Staples singers preforming on the mall: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black-and-white photograph of The Staples Singers performing outside. Pops Staples is at the end, playing a guitar and singing into a microphone. Cleotha Staples, Yvonne Staples and Mavis Staples are also singing into microphones. Mavis is seen on the right side of the photograph. She has her arm slightly raised. The photograph has the photographer's stamp and an inscription on the back.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1974
• Photograph by: Milton Williams, American, born 1940
• Subject of: The Staple Singers, American, 1948 - 1994
• Subject of: Pops Staples, American, 1914 - 2000
• Subject of: Mavis Staples, American, born 1939
• Subject of: Cleotha Staples, American, 1935 - 2013
• Subject of: Yvonne Staples, American, born 1938
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W: 7 15/16 x 9 15/16 in. (20.2 x 25.2 cm)
• Place captured: National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Gospel (Music)
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Rhythm and blues (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2011.15.324
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Milton Williams Archives
• 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: © Milton Williams Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.