03 September ... from a distance ...

This picture was taken sometime after 8:30 pm on Labor Day Sunday, 3 September 2006 at the Reflecting Pool west of the US Capitol. In the beginning, it was not uncommon for me to spend Labor Day Sunday from late afternoon through early evening on the West Lawn meandering through and photographing the crowd in anticipation of and in close proximity to where the National Symphony Orchestra would perform beginning at around 8 PM. In a similar way as it had also been my ritual to photograph at the West Lawn on the late afternoon and early evenings of the Memorial Day and Independence Day Concerts at the US Capitol.

However, as the years would pass, it has become increasingly difficult and, quite frankly, unsafe for me to deal with the racism that I would experience. Which I often speak of in my writings.

And not unlike when documenting anti-war protests that I, literally, will 'march with the crowd' or when capturing Race for the Cure that I will 'run with the crowd' or in the case of Drum Circles in Malcolm X Park that I may 'dance with the crowd' it was also my practice, in the early years, to 'emerce myself with the crowd' on the West Lawn. However, and as a direct result of the racism that I would encounter, in recent years, it has been a very natural progression and safe reaction, on my part, for me "... to keep my distance from the crowd ...!" .

Not from out of fear nor some sort of phobia because, quite frankly, I fear no one. Nor anything. And, as a black man, "I ain't got no time for somebody elses rationalized phobias or faked amnesia ... about black men!". Nor racism! Simply put, "... I, now, keep my distance ..." because in the past, "... it has been my experience, as a black man, ..." that when white folks come around me "... there has always been 'some God damn problem'!" that will never go away!

Problems that simply would not exist nor could not ever be if the manifestations had not been created, manufactured, manipulated and orchestrated by those who benefit from them.

So, rather than waste my time or expend any amount of my energy assimilating, integrating and associating amongst crowds or with individuals that do not respect me while benefiting from the isolation, segregation and negation of me, yet, overseeing, policing and watching black men, as a wiser but older and more mature affected black man , 'I'll keep my distance ...!"

I'd begin my 3 September 2006 Photo Walk by returning to Eastern Market hoping to purchase an "Uppity Negro" t-shirt and to drop off some photos to two exhibitors that I had photographed the week before. While I did drop the photos I did not find Andrea Carter, owner of Uppity Negro and would then head downtown, by subway, where after first photographing the skateboarders in Freedom Plaza I walked north up 15th Street thru Scott Circle to P Street in Logan Circle and then back downtown, via 14th Street to F Street. And then across F to 7th Street at wich point I'd proceed south thru Penn Quarter to the National Mall. Where standing in front of the Reflecting Pool at the National Mall East I'd capture the final minutes of the National Symphony Orchestra Labor Day Concert on the West Lawn of the US Capitol ...

And as I'd walk away, en route to my apartment in SW WDC, I remembered Helen Anthony which this blog is a tribute to.

Labor Day Weekend marks the end of summer and the official start of fall. And since, historically, it has been in the fall of the year, that other peoples' patterns and progressions of a contrived insanity will be attached to me, it is to best interest "... to keep my distance ...!".