Photographic slide of the Poor People's Campaign: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This color slide depicts a large crowd listening to a drummer in front of the Lincoln Memorial. A drummer is seated on a folding chair on a wooden stage set up in front of the Memorial. The drummer, wearing a dark shirt and pants, sits with his back to the viewer. Two large drums are set up in front of him. A drum set is set up on his left. A second individual in a grey shirt and brown pants stands behind the drummer. The audience is sitting and standing on steps in front of the Memorial.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: May 21, 1968 - June 23, 1968
• Photograph by: Robert Houston, American, 1935 - 2021
• Subject of: Poor People's Campaign, American, 1967 - 1968
• Subject of: Unidentified Woman or Women
• Subject of: Unidentified Man or Men
• Subject of: Black Star, American, founded 1935
• Type: color slides
• Medium: reversal film and cardboard
• Dimensions: H x W: 1 15/16 × 1 15/16 in. (4.9 × 4.9 cm)
• Place depicted: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Housing
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Local and regional
• Topic: Music
• Topic: Photography
• Object number: 2015.245.251
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Robert Houston Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.