Many of these photos were taken as part of a photography class in which the inspiration was intended to be Robert Frank's series/book "The Americans", published first in France about 1959. My thoughts were that Frank's photos were much too one sided and showed only the darker side of Americans in the late 1950's, contributing, I think, to some of the negative stereotype of Americans. My intent with these photos is to show a more balanced side of Americans, not just the dark banalities shown by Frank. Yes, these photos show Americans in everyday activities, but those activities often show the joyous nature, the striving, and the dreams associated with American society. Hopefully, as the series expands, a cross-section of American society will emerge.