The National History center cohosted this event. Once more, welcome everyone. Welcome to the Wilson Center, welcome to this washington history seminar. A seminar through which we try to provide at the Wilson Center in connection with our partners at the National History center, historical perspectives on international and national affairs. Im christiane offerman, i direct the history and Public Policy program here at the Wilson Center and i have the privilege to cochair with my College Professor eric carlson of George Washington university. This is a joint enterprise by the National History center and initiative of the American Historical Association, directed by professor dane kennedy, i dont know if dane is with us today. Joint initiative between the National History center and the history and Public Policy program here. Were in our ninth year of holding these sessions every week during the semester, mondays at 4 00 p. M. And i hope to see many of you again for future sessions. Let m
Provide here at the Wilson Center in conjunction with our partners at the National History center, his ttorical perspectiv on international and national affairs. Im christian, i direct the history and Public Policy program here at the Wilson Center and i have the privilege to cochair the seminar with my colleague of George Washington university. So this is a joint interbriz by the National History center, initiative of the american historical association, directed by professor dane kennedy. I dont know if danes with us today. Joint initiative between the National History center and history and Public Policy program here, where in our ninth year of holding these sessions every week. Or during the semester, mondays at 4 00 p. M. And i hope to see many of you again for future sessions. Let me thank a couple of sponsors of this series. Frsz the page center for history in the public interest. As well as George Washington history department. I also want to thank a number of anonymous donors
Thomas allen harris through a lens darkly is a book that examines how africanamericans are per trade in portrayed in photography, and it is also an autobiography, because my family is descendent of slavery. Brian lamb what is the story of you and your father . Thomas allen harris my father and mother divorced maybe when i was six or seven, and my father never took any photographs of my family my brother me, and both my brother and i are image makers, and my grandfather took thousands of photographs of a family. When i was making film, i was thinking about the way of framing and taking a picture of a family and what that says about both the person in front of the camera, the person behind the camera, and the connection between the two yeah, and a certain amount of grief because i never got to see myself and my family through my fathers lens . Brian lamb still alive . Thomas allen harris yes, my father is still alive. Brian lamb do you have a relationship with him today . Thomas allen ha
Thomas allen harris through a lens darkly is a documentary that examines how africanamericans have used the camera for social change and are portrayed in photography, and it is also an personal memoir because my family is descendent of slavery. I am in the film as well as some of my family members. Brian lamb you are the narrator. What is the story of you and your father . Thomas allen harris my father and mother divorced maybe when i was six or seven, and my father never took any photographs of my family, of my brother, me, and both my brother and i are image makers, and my grandfather took thousands of photographs of the family. When i was making this film, i was thinking about the way of framing and taking a picture of a family and what that says about both the person in front of the camera, the person behind the camera, and the connection between the two, and a certain amount of grief because i never got to see myself and my family through my fathers lens. Brian lamb still alive .
I asked him about a year or two why and he said because your grandfather was. But once my parents divorced i rarely saw him. I did have a stepdad who ended up taking lots of photographs. Not that much of the family some of the family but he was part of the African National congress. He was from south africa, political exile, who came to this country to spread the message of the antiapartheid message and he used the camera as his weapon of choice. So he was the one who basically raised me from the time i was nine years old. Lets watch the first minute or so so people can get a sense of what this is about. Harris you see yourself in the past and the future . Do you see yourself through your own eyes . When you look at a black person, who do i see . Who do you see . Do i see us now . Do i see us through a lens darkly . Brian lamb why the name . Thomas allen harris through a lens darkly comes from the bible, corinthians, it is the 13th chapter, and it is, how do we see god . We see god rig