Emily Mosbacher

Dublin Core

Title

Emily Mosbacher

Description

Adjacent to the Blackstone Innovation School, on the corner of Washington Street and West Dedham Street, is where I found the subject for my photograph to represent the South End. I discovered the Puerto Rican Veteran's Memorial, which stood out due to the five flags that flew over it. The one that struck me first was the POW/MIA flag, as it flew directly beneath the American flag, and I had never seen one before. After further research, I learned that this flag was designed – and eventually recognized by congress – as the symbol of our nation’s concern about military personnel who had been taken as prisoners of war. The black-and-white flag powerfully reads, “You are not forgotten.” Next to these flew the Puerto Rican flag, which consists of five horizontal stripes – three red and two white – and a blue triangle with a white five-point star in it. The red stripes are said to represent the blood of brave warriors, while the white represents the peace and victory that came with Puerto Rico’s independence. The white star represents the island of Puerto Rico in the sea of blue. Next in the row of flags flew the Massachusetts State flag, whose simple design shows a blue and gold coat of arms on a white background. Finally, I noted the Flag of Boston, which was also new to me. This flag bears the city seal of Boston on a light blue background. This array of flags is significant, as it represents the myriad cultural influences on this neighborhood that was once a mosaic of immigrants – especially those of Asian and Hispanic origin – gay men, and many more. This memorial was the nation’s first monument honoring the service and sacrifice of Puerto Rican soldiers to the United States Armed Forces.

Files

http://dighist.fas.harvard.edu/courses/2015/USW24/files/original/e16add00af2fe42ff6d76cdf5da142e3.JPG
http://dighist.fas.harvard.edu/courses/2015/USW24/files/original/ebb442267cf2fd374ef3e73ae16f5b57.png

Collection

Citation

“Emily Mosbacher,” USW24, accessed March 28, 2024, https://usworld24.omeka.fas.harvard.edu/items/show/186.