ABSTRACT
Even before the invention of photography, certain images gained iconic status in human culture. Benjamin Franklin's "Join or Die" snake image said to be the first American political cartoon, originally appeared during the French and Indian War, was repurposed by Paul Revere in 1775, and continues to be a powerful representation of the movement toward US independence and nationhood. Social media were flooded with photos, some taken by news photographers, but many others by people on the streets. "Migrant Mother", a photo taken in 1936 by Farm Security Administration photographer Dorothea Lange, might be described as iconic. The image of a 32-year-old mother of seven children during the Great Depression still appears today in the news when graphic designers are seeking an image to accompany a story about economic hard times. Powerful images, especially those in the news, offer educators another visual literacy "teachable moment" opportunity.
