What seems to be a common thread with these women on display with the Library of Congress “Women Come to the Front” exhibition, is that they all seem to have wanted to convey the social strife felt by foreign and domestic communities. During War time, jobs were made more available to females in every facet of industry, including photojournalism. The eight women of the exhibit are noted for having both foreign and domestic photographic documentation of the labors of war. Of the eight, three women that seemed to have stood above the rest are; Clare Booth Luce, May Craig, and Dorthea Lange. All three of these women sought truth and transparency with candid photography. If just perusing the pages of a resume`, Clare Booth Luce is not a woman one would consider to make the leap from high fashion photography to the front lines of battle. Known more as a socialite, first elected congresswoman of Connecticut (1942-1946), playwright, and U.S. ambassador to Italy (“Women Come to the Front”, 2014), Clare became successful in the relaying of information from the battlefields to the breakfast table through publishing of books and editorials. Similar to Clare’s strengths are those of May Craig.
May became a woman in a leadership role for the Women’s National Press Club and Eleanor Roosevelt’s Press Conference Association and responsible for the advancement of women in journalism in the professional arena (“Women Come to the Front”, 2014).
The Essay on Women in Combat 4
From Kelly Flinn to G.I. Jane, controversy has raged in recent months over whether women are fit for military service (Brown 326). In the articles Women Unfit for Combat? Au Contraire! and Women are not a Warrior Class, both authors convey their thoughts on women in combat. Both authors give many reasons why or why not women should be allowed to fight in combat. Timothy Brown, the author of Women ...
While these two women have a part in international photographic documentation of war, Dorthea Lange became a more influential presence on the home front as a documentary photographer, beginning during the Great Depression. Dorthea felt cataloging American citizens suffering from ethnic disparities and displacement of workers was of utmost importance. Faced with civil and racial atrocities after the development of Japanese-American Imprisonment camps, Dorthea found herself facing an internal struggle and externally with her employer, the United States Government, voicing their non-appreciation for the depiction of incarceration camps on American soil. These three women became the epitome of female journalistic ingenuity. Each receiving awards and acknowledgements for their accomplishments.
References
Morris, S. J. (1997) Rage for Fame. New York, NY: Random House Library of
Congress website: http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/wcf/wcf0010.html Women Come to the Front. (2014, January 1).
Retrieved September 21, 2014.
