"I AM JENA SIX" Jena, Louisiana 2007

"I AM JENA SIX" Jena, Louisiana 2007

This photograph, taken at the historic September 2007 Jena Six protest, serves as a powerful visual statement on the complex relationship between patriotism and critical dissent. The image captures a large crowd of protestors asserting their rights as American citizens, not in spite of their flag, but directly beneath it.

The United States flag is the most striking feature, rendered in vibrant color against the black-and-white background. Its prominent display is an intentional symbolic act: the presence of the flag asserts that the movement for justice is not anti-American, but is fundamentally about holding the nation accountable to its stated ideals of liberty and equality. The protestors use the flag to claim the promise of the American system, rather than reject it. This action communicates that the fight against unequal justice is, in itself, a profoundly patriotic endeavor.

Beneath the flag, the crowd holds large signs, including one that reads “AM JENA SIX,” clearly identifying the cause. This fragmented syntax implies a message of shared identity: "I AM JENA SIX." By physically identifying with the accused teenagers, the protestors are universalizing the injustice. They suggest that if the rights of the Jena Six—six Black youth facing excessive legal charges—can be violated, then the rights of any American can be violated. The photograph effectively juxtaposes the nation’s highest symbol of freedom with an urgent demand for justice, powerfully demonstrating that true patriotism often requires critical dissent aimed at perfecting the nation’s democratic principles.