Photograph by
Platon, British, born 1968
Subject of
McCain, Franklin, American, 1941 - 2014
McNeil, Joseph, American, born 1942
F. W. Woolworth Company, American, 1879 - 1997
International Civil Rights Center & Museum, American, founded 2010
Date
2009; printed 2019
Medium
pigment on paper
Dimensions
H x W (image): 14 7/16 × 21 1/2 in. (36.7 × 54.6 cm)
H x W (sheet): 20 × 24 in. (50.8 × 61 cm)
H x W (matted): 22 × 28 in. (55.9 × 71.1 cm)
Description
A black-and-white photograph of Joseph A. McNeil and Franklin E. McCain, by Platon. McNeil and McCain are depicted leaning on the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. They are standing on the service side of the counter, opposite a row of lunch counter stools with metal seat frames, plastic seats, and metal spindle backrests. McNeil is depicted in the far-left foreground, with his proper left elbow and right forearm resting on the counter and his face cradled in his proper left hand. He is wearing a medium tone suit with widely spaced thin, light stripes. He is also wearing a white dress shirt, matching tie, frameless glasses, and a watch with a thick metal band. McCain, depicted on the right, is resting both forearms on the counter with his fingers laced together in front of him. He is wearing a dark toned suit jacket, white dress shirt, a diagonally striped tie, and square, wireframed glasses. The photograph was taken from an upwards perspective, at counter level. Both men’s heads are slightly turned, and they are looking down towards the viewer. In the background is the rest of the diner which has horizontally striped walls, a square tile floor, a square pillar, and four rows of round light fixtures. The photograph has a thick white border. The edition number, [5/12], is printed in the bottom left corner. The photographer’s signature and date, [Platon 19], is handwritten in the bottom right corner. Inside the border, at the bottom center, is the photographer’s embossed mark: [PLATON ? / EDITIONED ? / PRINT ?[encircled between two bands of embossed dots]]. The back of the photograph is plain and white.
Place printed
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Place captured
Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Photographs and Still Images
Type
pigment prints
portraits
Topic
Activism
American South
Civil rights
Cooking and dining
Museums
Photography
Race discrimination
Segregation
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Platon
Object number
2021.33.13
Restrictions & Rights
© Platon
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5153309a0-44a1-4d61-a830-fc7b0bb0f6f1

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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