Unite or Perish, Chicago 1968

Editor: This is John Simmons's photograph, "Unite or Perish, Chicago." It seems to capture a march, maybe a protest. The children carrying signs are what struck me first. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a potent commentary on the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, intertwined. The signs the children carry, "Unite or Perish," "America is the Black man’s battleground, not Vietnam," directly link the fight for racial equality at home to the anti-war sentiment. What does it mean to you to see children bearing this weight? Editor: It feels… heavy. Like they're inheriting a struggle. Curator: Precisely. It speaks to the cyclical nature of oppression and the urgent need for solidarity. Simmons encourages us to consider the systemic forces at play and the intergenerational impact of these struggles. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It’s more than just a protest; it’s a historical document about a continuing fight. Curator: Exactly. Art like this challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths.