The Justice in Frame: Photographic Narration of Citizenship in the Chicano Movement, 1968-1971

This paper observes four photographs in print that depict moments during the Chicano movement from 1968-1971. Each chosen image is analyzed based on its content and composition in relation to its argument for Citizenship. The framework of the analysis looks at the argument between national and global citizenship and the narratives of citizenship in the movement as communicated through the image. The Chicano movement was heavily photographed and images of marches, picketers, and portraits are abundant. The analysis of images is important because of their lasting cultural impact that they have on the general public, extending beyond the center of the movement itself. Additionally, images play a significant and memorable role in public opinion. My analysis concludes that the form of citizenship conveyed by the Chicano Movement is transcendent of national political borders. I argue that the movement photographs argue that one should not have to abandon their Mexican identity in order to be fully respected as an American citizen.