The photograph titled “Plantation Overseer and His Field Hands” was captured by the artist Dorothea Lange near Clarksdale, Mississippi. This image is a black and white photograph that embodies a historic era, depicting a group of African American men sitting and standing on the steps of a wooden building while a Caucasian man, presumably the overseer, dominates the foreground leaning against a car.
In the image, the overseer is wearing a hat, glasses, and a white sleeveless shirt. He has a watch on his left wrist and a cigar in his mouth. To his right, there’s a vintage car with a visible license plate. On the steps behind him, there are four African American men. The one standing at the top is also wearing a hat and appears to be looking into the distance. The others are sitting; two of them are wearing hats and the third is bareheaded, and they all seem to be looking at the camera. A sign for Coca-Cola hangs on the building above the men, and there’s a visible window with a wooden frame. The feeling of the image offers a glimpse into the past societal roles and social dynamics of the time.
