The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 14, 2025
Fifth Avenue Parade
1947
(American, 1921–1985)
Image: 24.8 x 17.8 cm (9 3/4 x 7 in.)
Location: Not on view
Did You Know?
The United States has a long history of discrimination against, and suspicion of, Asian Americans.Description
Ruth Orkin excelled at capturing how the gazes and gestures of people in a crowd express their inter relationships and attitudes. When photographing parades, she most often turned her camera on the audience rather than the marchers. This photo was taken in 1947, just two years after the end of World War II, when Japan was an enemy nation. The focus of Orkin’s attention are a boy and girl of Asian descent watching the parade. The boy protectively wraps his arm around his sister’s shoulder.- ?-2022Orkin/Engle Film & Photo Archive, given to The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OHDecember 5, 2022-The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- {{cite web|title=Fifth Avenue Parade|url=false|author=Ruth Orkin|year=1947|access-date=14 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2023.62