Thursday, March 1, 2012

Technology, The Ku Klux Klan and Photojournalism


By Peter Hvizdak, Register multimedia photojournalist

On Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, I had a flashback while documenting a march and rally in East Haven, Conn., protesting racism by the East Haven police department and the town's mayor. Some counter protestors in East Haven covered their faces so they could not be identified. I made a mental snapshot of it during the event as it made me think of my coverage of the Ku Klux Klan in Connecticut in the 1980s, and how technology for photojournalism changes with the times.

I covered the East Haven march Saturday using an iPhone connected to a portable wireless hotspot to transmit a live video feed to the New Haven Register's website in real time as I interviewed participants of the march and rally as well those opposed to the event.

In the 1980s, I documented with still photographs the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in Connecticut while on assignment for the Associated Press, the New Haven Register, the New Haven Journal-Courier and as an independent documentary photographer.

Although the march and rally last Saturday in East Haven was peaceful, I was reminded that human nature, for the most part, doesn't change with the times.

Misunderstanding, mistrust and tension between groups of people who differ on controversial subjects will usually lead to upheaval.

Often, in my professional world, I find that people often want to fight first over opposing views instead of finding a common ground. Passion takes over. Agendas take over. Conflicts happen.

My job is to bring stories home to the readers of the New Haven Register and beyond, regardless of the technology available to me. So, in an homage to still photographs, I found a few prints from my personal files that reminded me of a time when the printing press was the primary medium for photojournalism.

Today, as a "multimedia" photojournalist at the New Haven Register, I am giving a new life to these photographs using the new website-based New Haven Register Media Center.

The captions on these photographs are generic because they were culled from prints stuffed into old photographic paper boxes and various portfolios stashed away in a rented climate-controlled storage unit during a recent move.

I have seen many representations of hate through the lens of a camera. These photographs are a few of those representations. Click here to view the photo gallery.

For some historical background information on the Ku Klux Klan please go to these websites courtesy of Google:

http://www.adl.org/learn/ext_us/ct/default.asp#kkk

http://www.adl.org/learn/Ext_US/CT/default.asp

http://www.uhv.edu/asa/articles/KKKAmericasForgottenTerrorists.pdf

http://bityurl.com/470d65

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Today in History - February 29


1916 – Child labor: In South Carolina, the minimum working age for factory, mill, and mine workers is raised from twelve to fourteen years old. (photo: Lewis Hine)

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Today in History - February 28


1883 – The first vaudeville theater opens in Boston, Massachusetts.

Called "the heart of American show business," vaudeville was one of the most popular types of entertainment in North America for several decades


1953 – James D. Watson and Francis Crick announce to friends that they have determined the chemical structure of DNA; the formal announcement takes place on April 25 following publication in April's Nature.

(Wikipedia)

Monday, February 27, 2012

Occupy embed preparation video  http://www.nhregister.com/video/?va_id=3310865&pl_id=21367&ref=synd

Settled in for the night with Occupy New Haven.   I've learned so far: Put the tarp up even if it's not supposed to rain until Wed.. Find out where the Porta-johns are before it gets dark. If you're really cold, stuff your pants  with hand warmers.

Today in History - February 27, 1933


1933 – Reichstag fire: Germany's parliament building in Berlin, the Reichstag, is set on fire.


The fire was used as evidence by the Nazis that the Communists were beginning a plot against the German government. Adolf Hitler, used the incident to suspend civil liberties, and instituted mass arrests of Communists, including all of the Communist parliamentary delegates. With them gone and their seats empty, the Nazis went from being a plurality party to the majority; subsequent elections confirmed this position and thus allowed Hitler to consolidate his power.
(Wikipedia)

Friday, February 24, 2012

Today in History - February 24, 1980


1980 – The United States Olympic Hockey team completes their Miracle on Ice by defeating Finland 4-2 to win the gold medal.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Today in History - February 23, 1945


1945 – World War II: During the Battle of Iwo Jima, a group of United States Marines reach the top of Mount Suribachi on the island and are photographed raising the American flag by photographer Joe Rosenthal producing perhaps the most famous war photograph n history.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Today in History - February 22, 1862


1862 – Jefferson Davis is officially inaugurated for a six-year term as the President of the Confederate States of America in Richmond, Virginia. He was previously inaugurated as a provisional president on February 18, 1861.

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Today in History - February 21, 1878


1878 – The first telephone book is issued in New Haven, Connecticut.

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


Monday, February 20, 2012

Today in History - February 20, 1962


John Glenn, aboard Friendship 7, becomes the first American to orbit the earth, making three orbits in 4 hours, 55 minutes.

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


Friday, February 17, 2012

Today in History - February 17, 1972


1972 – Sales of the Volkswagen Beetle exceed those of the Ford Model-T on it's way to becoming the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single design platform anywhere in the world. (photograph by - Basic Transporter)

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


Thursday, February 16, 2012

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


Today in History - February 16, 1923


1923 – Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Picture That - The week in Pictures

Great pictures from some of the week's biggest stories as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


Today in History - February 15, 1898


Today - February 15, 1898 - The United States Navy battleship USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana, Cuba, killing more than 260 people and precipitating the Spanish-American War.

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


Monday, February 13, 2012

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


Thursday, February 9, 2012

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


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Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Picture That - The week in Pictures

Great pictures from some of the week's biggest stories for the week of January 30 - February 5 as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.


Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Did you see? - The Last 24 Hours in Pictures

A view of the last 24 hours in pictures from around the world as seen by the photographers of the Associated Press.