I was designing a photographic history exhibit for a prestigious university. The project required a series of panels that each depicted a different decade, from the 1930s to present.
Client: You know, this is all great, but it could use a little more diversity. Right now, there are a lot of photos of all white men, and we don’t want to send the wrong message.
Me: Okay, that’s a reasonable request. I could pull some photos of your black student organizations and women’s center and add those to the panels showing the school’s more recent history.
Client: Actually, we’d love more diversity in the early panels too.
Me: What do you mean?
Client: Like this panel depicting the university in the 30s. All the photos are of white men!
The school did not admit black students until the 1970s.
