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Remembering Ammon Hennacy
By Jerry Currier | Wisdom and Inspiration |
Jul 1, 2006
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| Hundreds of negatives were stored in the Kodak paper boxes inside this trunk |
An attack of spring-cleaning recently led to the discovery of a
treasure trove of past photographic material I thought was long lost.
There is a small closet, nestled under the stairs in my downstairs
office/digital darkroom. Over the years, it has been the repository for
items I couldn’t throw out or give away for various, long-forgotten
reasons. I decided to clean it out and discovered two old metal trunks
stuffed in back and hidden by an assortment of “stuff,” old rugs,
cardboard file boxes filled with assorted mementos and clothing that is
now being stored for the day that it will fit once again.
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©Jerry Currier
Ammon Hennacy
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Dragging the trunks into the light and opening them (I had to break the
lock on one, as the key wouldn’t work in the rusty lock) left me
absolutely stunned and thrilled! Buried under a variety of
newspapers and magazines with headlines of President Kennedy’s
assassination and heralding the first moon landing, there were several
Kodak 500 sheet, 8" x 10" paper boxes filled with hundreds of
negatives—photographic projects I abandoned and had long since
forgotten once again saw the light of day.
One of these projects was going to be an article about a fascinating
man, Ammon Hennacy. I met Ammon in Salt Lake City in 1962 or ’63.
I think it was Bruce Phillips who introduced me to him. Bruce now goes
by the moniker of Utah Phillips and is a well-known folk musician. I
think Bruce felt that I might find the material for a photo essay
centered on Ammon’s efforts to help the transients, tramps, and winos
(as they were called in the 1960s) who found themselves down and out in
Salt Lake.
Ammon was a self-described Catholic/anarchist/pacifist (what a
combination)! He refused to pay taxes for moral reasons and had
been in and out of numerous jails and prisons as a result of his
anti-war, anti-bomb, anti-draft philosophy. He founded and ran a place
called the "Joe Hill House of Hospitality" in downtown Salt Lake City.
It was located in a rather rundown storefront, chosen for its cheap
rent and because it was near the
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©Jerry Currier
Painting by Mary Lathrop
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employment
office and skid row.
It was named for Joe Hill, a “labor martyr” who was executed after
being convicted of murder in Utah in the early 1900s. Depending on who
you believe, Hill was actually guilty of the crime or was framed for a
murder he didn't commit.
A painting by Mary Lathrop (another activist and friend of Ammon’s)
portraying Hill’s execution at the hands of a Utah firing squad
dominated one wall of the interior of the House. Ammon mentions this
painting in his autobiography, The Book of Ammon, “The I.W.W.
(International Workers of the World or “the Wobblies”) wouldn't print
this picture because it had Christ in it, and the Catholic papers won't
print it because Joe Hill is in it.”
In a conversation Ammon described his “House of Hospitality” as a place
where the “unacceptable” charity cases (unacceptable in the eyes of
most organized charitable organizations) could get a meal, coffee, and
a place to sleep. All with, “No questions asked, no sermons, no singing
or praying.” The only “rule” Ammon had was that no drinking was
allowed. Being an anarchist, he didn’t believe in rules or laws. As far
as he was concerned, laws and rules were just another way to rob people
of their freedoms.
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©Jerry Currier
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I remember asking Ammon how he enforced the “No Drinking Here” sign
that was prominently displayed. I was curious in light of the fact that
many of his guests were on the skids because of some kind of alcohol
related problem. His response was that the miscreant was reminded that
drinking was not allowed and then escorted to the door and asked not to
come back. When I asked if “escorting” the person to the exit didn’t
often require a certain application of physical force (which Ammon
disapproved of), his response was it wasn’t force but “persuasion.”
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©Jerry Currier
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Ammon is undoubtedly one of the most interesting men I have ever
photographed. Let me quote from the handwritten notes I made at the
time:
- “A man with strangely piercing gray eyes and a crop
of bushy gray hair-fine teeth-a vegetarian and a disbeliever in
medicine (a Christian Scientist upbringing, perhaps?). A man who seems
to be honest in his beliefs and who seems without hypocrisy.”
- “I would say he enjoys being in trouble—trouble, that is,
as our society understands the word. He seems to be daring the world,
but daring it to what is not always clear.”
- “He has exceptional energy for a man of seventy years or
more. To look at him you would assume he is no older than
fifty.”
- “Excellent flashing teeth and a biting sense of humor.”
- “Preaches in a soft way that, if you are not watching, does
not seem like preaching, merely conversation. Then if you become
agitated with him (easy to do, as his message goes against most current
social mores) and if you are observant, you realize that you were being
preached to, conversationally!”
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©Jerry Currier
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I had many conversations with Ammon. Many times I would become annoyed
and confrontational because I often didn’t agree with his radical
views. His responses were always measured and soft spoken. If I
interrupted one of his discourses, he would calmly pause, fix me with a
piercing gaze, wait until I had run down, then without breaking verbal
stride, continue from where he had been interrupted.
I should mention, that all the images accompanying this article were
taken with Ammon’s permission. He asked me not to take pictures of
the men who were his guests unless I received permission from them
individually, a request I complied with.
Ammon was a much more complex man than my notes would seem to imply. He
remains one of the most intriguing people I have encountered in over 50
years of making images: A radical, a rebel, and a thoroughly delightful man
to have known and disagreed with.
You can view more of Jerry Currier's images on his Portfolio.
Let us know if you found this article useful, and tell us what kinds of articles you'd like to see in upcoming issues. Send your comments and ideas to the editor.
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Last Updated: Jul 29th, 2010 - 13:28:46
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