Photograph by
Platon, British, born 1968
Subject of
McNair, Denise, American, 1951 - 1963
16th Street Baptist Church, American, founded 1873
Date
2010; printed 2019
Medium
pigment on paper
Dimensions
H x W (image): 19 3/4 × 15 1/16 in. (50.1 × 38.2 cm)
H x W (sheet): 24 × 20 in. (61 × 50.8 cm)
H x W (matted): 22 × 28 in. (55.9 × 71.1 cm)
Description
A black-and-white photograph of Carol Denise McNair’s dress, by Platon. The child sized dress was owned by McNair, one of the four girls killed during the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing in Birmingham, Alabama that took place on September 15, 1963. The light tone, knee length dress has puffed, three quarters length sleeves with gathered cuffs edged in lace. The dress is also gathered at the waist and embellished with a row of embroidered daisies. The dress has a short round neckline with a lace frill and a plain hemline. The background of the photograph is solid black. 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
Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Photographs and Still Images
Movement
Civil Rights Movement
Type
pigment prints
Topic
Activism
Baptist
Children
Civil rights
Clothing and dress
Hate crimes
Photography
Race discrimination
Religion
Violence
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Platon
Object number
2021.33.18
Restrictions & Rights
© Platon
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5f4fbc42e-7a6b-4419-b422-9d6fdcf94d37

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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