This beautiful moment in time shown in the photo above was featured in Robert Frank's book The Americans (A collection of 83 photos that showcase both the positive and negative outlooks on the American way of life). Frank tackles issues pertaining particularly to class and racial struggles throughout the 1950s.
The contrasting photo of a black woman holding a white baby in a pre-civil rights America leaves the viewer thinking. A viewer's translation of the photo can be validated only after applying both the ideas of Sturken and Cartwright in Practices of Looking and Bordwell and Thompson in Film Art.
Practices of Looking explains that the viewer has the right to interpret any artwork with personal opinion, preference and viewpoint. Sturken and Cartwright believe this to be true because every person goes through different experiences throughout their life which gives them a unique viewpoint, separate and distinct from everyone else. In looking at this photo through the lens of Sturken and Cartwright, I see a white baby cradled in the arms of his/her caretaker (a black woman). The caretaker appears to be waiting for the mother of the child and strikes me as an extremely comforting "nanny" figure.
Film Art on the other hand explains that the auteur's intentions in creating the artwork set the framework for how the viewer or audience should interpret the work. Knowing the context of The Americans, I am able to assume that this photo showcases the racial tensions of post WWII America with a black "nanny" holding a small white baby. Racial segregation was prevalent during this time and this photograph was intended for the audience to take progressive action in accepting both of these individuals, as well as all people, devoid of race.