Poor People's Campaign pin
Object number2022.005.0001
Date1968
ClassificationsArtifacts
ObjectPin
Credit LineThe Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
MediumMetal
DimensionsDiameter: 3 1/2 × 1/4 in. (8.9 × 0.6 cm)
DescriptionThis round pin advertises the 1968 Poor People's Campaign. It is 3 1/2" in diameter and features a prominent black and white image of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the center with the words "I have a dream..." on either side of him printed in blue text on a white background. Around the edge of the pin on a blue border are white and blue letters that read:
Poor Peoples Campaign
For Poor Power
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The reverse of the pin has a metal clasp that allow the pin to be attached to an item of clothing.
Curatorial CommentaryThe Poor People's Campaign was envisioned by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as a multi-ethnic coalition of poor people from across the United States. It was meant to draw attention to the plight of the poor, whether they were from urban ghettos or rural Appalachia. Dr. King was assassinated before the campaign could come to fruition, but Rev. Ralph Abernathy vowed to carry on the campaign in honor of Dr. King. The campaign culminated in a 16-acre encampment, Resurrection City, occupied by more than 3,000 poor people on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. from May 21 to June 24, 1968. - Stephanie Allen-Givens, Collections and Exhibits Manager
A new incarnation of the Poor People's Campaign, inspired by the 1968 campaign, is active today. You can learn about it here: https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/about/ - Stephanie Allen-Givens, Collections and Exhibits Manager
