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Museum object · Photographs and Still Images

Photographic transparency of the Poor People's Campaign

May 21, 1968 - June 23, 1968

National Mall, Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America

COLLECTION RECORDImage not availableExplore the catalog description and source record.
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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.

This photographic transparency depicts a yellow school bus parked by the curb with five men's heads protruding from side windows and one man emerging from the door. The photograph is taken from the rear right side of the bus, looking towards the front. There are two hand-made signs taped to the bus’s side, both handwritten on white paper. One, in black letters, reads "NEWARK, N.J. / VAN-GUARD/ POOR PEOPLES/ CAMPAIGN." The other sign, written in red ink reads “NEWARK, NJ." Painted in black and white script by the door's lower corner is the bus company's logo that reads "Mer (?)enthal (?)rs/ Bus Service." Five men lean out the upper half of five bus windows, looking over their right shoulders towards the viewer. Two of the men wear flat caps, and all five men wear over shirts or jackets in shades of khaki or dark blue.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2015.245.288

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