The artwork, titled “First Graders, Some of Japanese Ancestry, at the Weill Public School, San Francisco, Calif., Pledging Allegiance to the United States Flag,” was created by Dorothea Lange in 1942. This piece, belonging to the Social Realism art movement, is a photograph depicting its subjects engaged in a significant patriotic act during a tumultuous period in American history.
This poignant photograph captures a line of young first graders, some of whom are of Japanese ancestry, standing together with their right hands placed over their hearts as they pledge allegiance to the United States flag. The scene is set outdoors at the Weill Public School in San Francisco, California. The children, dressed in a mix of coats and sweaters, display a range of expressions from solemn to inquisitive. The background features a large building with a visible crowd, underscoring the communal aspect of this act of patriotism. The artwork serves as a powerful reminder of the complex cultural and racial dynamics present in America during World War II.
