"Say Her Name" protest, artist Janelle Monáe and Wondaland Records members perform "Hell You Talmbout" protest song, Atlanta, GA: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A digital, black-and-white image of Janelle Monáe performing "Hell You Talmbout" during a Black Lives Matter "Say Her Name" protest in Atlanta, Georgia. Monáe is standing left of center. She is wearing a white, long sleeve, polka dot bouse and white cap with a black band and visor. Her head is tilted towards her proper right shoulder, her chin is tilted slightly upwards, her eyes are closed, and she appears to be singing. Her proper right arm rests at her side and her proper left arm is draped over the shoulder of Felecia Christian, the mother of Alexia Christian, standing in the right foreground. Christian, on the right is holding a white protest sign in front of her with black, handwritten marker text that reads [#What happened to / ALEXIA CHRISTIAN / #SAY HER NAME / #STOPKILLINGUS!]. She wears a dark blouse, two chain necklaces, and dark sunglasses. She is facing the viewer with her chin raised, and also appears to be singing. Standing behind Monáe and Christian is Nate 'Rocket' Wonder of the Wondaland Arts Society, singing and clapping his hands. He is wearing a white T-shirt, metal rimmed sunglasses, and a round, broad brimmed hat. Standing in the background behind Monáe, Christian, and Wonder is a gathering of other protesters; some holding protest signs up in the air.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 2015
• Photograph by: Sheila Pree Bright, American, born 1967
• Subject of: Janelle Monáe, American, born 1985
• Subject of: Felecia Christian, American
• Subject of: Alexia Christian, American, died 2015
• Subject of: Nate "Rocket" Wonder, American
• Subject of: Unidentified Woman or Women
• Subject of: Wondaland Records, American, founded 2015
• Type: digital images
• Type: digital media - born digital
• Medium: digital
• Dimensions: H x W: 6000 pixels × 6000 pixels
• Dimensions: File size (Total): 103.09 MB
• Place captured: Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: American South
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Composers (Musicians)
• Topic: Gospel (Music)
• Topic: Justice
• Object number: 2021.56.1
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Sheila Pree Bright
• 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: © Sheila Pree Bright Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.