History Lesson Comments

 “History Lesson” reveals the reality of history as both past and present by poetically comparing one snapshot to another from a former age. Does time move progressively forward  from segregated beaches to desegregated beaches which indicates progress? Or is the author saying that neither picture indicates a change in history? The picture that was taken first is described last- the picture taken last is described first challenges the reader about the movement of time. A photograph itself suggests that moments persist even though time has moved on. The setting of the picture is important as well. This beach was formerly a segregated one but the gulf it is located on was a major waterway for the importation of slaves into the deep south before and after the slave trade was outlawed. History keeps going back and forth like the waves coming in and retreating over and over time and again.