's head, and compare those symbols with the ones that surface in White's painting to discuss irony of situation.
	Sketches of bounty hunter posters view more posters
Consideration:	The Black Economic Development Conference met in Detroit in April 1969. Led by James Foreman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the conference issued a "Black Manifesto," calling upon the "White Christian Churches and Jewish synagogues in the United States and all other Racist Institutions" to pay $500 million in reparations and to surrender 60 percent of their assets to the conference to be used for the economic, social and cultural rehabilitation of the African American community.
Feedback: Question 1: Question 2:	Read the "Black Manifesto" How does the price tag issued by the Black Economic Development Conference differ from what is connoted by the price tag appended as an image in the Charles White painting and in the bounty hunter posters? In 1969 James Earl Jones won a Tony Award for his starring role in the Great White Hope, a movie based on the life of prizefighter Jack Johnson, who held the world heavyweight championship title from 1908-1915. Eventually, Jones was branded as a fugitive from justice. a) Research his life to understand why. More bio b) What price was placed on his head? c) How, if at all, was Johnson's debt settled? Write your response in the form below:
Your Name:
Your E-Mail Address:
Mail to:
Subject:
(L10Q1) Your response:

End of A Precious Commodity