Students from Clark College gathered around Dr. King's tomb at Southview Cemetery

Photograph by

Henry, Horace C., American, born 1948

Subject of

Unidentified Man or Men

Unidentified Woman or Women

Clark Atlanta University, American, founded 1988

Printed by

Unidentified

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 11 x 14 in. (27.9 x 35.6 cm)

Type

inkjet prints

Portfolio/Series

One Day in January: A Collection of Images Taken at Dr. King’s First Memorial Service

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Place depicted

Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America

Date

January 15, 1969; printed 2011

Caption

These are some students from Clark College that gathered in front of Dr. King's tomb at Southview Cemetery for a small ceremony which took place after the Ebenezer Baptist Church event. Do you see anyone that you can identify?

Description

This black and white photograph was taken the day of the first commemorative event for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday in 1969. The photograph shows a group of unidentified people visiting King's original burial site at South-View Cemetery.

The unmarked side of the marble tomb can be seen at proper right under a dark tent. There is a small ceremonial flame resting on a bed of pebbles between the grave and the crowd. The unidentified crowd is standing facing the tomb.

The back of the photograph has a manufacturer's mark, and handwritten and printer's inscriptions.

Topic

Civil rights

Funeral customs and rites

HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)

Photography

Religion

United States--History--1961-1969

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Horace C. Henry

Object number

2011.94.42

Restrictions & Rights

© Horace Henry

Students from the Atlanta University Center visit Dr. Martin Luther King's Tomb at Southview Cemetery

Photograph by

Henry, Horace C., American, born 1948

Subject of

Unidentified Woman or Women

Unidentified Child or Children

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., American, founded 1906

Clark Atlanta University, American, founded 1988

Printed by

Unidentified

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 11 x 14 in. (27.9 x 35.6 cm)

Type

inkjet prints

Portfolio/Series

One Day in January: A Collection of Images Taken at Dr. King’s First Memorial Service

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Place depicted

Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America

Date

January 15, 1969; printed 2011

Description

This black and white photograph was taken the day of the first commemorative event for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday in 1969. The photograph shows a group of unidentified women and children visiting King's original burial site at South-View Cemetery. There are three woman standing on the far side of the tomb in front of a tomb that reads [REYNOLDS]. A group of unidentified children are standing behind the women.

The large white marble gravestone at proper right is partially cut of the image. The tomb reads [REV MARTIN LUTHER KING JR / 1929-1968 / "FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST, / THANK GOD ALMIGHTY I'M FREE AT LAST."] There is a space in front of the headstone that is filled with small pebbles and lined in stone. At the bottom of the photograph is a small ceremonial flame sitting on the rocks.

There is a wreath on the grave with a cursive signature [Alpha Phi Alpha / Eta Lambda Chapter]. The flowers are in the shape of the Alpha Phi Alpha greek letters. The wreath is leaning against the tomb behind the woman in the white coat.

The back of the photograph has a manufacturer's mark, and handwritten and printer's inscriptions.

Topic

Civil rights

Fraternal organizations

Funeral customs and rites

HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)

Photography

Religion

United States--History--1961-1969

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Horace C. Henry

Object number

2011.94.43

Restrictions & Rights

© Horace Henry

Something to Build On

16mm motion picture film of Something to Build On

Directed by

Bourne, St. Clair, American, 1943 - 2007

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Composed by

Hancock, Herbie, American, born 1940

Subject of

Nairobi College, founded 1969

Created by

California State University, Los Angeles, American, founded 1947

Subject of

The City College of the City University of New York, American, founded 1847

St. Petersburg College, American, founded 1927

Clark Atlanta University, American, founded 1988

Morehouse College, American, founded 1867

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 30 Minutes

Length (Film): 1190 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Place filmed

East Palo Alto, San Mateo County, California, United States, North and Central America

Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America

Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States, North and Central America

Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by St. Clair Bourne and produced by his production company, Chamba Productions, for the College Entrance Examination Board. The film provides various perspectives on the college experience and presents resources to encourage minority youth to attend college.

Description

16mm color film directed by St. Clair Bourne and produced his production company, Chamba Productions, for the College Entrance Examination Board. The film provides various perspectives on the college experience and presents resources to encourage minority youth to attend college.

Consists of: 16mm Film (a).

2012.79.1.54.1a: 16mm film. Film begins with an introduction animated segment of a young black man walking down a city sidewalk and then entering a doorway with the word College written over it. A musical soundtrack accompanies the animation. He walks down the hallway past doors and a trophy case while the voiceover narration begins. The narration focuses on thinking about how to get started on applying for college. The animation sequence depicts the prospective student collecting paperwork and talking to the appropriate people to take to the door with a college sign next to it. The animated introduction ends and the film transitions to live action and the title of the film. A man runs out of a storefront across a parking lot to his car. The next scene shows a professor leading a class discussion in a classroom. Then there is an exterior shot of Nairobi College and the man from earlier in the film running in the front door. The college is located in a small house. The narrator introduces the college and the man joins the classroom conversation. The narrator introduces Nate Perry, the man that has been in the film, and he talks about enrolling in Nairobi College. The narrator explains that the purpose of the college is to teach leaders for non-white communities and break down the separation of the college and the community by holding classes in different locations. The next scene shows the Nairobi College Cultural Center and students playing music and dancing. The next subject of the film is California State College (California State University) in Los Angeles. The narrator discusses the importance of the college for the Mexican American community. There is a shot of the front door of College Recruitment for Educational Opportunity (CREO). The door also has a sign for Community Relations for Educational Opportunity (also CREO). People are shown walking into the office and talking to someone in the office and he answers questions about gaining admission to college. A man is shown talking outside and a group discussion ensues about confronting the power structure. An inside classroom discussion also shows students talking about similar problems as those in the outside discussion. The next scene shows New York City and the narrator begins talking about City College of New York in Harlem and the importance of providing both financial assistance as well as special counseling and tutoring. However, the narrator points out that black and Puerto Rican students demanded an open admissions policy. A group of students is shown discussing education issues and going back to the community to work and raise awareness. The narrator introduces Megan McLaughlin, and she describes through a voiceover narration the Search for Elevation, Education, and Knowledge (SEEK) Program. She is shown walking on sidewalks during the voiceover narration. The next scene features St. Petersburg College, and the narrator discusses attending a junior college before attending a four-year institution. Students share their experiences and how students can benefit from attending a junior college. The smaller classes are beneficial and the opportunity to balance home life with attending college are among those benefits. The scene is filmed inside of a moving car while Don Gekkins, director of the Service Center Program, talks about how the program works. The next scene shows him entering a classroom where children are reciting words displayed on cards held by a tutor from the junior college. Don Gekkins is then shown leaving his house with his two sons and playing with them. Gekkins, in a voiceover narration, describes growing up in a depressed area of St. Petersburg. The next scene shows a college marching band leading a parade down a street. The narrator discusses this parade in the context of a four-year university and the distractions of a four-year university, particularly sports events. The university being discussed appears to be Howard University in Washington, D.C. After footage of cheerleaders and a football game, a football player is interviewed about attending college on a scholarship. After the interview, there is footage of a football practice. The next scene includes an interview with Tom Nelson, a college graduate and ex-professional football player. The next scene shows two men picking up trash on the sidewalk, then some other men performing municipal trash service. There is footage of a college campus, probably Clark University in Atlanta, while the narrator discusses the main reasons for attending college. The next scene shows a woman walking on a sidewalk and into a building while the narrator begins a discussion about financial aid. The woman enters an office and talks to a financial aid officer while the narrator discusses the difference between types of financial aid. The next scene shows a student from Nigeria at Morehouse College in Atlanta, and he discusses studying science to bring back knowledge to Nigeria. The film ends with the narrator presenting a summary of what has been discussed, and there is a montage of images from the entire film.

Topic

Dance

Education

Football

HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.54.1a

Restrictions & Rights

Public Domain

Something to Build On

16mm motion picture film of Something to Build On

Directed by

Bourne, St. Clair, American, 1943 - 2007

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Composed by

Hancock, Herbie, American, born 1940

Subject of

Nairobi College, founded 1969

California State University, Los Angeles, American, founded 1947

The City College of the City University of New York, American, founded 1847

St. Petersburg College, American, founded 1927

Clark Atlanta University, American, founded 1988

Morehouse College, American, founded 1867

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 30 Minutes

Length (Film): 1190 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Place filmed

East Palo Alto, San Mateo County, California, United States, North and Central America

Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America

Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States, North and Central America

Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by St. Clair Bourne and produced by his production company, Chamba Productions, for the College Entrance Examination Board. The film provides various perspectives on the college experience and presents resources to encourage minority youth to attend college.

Description

16mm color film directed by St. Clair Bourne and produced his production company, Chamba Productions, for the College Entrance Examination Board. The film provides various perspectives on the college experience and presents resources to encourage minority youth to attend college.

Consists of: 16mm Film (a).

2012.79.1.54.2a: 16mm film. Film begins with an introduction animated segment of a young black man walking down a city sidewalk and then entering a doorway with the word College written over it. A musical soundtrack accompanies the animation. He walks down the hallway past doors and a trophy case while the voiceover narration begins. The narration focuses on thinking about how to get started on applying for college. The animation sequence depicts the prospective student collecting paperwork and talking to the appropriate people to take to the door with a college sign next to it. The animated introduction ends and the film transitions to live action and the title of the film. A man runs out of a storefront across a parking lot to his car. The next scene shows a professor leading a class discussion in a classroom. Then there is an exterior shot of Nairobi College and the man from earlier in the film running in the front door. The college is located in a small house. The narrator introduces the college and the man joins the classroom conversation. The narrator introduces Nate Perry, the man that has been in the film, and he talks about enrolling in Nairobi College. The narrator explains that the purpose of the college is to teach leaders for non-white communities and break down the separation of the college and the community by holding classes in different locations. The next scene shows the Nairobi College Cultural Center and students playing music and dancing. The next subject of the film is California State College (California State University) in Los Angeles. The narrator discusses the importance of the college for the Mexican American community. There is a shot of the front door of College Recruitment for Educational Opportunity (CREO). The door also has a sign for Community Relations for Educational Opportunity (also CREO). People are shown walking into the office and talking to someone in the office and he answers questions about gaining admission to college. A man is shown talking outside and a group discussion ensues about confronting the power structure. An inside classroom discussion also shows students talking about similar problems as those in the outside discussion. The next scene shows New York City and the narrator begins talking about City College of New York in Harlem and the importance of providing both financial assistance as well as special counseling and tutoring. However, the narrator points out that black and Puerto Rican students demanded an open admissions policy. A group of students is shown discussing education issues and going back to the community to work and raise awareness. The narrator introduces Megan McLaughlin, and she describes through a voiceover narration the Search for Elevation, Education, and Knowledge (SEEK) Program. She is shown walking on sidewalks during the voiceover narration. The next scene features St. Petersburg College, and the narrator discusses attending a junior college before attending a four-year institution. Students share their experiences and how students can benefit from attending a junior college. The smaller classes are beneficial and the opportunity to balance home life with attending college are among those benefits. The scene is filmed inside of a moving car while Don Gekkins, director of the Service Center Program, talks about how the program works. The next scene shows him entering a classroom where children are reciting words displayed on cards held by a tutor from the junior college. Don Gekkins is then shown leaving his house with his two sons and playing with them. Gekkins, in a voiceover narration, describes growing up in a depressed area of St. Petersburg. The next scene shows a college marching band leading a parade down a street. The narrator discusses this parade in the context of a four-year university and the distractions of a four-year university, particularly sports events. The university being discussed appears to be Howard University in Washington, D.C. After footage of cheerleaders and a football game, a football player is interviewed about attending college on a scholarship. After the interview, there is footage of a football practice. The next scene includes an interview with Tom Nelson, a college graduate and ex-professional football player. The next scene shows two men picking up trash on the sidewalk, then some other men performing municipal trash service. There is footage of a college campus, probably Clark University in Atlanta, while the narrator discusses the main reasons for attending college. The next scene shows a woman walking on a sidewalk and into a building while the narrator begins a discussion about financial aid. The woman enters an office and talks to a financial aid officer while the narrator discusses the difference between types of financial aid. The next scene shows a student from Nigeria at Morehouse College in Atlanta, and he discusses studying science to bring back knowledge to Nigeria. The film ends with the narrator presenting a summary of what has been discussed, and there is a montage of images from the entire film.

Topic

Dance

Education

Football

HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.54.2a

Restrictions & Rights

Public Domain