Kavehfarrokh.com was contacted by Bradley Sylvester of checkyourfact.com on August 25, 2021 by e-mail with the following message:
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—–Original Message—–
From: Bradley Sylvester <xxxx>
To: manuvera@xxxx
Sent: Wed, Aug 25, 2021 11:54 am
Subject: Media Request
Hi Professor,
I’m a fact check reporter with checkyourfact.com. I recently encountered a viral Facebook post that claims to show women wearing skirts and jeans in Kabul, Afghanistan in the 1970s. My research, however, indicates you took this picture and that it actually shows women in Tehran, Iran in the 1970s. Could you confirm? We are interested in potentially fact-checking.
See here:
Please let me know if you can help!
Thanks,
Brad
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Below is the response of Kavehfarrokh.com to Bradley (Brad) Sylvester (kindly note that due to formatting the original e-mail is slightly edited for this posting below) …
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This picture is from Iran; The photo is from young Iranian university students in 1971 – This has nothing to do with Kabul or Afghanistan. The photo is from a book as cited below:
- Title: The Land of Kings
- Editors: R. Tarverdi (Editor) & Ali Massoudi (Art Editor)
- Printed in Tehran by Ettelaat Publications and offset by the Information Ministry Press.
- Year of Publication: 1971
Below is the cover page followed by the publication details of this book:
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I have also provided scans of pages 131-134 (see pages in sequence below this paragraph) to provide the proof and context for the photo (which is on page 133). I am not the photographer of the photo as I would have been just 9 years old when the book was published in 1971.
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The book was published as part of the larger initiative of the celebration of the founding of the Achaemenid Medo-Persian Empire of 2500 years in 1971. Technically this should be further back in time than 2500 years as the Mede Empire preceded that of the Achaemenids.
Interestingly the photos of this book appear to result in complex reactions, usually from Eurocentrists and other ideologues and racialists. As per the photo in question, credit must also be given where its due: these are Iranian women studying at the University of Tehran in 1971.
Kindly let me know that you received my e-mail and the scan of the book pages (The Land of Kings) :-)
An American funk group from Texas, Khruangbin which takes melodic inspiration from the popular music of Iran in the 1970s – the song “Maria También” has also been a tribute to Iranian women (Source: KEXP in YouTube). For more information on this group see the article “Global funk outfit Khruangbin on the Iranian records that shape their sound“. The performers are Laura Lee (bass), Mark Speer (guitar) and Donald “DJ” Johnson (percussion).
Many Cheers
Kaveh
