- Written by
- Gregory, Dick, American, 1932 - 2017
- Hefner, Hugh Marston, American, 1926 - 2017
- Edited by
- Orben, Robert, American, born 1927
- Published by
- Avon Books, American, founded 1941
- Photograph by
- Yulsman, Jerry, American, 1924 - 1999
- Subject of
- Rock Rest Tourist Home, American, 1948 - 1976
- Owned by
- Sinclair, Clayton, American
- Sinclair, Hazel, American
- Date
- 1962
- Medium
- ink on paper (fiber product)
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 7 1/16 × 4 3/16 × 7/16 in. (18 × 10.6 × 1.1 cm)
- Description
- A softcover, first edition copy of From the Back of the Bus, written by Dick Gregory, with a forward by Hugh Hefner. The front cover features a sepia toned image photograph of Dick Gregory sitting in the center seat of the backseat of a bus. In front of him are two seat back rests on opposite sides of the bus aisle. He is wearing a black suit and tie with a white dress shirt. Gregory is depicted smoking, with a cigarette held up to his lips with his proper right hand. Behind him is the bus’s blackened back window and a stenciled sign above that reads [NO SMOKING]. The author’s name and book title are printed inside the window in white and yellow text that reads [DICK GREGORY / From the / Back of the Bus]. In the top left corner is the logo for Avon publishers, [AVON] printed inside a large letter [A]. Below is the price, [60¢], and the serial number, [S-129] also printed in white text. Printed on the spine in white and yellow text is the author’s name, book title, the publisher’s logo, price, and serial number. The back of the dust jacket features a black-and-white photograph of Gregory seated in front of a desk. His eyebrows are raised and he appears to be speaking. He is sitting in a dark leather chair with a metal legs with legs crossed, his hands folded in his lap, and elbows resting on the armrests. He holds a cigarette in his proper right hand. He is wearing a light-toned suit, dark tone tie, and a white dress shirt. His body is turned slightly towards the viewer and he is looking diagonally across the desk. On the desk in front of him is a book, papers, a pack of cigarettes, and a small hand bell. The background is black. White text printed in the bottom left corner reads, [But the ad said “Engineers.” / And besides I’ve no experience / as a janitor…]. Printed at the top in yellow text is a one paragraph biography for Gregory. Small black text printed along the bottom right edge reads, [PRINTED in the U.S.A.]. The interior pages are white with black text. Following a dedication to Abraham Lincoln, is an introduction, followed by jokes and comedy summaries. There are also several printed black-and-white photographs of including a photograph of Dick Gregory dressed as Uncle Sam on page 20. The book has 125 pages with an advertisement printed on the back of page 125. Written near the spine, over the top page edges, is the text [9/19] written in light brown text.
- Place collected
- Kittery, York County, Maine, United States, North and Central America
- Place printed
- New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
- Collection title
- The Rock Rest Tourist Home Collection
- Classification
- Books and Published Materials
- Type
- paperbacks
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail, Inc.
- Object number
- 2011.12.52.23
- Restrictions & Rights
- © Dick Gregory Enterprises, Inc
- Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




