--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The artifacts that persist in my memory…" description: "\"“The artifacts that persist in my memory are the photographs of lynchings. But it’s not the burned, mutilated bodies that stick with me. It’s the faces..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/adam-serwer-193091_cruelty_the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory_833586.jpg" --- # The artifacts that persist in my memory are the… ![“The artifacts that persist in my memory are the photographs of lynchings. But it’s not the burned, mutilated bodies that stick with me. It’s the faces of the white men in the crowd. There’s the photo of the lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in Indiana in 1930, in which a white man can be…” quote by Adam Serwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/adam-serwer-193091_cruelty_the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory_833586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/adam-serwer-193091_cruelty_the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory_833586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/adam-serwer-193091_cruelty_the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory_833586.jpg) > ““The artifacts that persist in my memory are the photographs of lynchings. But it’s not the burned, mutilated bodies that stick with me. It’s the faces of the white men in the crowd. There’s the photo of the lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in Indiana in 1930, in which a white man can be seen grinning at the camera as he tenderly holds the hand of his wife or girlfriend.”” Adam Serwer ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The haunting power of lynching photos lies not in the violence but in the indifferent faces of white onlookers, exposing societal complicity. **In simple terms:** Images haunt because of indifferent onlookers, not the violence. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge passive complicity. Themes racism history memory violence Mood somber provocative Type analytical historical When to use this quote - education - activism - museum curation - public discourse Key Concepts critical theory social justice Questions to Reflect On - How does passive observation enable oppression? - What actions confront this indifference? A Different Perspective Viewing images without confronting systemic racism perpetuates harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Indiana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indiana/) [Lynching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lynching/) [Lynchings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lynchings/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [White power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-power/) [Whiteness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whiteness/) ## Related quotes > [“While stationed in Fort Jackson, I experienced racial prejudice for the first time and came to the understanding that humans are not born with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omanson-oliver/while-stationed-in-fort-jackson-i-experienced-racial-prejudice-for/) Omanson, Oliver > [I mean it used to be, there was a time … when lynchings of African Americans were not that incredibly rare. Now the lynchings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/i-mean-it-used-to-be-there-was-a-time-when-lynchings-of-african/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [“A society with lynch culture needs a big zoo, not for the animals definitely, but for the very people themselves!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-society-with-lynch-culture-needs-a-big-zoo-not-for-the-animals/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“There's also way too much religion in the South to be consistent with good mental health. Still, I love traveling down there, especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/there-s-also-way-too-much-religion-in-the-south-to-be-consistent-with/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“If ten men are trying to lynch one allegedly vile person, than we can be completely sure that there are ten vile people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-ten-men-are-trying-to-lynch-one-allegedly-vile-person-than-we-can/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [It's impossible to separate our contemporary practice of the death penalty from our history around race and slavery, and specifically, lynching. Where lynchings were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/it-s-impossible-to-separate-our-contemporary-practice-of-the-death/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [Every lynching deprives its victim of his life without due process of law, and denies him an equal protection of the law. The States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/every-lynching-deprives-its-victim-of-his-life-without-due-process-of/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“South Carolina had thirteen lynchings last year, ten were charged with assault on white women, one with horse stealing and two with being impudent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-b-wells-barnett/south-carolina-had-thirteen-lynchings-last-year-ten-were-charged-with/) [Ida B. Wells-Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells-barnett/) > [“…the racial divides in the United States will not be overcome until lynchings of all kinds are as painful to nonblacks as they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-lester/the-racial-divides-in-the-united-states-will-not-be-overcome-until/) [Julius Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-lester/) > [In my opinion while lynchings were quite possibly the most heinous crimes ever witnessed in American history, they helped in bringing people together for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/in-my-opinion-while-lynchings-were-quite-possibly-the-most-heinous/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [“It is as if we have reentered the past and are living in a second Nadir: It seems the rate of police killings now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/it-is-as-if-we-have-reentered-the-past-and-are-living-in-a-second/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [“The next morning the newspapers carried the news that while our meeting was being held there had been staged in Paris, Texas, one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-b-wells-barnett/the-next-morning-the-newspapers-carried-the-news-that-while-our/) [Ida B. Wells-Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells-barnett/) > [“It seems the rate of police killings now surpasses the rate of lynchings during the worst decades of the Jim Crow era. There was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/it-seems-the-rate-of-police-killings-now-surpasses-the-rate-of/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [Although lynchings have steadily increased in number and barbarity during the last twenty years, there has been no single effort put forth by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-b-wells/although-lynchings-have-steadily-increased-in-number-and-barbarity/) [Ida B. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells/) > [“It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can stop him from lynching me, and I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/it-may-be-true-that-the-law-cannot-make-a-man-love-me-but-it-can-stop/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) ## More Cruelty quotes > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Nature is pitiless; she never withdraws her flowers, her music, her fragrance, and her sunlight from before human cruelty or suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nature-is-pitiless-she-never-withdraws-her-flowers-her-music-her/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [There's a certain edge about cruelty. If you're honest about it, most people wince, but say it had to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-waterman/there-s-a-certain-edge-about-cruelty-if-you-re-honest-about-it-most/) [Pete Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-waterman/) > [He lacked tenderness; he was rude; and he had more than a streak of cruelty in him; he was a thief and a liar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/he-lacked-tenderness-he-was-rude-and-he-had-more-than-a-streak-of/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) James Nayler > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [Regarding lack of vision or disabilities of the organ of sight, it has long been known among researchers that it is the effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-heindel/regarding-lack-of-vision-or-disabilities-of-the-organ-of-sight-it-has/) [Max Heindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-heindel/) > [“When you’re a monster, she thought, you are thanked and praised for not behaving like a monster. She would like to restrain from cruelty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/when-you-re-a-monster-she-thought-you-are-thanked-and-praised-for-not/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us? - to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-is-it-the-bible-teaches-us-raping-cruelty-and-murder-what-is-it/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Music comes from the heart and returns to the heart... music is spontaneous, impulsive expression... its range is without limit... music is forever growing...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-stokowski/music-comes-from-the-heart-and-returns-to-the-heart-music-is/) [Leopold Stokowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-stokowski/) > [The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-schoolmaster-is-the-person-who-takes-the-children-off-the-parents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You must learn that to endure cruelty is to become cruel yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bleach/you-must-learn-that-to-endure-cruelty-is-to-become-cruel-yourself/) [Bleach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bleach/) > [“in every pleasure, cruelty has its place...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-every-pleasure-cruelty-has-its-place/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Old people deserves a medal, a medal of existence which crowns their long-term victory against the cruelty of time and the dangers of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/old-people-deserves-a-medal-a-medal-of-existence-which-crowns-their/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) [Browse all 1,675 Cruelty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The artifacts that persist in my memory are the photographs of lynchings. But it’s not the burned, mutilated bodies that stick with me. It’s the faces of the white men in the crowd. There’s the photo of the lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in Indiana in 1930, in which a white man can be seen grinning at the camera as he tenderly holds the hand of his wife or girlfriend.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Serwer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-serwer/the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory-are-the-photographs-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cruelty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-serwer/the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory-are-the-photographs-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/adam-serwer-193091_cruelty_the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory_833586.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/adam-serwer-193091_cruelty_the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory_833586.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/adam-serwer-193091_cruelty_the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory_833586.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The artifacts that persist in my memory are the photographs of lynchings. But it’s not the burned, mutilated…” — Adam Serwer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam Serwer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-serwer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The artifacts that persist in my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-serwer/the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory-are-the-photographs-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-serwer/the-artifacts-that-persist-in-my-memory-are-the-photographs-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```