Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Object Details

Artist: Unidentified Artist
Sitter: Theodore Martin Hesburgh, 25 May 1917 - 26 Feb 2015; Martin Luther King, Jr., 15 Jan 1929 - 4 Apr 1968

Exhibition Label: Reverend Theodore M. Hesburgh and Martin Luther King Jr. at the Illinois Rally for Civil Rights, June 21, 1964; Two days after the U.S. Senate passed the Civil Rights Bill of 1964, Martin Luther King spoke before a crowd of more than 57,000 during a rally at Soldiers’ Field in Chicago. While declaring that approval of the landmark legislation heralded a "dawn of new hope," King reminded his listeners that "passage of the civil rights bill does not mean we have reached the end of the civil rights struggle. We have come a long way in our journey, but we have a long, long way to go." King’s address was preceded by remarks from Notre Dame University president and United States Civil Rights Commission member the Reverend Theodore M. Hesburgh. One of many white members of the clergy to participate in the rally, Hesburgh told the crowd, "We want to strive for human dignity with you." At the close of the program, King and Hesburgh clasped hands in solidarity while singing "We Shall Overcome."

Credit Line: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the University of Notre Dame in honor of the Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C

1964 (printed 2007)

Medium: Digital print
Dimensions: Image: 33 x 25.9 cm (13 x 10 3/16"); Sheet: 48.1 x 33 cm (18 15/16 x 13"); Mat: 71.1 x 55.9 cm (28 x 22")

National Portrait Gallery

Topic: Exterior; Martin Luther King, Jr.: Male; Martin Luther King, Jr.: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Activist\Civil rights activist\Civil rights leader; Martin Luther King, Jr.: Religion and Spirituality\Clergy\Minister; Martin Luther King, Jr.: Nobel Prize; Martin Luther King, Jr.: Presidential Medal of Freedom; Martin Luther King, Jr.: Congressional Gold Medal; Theodore Martin Hesburgh: Male; Theodore Martin Hesburgh: Religion and Spirituality\Clergy; Theodore Martin Hesburgh: Society and Social Change\Reformer; Theodore Martin Hesburgh: Education\Administrator\University\President; Theodore Martin Hesburgh: Religion and Spirituality\Clergy\Priest; Theodore Martin Hesburgh: Presidential Medal of Freedom; Theodore Martin Hesburgh: Congressional Gold Medal; Portrait

GUID (Link to Original Record): http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4b7cb5179-3ae7-4ea0-83af-0af2547c0b25