In 1969 I was a photographer for the Cornell yearbook, and on the day the AAS students were about to emerge from Willard Straight Hall, I was waiting outside the building with my camera. I was there a long time, and eventually some friends came by and started mugging for me, asking me to take their pictures for The Cornellian. I obliged, and promptly ran out of film. Just then, Tom Jones, Skip Meade and the others emerged from the Straight, with their bandoleers and rifles. The guy next to me snapped the photo, which appeared on the cover of Newsweek. Steve Starr won a Pulitzer Prize for that photo. I gave up photography and became a college professor!
Hello Mr. Mason,
ReplyDeleteI' am not American, never been to Cornell but I am doing a research paper on what happened in April 1969 in this university. I was wondering if you could tell me who exactly is on this photo. I know that Tom Jones is on but where exactly? Thank you in advance.
Tom Jones is not actually in this photograph, I think. He was one of the last of the group to exit the Straight. In Downs' book, there is another, very striking, photo of Jones exiting the Straight, with a rifle in his right hand, and his left arm raised in a clenched fist. (In the picture above, it is AAS member (and "minister of defense") Eric Evans leading the procession, with the bandolier across his chest).
ReplyDeleteI would be very interested to know more about your research and your paper, Gaelle, so perhaps you could share some of that, either here on this blog, or with me via email.
This picture is phony. There was never any takeover of the Cornell student union. This was done for publicity only.
ReplyDeleteAs a 20 year old in Vietnam I remember these Photo's well. They were published in the Stars & Stripes (Famous Military Newspaper). As I sat in my Base Camp watching Gunships shoot tracer rounds into the night, Thousands of miles from home. I had two thoughts.
ReplyDelete1. What am I doing here
2. It's safer here than at home.
Until now the two worse years in American History 1968-69
To Anonymous who said this never happen.... well that idiot didn't have a mother that was taken hostage that day and terrorized for over 30 hours. She was, physically abused and locked in a closet with her co-workers.. If you don't believe it just ask me as I lived through those long hours waiting to find out if she was OK. /this is posted as anonymous only because I don't have an account
ReplyDeleteHi David, are you still working on Cornell '69? I'm doing some research for a memoir and we might want to talk. - Steve Starr, the photo guy who stayed photo- best, thanks
ReplyDeletesteve@stevestarr.com
The photo guy who stayed photo! My alter ego! I'd love to talk, Steve. I'll send you an email.
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