Boy Scouts c. 1941

Robert Frank captured this small, undated black and white photograph titled 'Boy Scouts'. At first glance, it’s a seemingly straightforward group portrait of young men in uniform. But consider the social context: Frank, a Swiss-born Jew, made his name in America with photographs of marginalized communities, a far cry from this all-white, middle-class group. In a post-war era, organizations like the Boy Scouts were seen as wholesome, promoting idealized versions of masculine virtue and American citizenship. The presence of a rifle held by one of the scouts introduces an element of militarism and perhaps hints at the more problematic aspects of national identity. Understanding the image fully requires us to unpack the layered meanings embedded in this specific cultural moment. Researching the history of organizations such as the Boy Scouts, understanding the politics of representation in photography, and appreciating the biography of Robert Frank, can help us to do this. In this way we can see how an apparently simple image is connected to wider questions of power, identity, and the social role of art.