Like the Lange's Iconic Photograph assessment, this question asks students to engage in sourcing, contextualization, and corroboration. To answer this assessment, students must consider key aspects of the photograph’s reliability and also think about other information that could be used to evaluate the reliability of the document. In Question 1, students must explain that the fact that the Office of War Information was tasked with taking photographs for press releases that would promote the government’s efforts in WWII means they likely chose to photograph workers in a positive light. Given the photograph’s subject and caption, it is likely that the photographers were trying to favorably portray African Americans’ inclusion in the war effort more than accurately document their working conditions. In Question 2, students should identify another piece of information that would help them evaluate the reliability of this photograph.
