Mourners gathered at Southview Cemetery

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 black and white photograph was taken the day of the first commemorative event for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday in 1969. The photograph shows a group of unidentified people visiting King's original burial site at South-View Cemetery. There are a few men at proper right, one of whom is facing the tomb. The other is turned toward another individual who is mostly obscured in the image. An unidentified man and woman are standing behind the grave. The large white marble 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. Sitting on the rocks is a small ceremonial flame. There is a wreath on the tomb with a cursive signature [Alpha Phi Alpha / Eta Lambda Chapter].

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