Photographs

Martin Luther King, Jr., The Boston Gardens, Boston, MA, 1967. This photo was taken at a benefit event to help pave the way for the Poor People’s Campaign. Sidne Portier was the master of ceremonies, while Dizzy Gillespie and Harry Belafonte were part of the night’s entertainment.

Preach and Protest, Anti-War & Anti-Poverty Rally, Boston Commons, Boston, MA, 1967. Boston was believed to be a progressive city of liberal colleges and universities. It also was known as Kennedy country. However, the city had its share of problems with race and poverty, particularly in areas like Roxbury, where unemployment, substandard education, and poor housing were realities for many residents. This photograph was taken during a King rally in Boston Common, a public park located in the center of the city. Boston Common is one of the oldest parks in the country.

Empty Pockets, Anti-War & Anti-Poverty Rally, Boston Commons, Boston, MA, 1967. The veteran wearing this fatigue jacket insisted that someone help tell his story, and the story of all veterans facing challenges after coming home from the Vietnam War. Many veterans found themselves unemployed, homeless and living the realities of poverty in America.

Taking a Stand, Poor People’s Campaign, Washington, DC, 1968. Hundreds of people were marching in the streets when this photograph was taken. The police and fire department blocked off the street to keep protesters from marching. This woman from Marks, Mississippi stopped at the Department of Justice and stood. “I’m going to stay here until we get some justice,î she said. “Until we get some justice.”

Building Monuments, Poor People’s Campaign, Washington, DC, 1968. Students and professors from the University of Maryland, College Park designed and helped erect the tents at Resurrection City. Their design used minimal materials and allowed natural light inside the tents during the day, while maintaining privacy. In this photograph, builders are constructing the prototype. Construction companies from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC brought the materials, as well as the tools the march participants used.

Blues and Guitar, Migrant Farm, Crestwood, VA, n/d. This gentleman was a migrant tenant farmer from Florida. The photograph was taken in his living quarters, which was a converted horse stable he shared with other migrants. Because of his age and poor health, he would watch the children, while younger farmers worked the fields. He owned nothing except for his blues and a guitar.

Man in a Garden, Boston, MA, 1967. Poverty and civil rights were not only challenges for Americans in rural parts of the country. Photographed in the Roxbury section of Boston, this gentleman was taking a break from working in his garden. He cleared broken glass, bricks and garbage from the small plot of land each day. The garden was an affordable source of food and it helped him to maintain a connection to his home in the South. The garden sits to the left of the photo, beyond the image’s border. In the background, people live in the abandoned building, which has no electricity or running water. King met Coretta Scott in Boston, while he was in graduate school at Boston University. He discovered that finding a decent place to live as a African American graduate student would be difficult.

Young Woman from Selma, Poor People’s Campaign, Washington, DC, 1968. Before taking this photograph, the young woman wanted to do her hair and makeup. She wanted the image to reflect her beauty and dignity.

Woman from Marks, MS, Poor People’s Campaign, Washington, DC, 1968. The woman in this photograph was part of a large group of protesters from Marks, Mississippi. The march to...