A chart worth 1000 words

 I came across this chart, and thought that I should share it:

(1)

 

I think this image is quite nice:

1. Use of traffic light colours to clearly show different phases, labeled with number of years
2. Use of bold to indicate key date
• Arrival of first slaves on the British ship “white lion” (1619)
• (2) Note that the White Lion arrived a year before the Mayflower
• Official Abolition of Slavery in the USA (1865), after 246 years
• Official end to segregation by the US Supreme Court (1954), after another 89 years
3. Use of normal font to show centuries, to build the timeframe clearly.
4. Simple terms to label and explain the periods
5. The absence of description for the last one we are in, allows each viewer to fill it in.

However, I would like to add a fact, the last accepted lynching in the USA was in 1981 (3). So may be I would have made a little marker on the infographic, added an icon, without explanation, the idea being to allow discussion.

It all depends on the audience and what the author wants to do.

I think the original gives a clear undisputable view of things. My version of the infographic adds an element that allows further questioning, and directs the viewers thoughts towards whether the last period should truly be traffic light green.

 

1. https://zerflin.com/2016/04/06/client-highlight-how-white-supremacy-attempts-to-make-slavery-and-segregation-soooo-long-ago/ - It is worth reading the further descriptions in the link
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Lion_(privateer) - Interestingly the "White Lion" arrived before the Mayflower.
3.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynching_of_Michael_Donald