In Georgia/O’Neill Latham

In Georgia/O’Neill Latham

Rose Cecil O'Neill

April 11, 1900

The illustration by O’Neill is of an African American family living in Georgia. Some are trying and some are trying not to, watch Caucasian men heading into the woods with rifles and rope. The young man is pointing at the men in confusion while the mother is watching. The father however understands what is going on. In result he is trying to protect his young daughter from seeing the act they are about to commit. Judging by the rifles and rope they are going to lynch an African American.

The connection of this item to the The Color Purple resides in the surroundings of the illustration. It is clear that the family is on a farm or at the very least a vast amount of land. Similar to what Celie’s real Pa owned in Georgia, which is where this illustration is set. Her real Pa owned his house, convenience store and assumably the land it is on. Far into the novel it is revealed that Celie’s real Pa was lynched for having a successful business; taking African American customers away from Caucasian business owners. In the 1900’s most African Americans owned farmland. Typically when Caucasians lynched they did it near the person’s land. It is not clear whether Celie’s real father or her stepfather farmed on the owned land but it is highly plausible that her real father was lynched on the land. More so if the home backed onto wooded land like depicted in the illustration.

Arianna Christopher

O'Neill, Rose Cecil. In George/O'Neill Latham. 11 Apr. 1900. Lib. of Cong. Library of Congress. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2010651250/>.

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