Chris Rusanowsky

Photojournalist

Growing with Tradition

Location: North Lake, Texas

Nationality: American

Biography: Chris Rusanowsky is an American photojournalist and documentary photographer based in North Texas. Chris has spent the last twelve years of his career focusing on stories of resilience and American identity. In 2017, Chris signed on to his first... read on

Photography image - Loading 8-29-20Growing_With_Tradition_2461.JPG

During a demonstration of the Weatherford confederate statue, which the city council voted not to remove from the county courthouse grounds, supporters wave a Confederate flag on the city courthouse's street curb. Motorists drive by and honk at the protestors.

Photography image - Loading 1-19-21Growing_With_Tradition_2529.JPG

A Weatherford man, who is a member of the Sons of the Confederacy, holds a confederate flag close to his chest during an annual Confederate Veterans Memorial Day at the towns square. This Memorial Day is held one day after Martin Luther King Jr Day.

Photography image - Loading 8-29-20Growing_With_Tradition_2520.JPG

Weatherford Police Department stands in between the two protesting groups to prevent violence like the July 30th protest where both groups clashed with one another, resulting in three arrests.

Photography image - Loading 1-19-21Growing_With_Tradition_2530.JPG

A member of the Sons of the Confederacy attends a annual Confederate Veterans Memorial Day at the Parker County Court House. The Memorial Day is held one day after Martin Luther King Jr Day. This group stands against the removal of the statue and to those who want it gone.

Photography image - Loading 1-9-21Growing_With_Tradition_2453.JPG

Jamie and Tony Crawford work to set up an online meeting with The NAACP of Parker County as their daughter (left) gets ready for the day in the bathroom.

Photography image - Loading 1-9-21Growing_With_Tradition_2454.JPG

Tony Crawford focuses on a computer screen as members of The NWACP of Parker County speak about recent news and events. Anthony is a member of the Parker Branch of the NAACP and focuses on removing the Confederate Statue in Weatherford.

Photography image - Loading 1-9-21Growing_With_Tradition_2455.JPG

Tony Crawford keeps a small shelf in his bedroom of essential things to him; his grandson's train set and an Obama 2008 election doll are among his items.

Photography image - Loading 11-22-20Growing_With_Tradition_2477.JPG

Anthony Crawford plays with his family on a trampoline in his backyard. Anthony is an activist with the Statue Relocation Team, S.R.T., who has been protesting and speaking with Weatherford city officials to remove the courthouse lawn's confederate statue.

Photography image - Loading 12-10-20Growing_With_Tradition_2485.JPG

James Gray advises one of his students during a boxing training session. James is an ex-professional boxer and an activist in Weatherford. James works along with his older brother Anthony Crawford and the "Statue Relocation Team" to relocate or remove a confederate statue in Weatherford.

Photography image - Loading 12-10-20Growing_With_Tradition_2523.JPG

James Gray spars with one of his students during a boxing training session. James is an ex-professional boxer and an activist in Weatherford. James works along with his older brother Anthony Crawford and the "Statue Relocation Team" to relocate or remove a confederate statue in Weatherford.

Photography image - Loading 12-10-20Growing_With_Tradition_2524.JPG

An old pair of James Gray's boxing gloves hands on a cable near his train ring. James was a career professional boxer who has won many championships. James teaches and works alongside his brother to protest and uncover the history of slavery in their hometown of Weatherford.

Photography image - Loading 12-10-20Growing_With_Tradition_2486.JPG

Photography image - Loading 12-6-20Growing_With_Tradition_2484.JPG

Crosses were placed by The Abandoned Cemetery Association of Parker County to mark newly discovered graves of the Crawford family's ancestors, who were slaves during the Confederacy in the 1800s.

Photography image - Loading 10-27-20Growing_With_Tradition_2469.JPG

Anthony Crawford (Left) and James Gray (Right) walk the newly discovered cemetery discovered by a caretaker of the property currently being excavated for development. Both brothers are local Weatherford activists fighting to find the slave trade history in their hometown and protest and organize against a confederate statue at the Weatherford courthouse, which the United Confederate Daughters placed.

Photography image - Loading 11-1-20Growing_With_Tradition_2473.JPG

Anthony Crawford cuts down brush with friends and The Abandoned Cemetery Association of Parker County, as they search for any evidence of more graves or historical artifacts left by their ancestors from the 1900s.

Photography image - Loading 11-1-20Growing_With_Tradition_2522.JPG

James Gray uses his foot to move the brush to uncover an old property marker that borders the family cemetery.

Photography image - Loading 10-27-20Growing_With_Tradition_2470.JPG

Anthony Crawford (Left) and James Gray (Right) examine a gravestone on a grave of their Great Great Grandparents. This newly discovered cemetery was found by a caretaker of the property currently being excavated for development.

Photography image - Loading 10-27-20Growing_With_Tradition_2471.JPG

Anthony Crawford holds a small gravestone that shows the engravings RIP from his Great Great Grandfather. A cemetery discovered by a caretaker of a piece of land in Weatherford, Texas, is reunited with relatives. The graves belong to a family of once enslaved African Americans in the 1800s to 1900s.

Photography image - Loading 11-1-20Growing_With_Tradition_2521.JPG

Tony Crawford (Left) and his brother James Gray walk their grandmother to their newly discovered family cemetery. The Gray and Crawford family will be the last relatives to visit their ancestors since the 1900s.

Photography image - Loading 10-27-20Growing_With_Tradition_2472.JPG

Anthony Crawford and James Gray, brothers, (Left) and a property caretaker, Pat Mcgee with family friend Jennifer Kristufek (Right) stand before a hidden cemetery of Anthony and James Great Great Grandparents and their family. The cemetery that belonged to their Great Great Grandparents who were slaves during the Confederacy in the 1800s. The brothers will be the first living relatives to visit these graves since the 1900s.

Photography image - Loading 11-22-20Growing_With_Tradition_2475.JPG

James Gray’s daughter reaches out to touch a horse when members of the Statue Relocation Team, S.R.T., bring their kids to see horses at a member's ranch in Weatherford, Texas before having a group meeting for future protests and plans to relocate the Confederate Statue.

Photography image - Loading 1-9-212328.JPG

_E9B3223.jpg_1/9/21_Weatherford_Texas After a long morning, Tony Crawford checks on one of his client's homes repairing as a handyman. Tony listens to music to help him block out the world as he works.

Photography image - Loading 1-9-21Growing_With_Tradition_2458.JPG

After a long day, Tony Crawford finishes his day visiting his family and recently discovered a cemetery where his ancestors lay. Tony and fellow members of Parker Progressives are helping the Crawford family with upkeep and documenting the graveyard.

Photography image - Loading 11-28-20Growing_With_Tradition_2479.JPG

A worn-out mural of the town's courthouse fades on the side of a local business in Weatherford, Texas. Weatherford was established in 1858 and has had many courthouses in its time. The courthouse has been destroyed and burnt to the ground three different times in its history.

Photography image - Loading 12-26-202226.JPG

_RP_9071.jpg__12/26/20_Weatherford_Texas A reflection of the Confederate Statue of Weatherford, Texas, in the court house windows. The statue was placed by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, to remember the fallen soldiers of the Confederate Army.

Photography image - Loading 1-18-21Growing_With_Tradition_2509.JPG

Anthony Crawford stands in at the Mount Pleasant Colored School in Weatherford after a meeting with city officials about the Confederate Statue's future. The Colored School was built in 1907 for black children to get an education. Many of Anthony's elders attended this school and spoke of the abuse and segregation in the city.

Photography image - Loading 12-1-20Growing_With_Tradition_2480.JPG

A member of SRT holds a flag that she says; “This is the flag that pisses them off the most.” A grassroots group called "Statue Relocation Team" protests a confederate statue that stands in front of the Weatherford courthouse. The group has been active in protests since the beginning of 2020 and continues even after city officials unanimously voted to keep the statue.

Photography image - Loading 12-26-202227.JPG

A man who stands with keeping the confederate statue gets angry and starts to make a fighting stance against one of the brothers.

Photography image - Loading 12-26-202231.JPG

James Gray (Center Left), a 6th generation Weatherford resident, argues with protestors who stand for the confederate statue located on the courthouse lawn.

Photography image - Loading 12-26-20Growing_With_Tradition_2492.JPG

James Gray (Left), is confronted by his brother, Anthony Crawford (Right), about leaving the protest with the rest of their members members before things get too out of hand and their safety is at risk.

Photography image - Loading 12-1-20Growing_With_Tradition_2483.JPG

A mother and her children stop to yell at the grassroots group called "Statue Relocation Team," who is protesting a confederate statue that stands in front of the Weatherford courthouse. The kids throw a cup of ice at the protestors after driving by.

Photography image - Loading 12-1-20Growing_With_Tradition_2482.JPG

A member of the Statue Relocation Team (Left) takes a smoke break and sits on the statue during a protest against the confederate statue that stands in front of the Weatherford courthouse.