Abstract
A tribute to the importance of photographic archives and the visual storytellers who create the images within them, O.N. Pruitt’s Possum Town: Photographing Trouble and Resilience in the American South tells the nuanced stories that make up the “Photobiography of Mississippi” during the first half of the 20th century, and the man who made so many of the images. Berkley Hudson—associate professor emeritus from the University of Missouri—is a Columbus, Mississippi-native and gained access to more than 80,000 negatives once belonging to Otis Noel Puritt. Through the published collection of 190 of those images, the author showcases the simplicities as well as the complexities of the early 20th century in Mississippi. Through discussions with historians and scholars, and using reflections from those connected to the images, Hudson showcases the relationship among images, history, memory, and understanding. And while there are strong picture books, and great works about photography, Hudson’s detailed account of the methodological journey makes this a stand-out book that satisfies the needs of academics and practitioners.
The book begins with an introduction into obtaining the images before quickly diving into a biography of O. N. Pruitt. The author then transitions into contextualizing the town at this moment in history through a chapter titled “By the Flow of the Inland River.” It’s here where the author begins to surround his words with the striking images by Pruitt, some with caption information and others without. The book continues in this manner with thematic chapters and images in conversation with the text.
While some scholarship points to the camera being an objective tool to document history, this book speaks beautifully to the importance of not only making images to understand our history but also the importance of who is making the images. The power of who holds a camera, where they have access, and who and what they decide to document is layered with meaning. Citing photographic scholar Mariane Hirsch, Hudson speaks to “the intersection of private and public history” found within the images. Pruitt, as a member of the community, and one willing to photograph those who do not look like him, allows his archive to show a perspective often neglected, the lives of Black residents in the South.
While the images and text are beautifully combined for anyone interested in history or photography, a few chapters stand out for their emotional impact. “A Racial Crucible” provides a visual record of executions and lynchings. In one image, James Keaton, who is Black, stares directly into the camera for a group photo among White men moments before his execution. The lifeless bodies from lynchings are a graphic depiction of the ugly historical roots in America, particularly the U.S. South. These pictures reside in the same archive that also includes Black and White Christians coming together in faith in the chapter “Baptisms.”
The book’s greatest strength is its ability to present research methods in an easy and approachable way. I see it standing out in a graduate methods course as an ideal case of exploring visual communication. As Hudson explains the details of gathering visual information, the reader learns different tactics to conquer a research project and to explore questions and topics using photographic archives.
I can see Hudson’s book utilized in various courses and collegiate conversations. This book would be a great tool in both photojournalism and media history undergraduate courses. Young photojournalists can find purpose and value in carrying their cameras and finding beauty in photographing everyday life, as well as documenting dark and trying times as well. These students can also see the value of writing detailed captions, as the images in this book without them can be frustrating at times. Media historians will find a rich conceptual contribution on the role of journalists in helping people understand their world both past and present.