Taking a Stand in Baton Rouge facts for kids
The photograph Taking a Stand in Baton Rouge shows Ieshia Evans, a nurse from Pennsylvania. It captures her being arrested by police officers in riot gear during a protest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This event happened on July 9, 2016. The protest started after police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Jonathan Bachman took the picture for Reuters. It quickly became very popular online, with many calling it "iconic." Some even compared it to the famous "Tank Man" photo from the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
Contents
What Happened in Baton Rouge?
The Protest and the Photo
On July 9, 2016, a protest took place in Baton Rouge. This protest followed the sad news of police shootings involving Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in Minnesota. Ieshia Evans was there and was photographed by Jonathan Bachman for the Reuters news agency. The picture shows her facing a line of police officers in riot gear. She is wearing a flowing dress and has her arms crossed. Two officers are seen rushing forward to arrest her. This powerful image quickly became very popular on social media.
Ieshia Evans's Role
Ieshia Evans was attending her very first protest that day. She had traveled to Baton Rouge after seeing news about the shooting of Alton Sterling. She was arrested, held overnight, and then released the next evening.
Why Was This Photo So Important?
An Iconic Image
Many news groups called the photograph "iconic," meaning it was very important and memorable. The German TV channel n-tv even called Ieshia Evans the "icon" of the protest. Teju Cole, writing for The New York Times Magazine, explained that the photo became a symbol. It joined other important pictures related to the Black Lives Matter movement. These included images from a protest in Ferguson, Missouri, after the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown. Other famous photos show Bree Newsome taking down a Confederate flag and activist DeRay Mckesson being arrested in Baton Rouge.
Comparisons to History
The photograph reminded many people of past civil rights demonstrations. It was also compared to the "Tank Man" photo from the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. Yoni Appelbaum wrote for The Atlantic that some images are impossible to forget. He mentioned the man facing tanks in Tiananmen Square and a student attacked by police dogs in Birmingham, Alabama. He said this photo of Ieshia Evans is one of those unforgettable images.
Recognition and Awards
Ieshia Evans was interviewed by Gayle King for CBS This Morning. Later, the public radio show Studio 360 asked Tracy K. Smith to write a poem about the image. The New York Times also included the photograph in its "The Year in Pictures 2016" collection. Jonathan Bachman's photograph of Evans won first prize for Contemporary Issues in the 2017 (60th) World Press Photo Contest.
Who is Ieshia Evans?
Her Background
Ieshia Evans, the person in the famous photograph, was 35 years old when it was taken. She is originally from Brooklyn. She works as a licensed practical nurse in Pennsylvania.
Meeting the Photographer
In December 2016, Ieshia Evans met Jonathan Bachman for the first time. This meeting happened at an event about news photography. It was organized by Reuters and the International Center of Photography.
Awards and Views
Ieshia Evans was named AfroAmerica Network Black Woman of the Year for 2016. She was also chosen as one of the BBC's 100 Women for that year. After the protest, Evans shared her thoughts on the 2016 election candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. She also spoke about former President Barack Obama. She has been a strong voice against the Trump Administration. She believes it is important for people to speak up when they see problems, especially concerning social justice.
See also
In Spanish: Taking a Stand in Baton Rouge para niños
