You will hardly find a person who hasn't heard of “National Geographic” magazine. It was always a synonym for the exploration of our beautiful planet with extremely well done photography. But in the April magazine of 2018, it's Editor in Chief, Susan Goldberg, reveals a dark secret…
In a central piece, titled “For Decades, Our Coverage Was Racist. To Rise Above Our Past, We Must Acknowledge It”, she reveals results of an investigation that has encompassed “National Geographic” coverage of people of color in the U.S. and abroad. You may find it extremely interesting.
Susan Goldberg is the tenth editor of “National Geographic” since its founding in 1888. She is the first woman editor and the first Jewish — so she fell into two groups that also once faced discrimination. And she decided to ask for help Elizabeth Kolbert, author of the excellent text There’s No Scientific Basis for Race — It's a Made-Up Label, and John Edwin Mason, University of Virginia professor specializing in the history of photography and the history of Africa.
On April 4th it will be the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s a worthy moment to step back, to take stock of where we are on race. And also to make a serious effort towards correction of mistakes from the past. The first step is always — make people aware of those mistake.
Good luck with your noble intentions, Susan Goldberg.
* PHOTOGRAPH OF WINNIE MANDELA by JAMES P. BLAIR, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE, 1977