The stories we tell through historical images. This a series of photographs that tell the story of people and events that shaped America and continue to provide insight and knowledge to students today.
Joe Rosenthal was an award winning American photographer that received the Pulitzer Prize for his iconic image of the flag raising on Iwo Jima. Rosenthal became the best known war photographer for his picture of The Flag raising.
Rosenthal originally started World War II applying to be a photographer for the US Army but was denied because of poor eyesight. He was later assigned to the war by Associated Press.
Rosenthal and two other photographers were late to the flag raising at Mount Suribachi. They later saw a much larger flag and asked if the soldiers could raise it for a picture.
Rosenthal’s original caption for the picture,
“Atop 550-foot Suribachi Yama, the volcano at the southwest tip of Iwo Jima, Marines of the Second Battalion, 28th Regiment, Fifth Division, hoist the Stars and Stripes, signaling the capture of this key position.” Rosenthal said.
Rosenthal battled year after year with people who thought that it was a staged photograph. He countered with saying,
“The emotion that is captured in this photo you can not recreate”.
The Marine Corp dedicated a statue to the Battle of Iwo Jima. It was dedicated in 1954 in Arlington Ridge Park near Rosslyn, Virginia.
“The photograph of six men on a tiny island in the Pacific was immediately a symbol of victory and heroism, and became one of the most famous, most reproduced and even most controversial photographs of all time.” (International Photography Hall of Fame)
For more Feather photos, visit media, photos 2015-16.