Wreath and eternal flame laid in front of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s tomb at Southview Cemetery

Object Details

Caption: Dr. King was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and members of the Eta Lambda Graduate Chapter laid this wreath at his tomb to honor, to celebrate, to rejoice and remember the life of a King.; ....And all of this happened ... "One Day In January". - HORACE C. HENRY-
Description: This black and white photograph were taken the day of the first commemorative event for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday in 1969. The photograph shows the marble tomb, center, of King's original burial site at South-View Cemetery. The tomb reads [REV MARTIN LUTHER KING JR / 1929-1968 / "FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST, / THANK GOD ALMIGHTY I'M FREE AT LAST."]; There is a space in front of the headstone that is filled with small pebbles and lined in stone. At the bottom of the photograph is a small ceremonial flame sitting on the rocks. Between the tomb and the flame, there is a wreath with a cursive signature [Alpha Phi Alpha / Eta Lambda Chapter]. The flowers are in the shape of the Alpha Phi Alpha greek letters. The wreath is leaning against the tomb with the the flowers and bottom half of the inscription visible.; The back of the photograph has a manufacturer's mark, and handwritten and printer's inscriptions.

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Horace C. Henry

January 15, 1969; printed 2011

Place depicted: Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Portfolio/Series: One Day in January: A Collection of Images Taken at Dr. King’s First Memorial Service
Classification: Media Arts-Photography

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic: African American; Associations and institutions; Civil Rights; Fraternal organizations; Funeral customs and rites; Photography; Religion; U.S. History, 1961-1969

GUID (Link to Original Record): http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd596a6c666-3bba-427f-80ee-0f83221b1c74