Biography:
Virginia native Rebecca Moseman received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1997 and her Master of Fine Arts from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2001. She has worked in academia, private industry, and...
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Crowder Mississippi is known for its cheap land and rich soil. It is located near two rivers, the Yocano River and the Coldwater River which flood easily during the frequent rain storms of the spring.
A boy plays on his phone while waiting patiently for his father at the local barber shop in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Barber shops are places of community in Clarksdale.
A boy and his father in Alligator Mississippi. This small town (population of 187 in 2019) is named after Alligator Lake which was known for its large alligator population.
Three dresses hang from a wall in a dress shop in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Although the Mississippi Delta has a high unemployment rate, Clarksdale's economy remains healthy due to tourists seeking its rich history of Blues music, Juke Joints, festivals and restaurants.
Two pairs of discarded prom shoes sit in the corner of a formal wear dress shop. It's more affordable for young women to rent formal wear for prom and other formal occasions rather than buy dresses.
A house trailer and car in Baptist Town, Mississipppi. Baptist Town is a historical African-American neighborhood located in Greenwood Mississippi. It is known for its shot-gun houses and rich history of the Blues. Scenes from the movie The Help was filmed in Baptist Town.
A night club owner stands within the lounge area of his night club in Greenville, Mississippi. Greenville is known for its cotton production, blues musicians and fertile agricultural land. It is also knowns for its gambling casinos which attracts tourism to the area. The crime rate, relative to Mississippi is higher than 71% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes.
Three boys run behind their neighbors fence after hearing gun fire from a neighboring street. Although many children run around their neighborhoods carefree the crime rate in Greenville, relative to Mississippi is higher than 71% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes.
A teenage girl plays outside of her home in Indianola, Mississippi. Indianola is considered the Crown of the Delta and is home to the BB King Museum and The Ebony Juke Joint which has hosted famous Blues singers such as Ray Charles and James Brown.
A group of men gather outside a laundromat to talk and drink in Greenville, MS.
The unemployment rate in Greenville is 12%, which is 159% higher than than the national average. The poverty rate in Greenville is 36% which is 138% higher than the national average. https://www.areavibes.com/greenville-ms
A woman sits alone in a laundromat in Baptist Town, Mississippi. Baptist Town is a historically African-American town known for its shot-gun houses and Blues musicians.
A boy plays basketball with his friends along the train tracks in Glendora, a town deep within the Delta that is noted for its astonishing poverty. In an application for federal assistance, town officials noted that the Glendora median household income is 70% below the state average, 68% of families live below the poverty line, and just 18% of the adults have earned a high school education. According to numbers published by Glendora Mayor Johnny B. Thomas in 2017, 86% of children in the village live below the poverty line.
A boy stands on a bridge over the Black Bayou in Glendora. The bridge, located on the south end of Glendora is thought to be the bridge that Emmitt Till's body was thrown from before being discovered floating down the Tallahatchie River.
A group of boys play on a bridge which spans the Black Bayou. The bridge, located on the south end of Glendora is thought to be the bridge that Emmitt Till's body was thrown from before being discovered floating down the Tallahatchie River.
A woman peeks out of her shot-gun house to check on her children in Baptist Town, Mississippi. Baptist Town is a historically African-American town in Greenwood, Mississippi known for its shot-gun houses and blues musicians.
A boy walks along toward the bridge that spans the Black Bayou. The bridge, located on the south end of Glendora is thought to be the bridge that Emmitt Till's body was thrown from before being discovered floating down the Tallahatchie River.
A group of boys play on a bridge that spans the Black Bayou. The bridge, located on the south end of Glendora is thought to be the bridge that Emmitt Till's body was thrown from before being discovered floating down the Tallahatchie River.
A group of boys play with their basketball along the train tracks in Glendora, a town deep within the Delta that is noted for its astonishing poverty. In an application for federal assistance, town officials noted that the Glendora median household income is 70% below the state average, 68% of families live below the poverty line, and just 18% of the adults have earned a high school education. According to numbers published by Glendora Mayor Johnny B. Thomas in 2017, 86% of children in the village live below the poverty line.
Three young friends play on the porch of a home in Baptist Town, Mississippi.
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Public Story
The Land Where Roots Grow Deep
Copyright
Rebecca Moseman
2023
Date of Work
Mar 2017 - Ongoing
Updated Jan 2021
Topics
Adolescence, Black and White, Children, Civil Rights, Community, Discrimination, Documentary, Environment, Lifestyle, Photography, Portraiture, Poverty
This series of photographs is part of an ongoing project about the African American people living in America’s deep south. My photographs strive to weave a layered story of the African American people of the Delta, their socio-economical and psychological challenges, their battles with natural hardships such as flooded land, as well as their rich cultural traditions, inspired charm and persistent resilience.