Poster titled “Baby George”: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A poster titled “Baby George,” by George Stewart. The poster is white and features a black-and-white montage of illustrations depicting figures and scenes from the Civil Rights Movement, the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as the Holy Week Uprisings of 1968. King is centrally depicted from the chest up in three-quarters bust post, looking at the viewer. The illustration is superimposed over are two (2) additional illustrations of King looking off to the left and right edges of the poster. In the top right corner is an illustration of the United States Capitol Building and an illustration of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom depicting the Washington Monument and crowds gathered around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. In the bottom right corner are illustrations of Coretta Scott King, Rev. Ralph David Abernathy Sr., and an illustration of King’s funeral and service. In the top left corner is a depiction of President John F. Kennedy and King. On the left side of the poster are illustrations of the Holy Week Uprisings of 1968. The scenes depict rioters, looters, smashed storefront windows, police violence, fire, and injured and dead men. The artist’s signature and title of the piece is printed in cursive text in the bottom right corner and reads, [George Stewart / “Baby George” 1968]. There is an inscription written in black ink on the back of the poster that reads, [GIFT OF GEORGE STEWART (ARTIST)]. There is also a stamp in black ink in the top left corner that reads, [POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN / INFORMATION CENTER / 1913 NEW YORK AVE., N.W. / WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1968
• Illustrated by: George Stewart
• Distributed by: Poor People's Campaign, American, 1967 - 1968
• Subject of: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., American, 1929 - 1968
• Subject of: President John F. Kennedy, American, 1917 - 1963
• Subject of: Coretta Scott King, American, 1927 - 2006
• Subject of: Rev. Ralph David Abernathy, American, 1926 - 1990
• Subject of: Unidentified Man or Men
• Subject of: United States Capitol, American, founded 1793
• Type: posters
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 11 13/16 × 18 1/16 in. (30 × 45.8 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 14 × 20 1/16 in. (35.5 × 50.9 cm)
• Place captured: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Place captured: Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
• Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Art
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Justice
• Topic: Local and regional
• Topic: Poverty
• Topic: Resistance
• Object number: 2017.107.4
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Vincent A. deForest in honor of George Steward (Artist)
• 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: Unknown – Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.