“The Whole World was Watching” is a collection of photos that capture each intricate moment of the protesters lives as they faced adversities in an attempt to advocate change.
Curator for the Menil Collection, Michelle White, explained just what the chant meant and the significance it holds.
“It was not just African Americans, it was the Feminist movement, it was everything happening at one time," White said, "and the chant the whole world was watching gave testament that the idea of change could no longer be ignored.”
Six Photographers Dan Budnik, Bruce Davidson, Leonard Freed, Danny Lyon, Bob Adelman and Elliot Erwitt all made a courageous decision to travel to the heart of the protest and expose to the rest of the world, through photos, what had been kept undisclosed for so long.
“These photographers were all putting themselves in extremely vulnerable situations,” White said.
Photographer Danny Lyon was a 20 year old student from Chicago at the time of the civil rights-era, but felt he was an agent for change. He was down for the cause and understood the impact his photos would have.
In a photo captured by Lyon is fellow photographer Clifford Voss. The black and white photo captivates the revulsion of the protesters as four Guardsmen hall Voss away from holding him by his hands and feet after he was accused of initiating a riot.
“The images were so critical, they were being distributed in newspapers and magazines in the north such as Times, so the people in the north could really see that the south was severally racially segregated,” White said.
In another photo by Bob Adelman protesters are being knocked off their feet as they are sprayed by police with water hose. A water hose at full capacity can remove the bark from a tree; one can only imagine what that much power could do to a human’s skin.
“Behind these photos are complicated and amazing stories,” White said, “we wanted to bring them out because we wanted people to know, we wanted people like classes, and schools, and scholars to come and look at the work and be inspired.”
It is White’s belief that museums play a vital role in the development of society as they present a perspective that insights a change of consciousness and allows people to see and view images in a different light. 
The Menil Collection is home of approximately 36 photos for the Whole World was Watching exhibition and has joined with The Gregory School, an African-American archive, to host more photographs making it one exhibition in two locations.
“The Whole World was watching will be on exhibit through September 1, 2011.
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