Store Front Churches, Buffalo 1958 - 1961

Milton Rogovin took this photograph, using black and white film, as part of his project documenting storefront churches in Buffalo. I’m imagining Rogovin in the church, watching, waiting. The blur communicates the energy of the music; the gospel beat turned into a visual. I can almost hear the organ, sense the rhythm that runs through this whole community, this building. The organ player’s foot is a kind of engine. See the worn wooden floorboards, the slightly scuffed shoe, the way the light reflects? You can see the history in the details. Rogovin’s got an eye for that. I think of other photographers like Roy DeCarava, who also captured the beauty of everyday Black life with a deep sense of respect. There’s a conversation happening between these artists, a shared interest in bearing witness. There’s a lot of love in this picture, you can feel it, right? It's not just an image, it's a feeling.