Photograph by
Robert Houston, American, 1935 - 2021
Subject of
Poor People's Campaign, American, 1967 - 1968
Unidentified Man or Men
Black Star, American, founded 1935
Date
May 21, 1968 - June 23, 1968
Medium
reversal film
Dimensions
H x W: 1 15/16 × 1 15/16 in. (4.9 × 4.9 cm)
Caption
This slide is part of a collection of 35mm slides encapsulating Robert Houston's full portfolio of images related to the Poor People's Campaign and the antipoverty protest camp on the National Mall. Known as "Resurrection City," the camp lasted for six weeks in the spring of 1968.
Description
This photographic transparency depicts a yellow school bus parked by the curb with five men's heads protruding from side windows and one man emerging from the door. The photograph is taken from the rear right side of the bus, looking towards the front. There are two hand-made signs taped to the bus’s side, both handwritten on white paper. One, in black letters, reads "NEWARK, N.J. / VAN-GUARD/ POOR PEOPLES/ CAMPAIGN." The other sign, written in red ink reads “NEWARK, NJ." Painted in black and white script by the door's lower corner is the bus company's logo that reads "Mer (?)enthal (?)rs/ Bus Service." Five men lean out the upper half of five bus windows, looking over their right shoulders towards the viewer. Two of the men wear flat caps, and all five men wear over shirts or jackets in shades of khaki or dark blue. A sixth man in a dark blue jacket stands in the bus's open door. With the transparency was a protective plastic sleeve with a sticker on the upper left corner with both handwritten and stamped text.
Place depicted
National Mall, Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Media Arts-Photography
Movement
African American - Latinx Solidarity
Poor People's Campaign
Type
transparencies
Topic
Activism
Civil rights
Housing
Local and regional
Photography
Politics
Poverty
U.S. History, 1961-1969
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2015.245.288
Restrictions & Rights
© Robert Houston
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd54d9df1f0-4def-4111-b5a0-e5ba6bdd642a

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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