Photograph of a theater marquee promoting Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A color photograph captured by Melvin Van Peebles of a movie theater marquee promoting its showing of Van Peebles' film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. The image depicts the front of the Loew's State Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, California. Captured from across the street, the image depicts the theatre at street level, between Eastman Liquors and a shoe store, with only the proper right and center panels of the three-sided marquee visible. The art deco style marquee has "LOS ANGELES" as part of the design above the right panel of the marquee which has red text reading [SWEET SWEETBACK's / X BAADASSS SONG / 2ND HIT WAKE UP AND DIE]. The front panel of the marquee reads [COMING / SIMON / KING OF / WITCHES]. The street-level entrance has a red facade with posters and banners also promoting the film.

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