The Soiling Of Old Glory, 1976
Photographer: Stanley Foreman
This 1977 Pulitzer Prize winning photo captured rising political and racial tensions in Boston amid a court ruling that forced busing to desegregate Boston Public Schools in 1976 in what is now known as The Boston Busing Crisis. During the Crisis, several protests and riots broke out in metropolitan area in the ensuing years in response to Boston Public Schools losing control over busing. This photo was captured of Joseph Rakes taking an American flag and attempting to assault a nearby civil rights attorney, Ted Landsmark, outside city hall.
Joseph Rakes was among a number of young white men at city hall at an organized demonstration by city councilor Louise Day Hicks to salute and remember what the American flag stood for while protesting the 2nd year of desegregation of public schools. During the protest, another unrelated group of students, who were black, were visiting City Hall and several of the white protesters would confront them where pushing, yelling, and kicking would ensue. Ted Landsmark was unfortunately in the wrong place, wrong time as he was not involved with either group nor was his civil rights work pertaining to bussing but to helping minority construction workers and firms get equal treatment. He was rushing to a meeting at city hall when he ran into the battling groups. Landsmark would be knocked down and have his glasses and nose broken before being helped up (not held down as the photo may imply) while Rakes would take a flag and attempt to beat him with it.
This photo would go on to shock the nation about the still much needed work in race relations post 1965 civil rights bill, desegregation, and bring questions about what is a true patriot in America.
