Object Details
- referenced
- King, Jr., Martin Luther
- Thomas, Althea
- Bloch Company
- Description (Brief)
- Althea Thomas served as organist for Martin Luther King Jr.’s congregation at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama from 1955 unti King announcing his departure for Atlanta in December, 1959. Her performances while wearing these shoes of gospel anthems such as “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” inspired King and his congregationevery Sunday during the landmark Montgomery bus boycott.
- A pair of black tap shoes made by Bloch, modified to play organ bass pedals. Thomas removed the metal taps on the bottoms of the shoes to use them as organ shoes.
- Credit Line
- Gift of Althea Thomas
- ID Number
- 2019.0071.01
- accession number
- 2019.0071
- catalog number
- 2019.0071.01
- Object Name
- shoes, pair of
- Physical Description
- canvas (overall material)
- textile (overall material)
- rubber (overall material)
- leather (overall material)
- metal (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 3 1/4 in x 3 1/2 in x 9 1/2 in; 8.255 cm x 8.89 cm x 24.13 cm
- part: left shoe: 3 3/8 in x 3 1/2 in x 9 1/2 in; 8.5725 cm x 8.89 cm x 24.13 cm
- worn
- United States: Alabama, Montgomery
- See more items in
- Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
- Music & Musical Instruments
- Exhibition
- Entertainment Nation
- Exhibition Location
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of American History
- subject
- Civil Rights Movement
- Record ID
- nmah_1930237
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b4-685f-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
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