Designed by
Anderson, Gail, American, born 1962
Subject of
Dr. King, Martin Luther Jr., American, 1929 - 1968
Date
ca. 2018
Medium
ink on paper (fiber product)
Dimensions
H x W: 24 × 24 in. (61 × 61 cm)
Caption
Gail Anderson is a New York based designer and partner at Anderson Newton Design. Since 1987, Anderson has worked in the field of design at design firms, advertising agencies, and publications. Her work has received awards from major design organizations, including the Society of Publication Designers and the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). In 2008 she received a Lifetime Achievement Medal from the AIGA. Anderson currently works as Creative Director at the School of Visual Arts Press and is on the Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee for the US Post Office. In 2013, the US Postal Service commissioned Anderson to design the commemorative stamp for the sesquicentennial of the Emancipation Proclamation. Anderson was only the second African American designer tapped to design a commemorative stamp, the first being Georg Olden who designed the Proclamation’s 100th anniversary stamp in 1963.
Description
This is a black-and-white poster with an illustrated image of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. next to a quote from his final speech, delivered in Memphis on April 3, 1968. The poster is a square piece of off-white paper filled from margin to margin with large hand-lettered bubble font. The letters are outlined in black and are off-white in the center. The quote reads, "Like anybody, I would like to live a long life – longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land." In the bottom right quadrant is an illustrated portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He is shown from the chest up, and only the right-hand shoulder. His head is turned towards his right shoulder, and he is gazing slightly upwards. He wears a dark suit and tie over a collared shirt. Along the bottom margin is small black text that reads “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. April 3, 1968.”
Classification
Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Political and Activist Ephemera
Type
posters
Topic
Activism
Art
Civil rights
Design
Education
Graphic design
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Gail Anderson
Object number
2020.11.20
Restrictions & Rights
© Gail Anderson
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd527d2c8f0-1c5a-485c-9ced-8cf8a125dee3

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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