February 2015 Auction Ends Thursday, February 26th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/26/2015
''We Shall Overcome'' portfolio from the ''March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom'' held on 28 August 1963. Published by the National Urban League: New York: 1963. Portfolio consists of seven unpaginated leaves including an introduction, table of contents and five collages by Louis LoMonaco printed in halftone color on black paper. Housed in the original black paper portfolio, also featuring a collage by LoMonaco. From the introduction, ''This collection of graphic collages had been created specifically as a memento for those who participated in the historic March on Washington for Freedom and Jobs on August 28, 1963. It depicts man's inhumanity, his cruelty to his fellow being. This memento, we believe, will inspire us to assert man's decency and goodness through an understanding of anguish.'' Below this text are six facsimile signatures, including Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights figure Roy Wilkins, and a man named Josephus, the last living slave. This portfolio is exceedingly rare and infrequently comes up for auction. There is a set housed in the New York Public Library and another copy at the Library of Congress, where it was displayed during the Library's Voices of Civil Rights exhibition in 2005. Portfolio and leaves measure 9.25'' x 11''. Leaves are in near fine condition with crease to edge of one collage. ''From Washington / 8-28-63 / Garrett'' is penned to top left of introduction leaf in an unknown hand. Portfolio is in very good condition with small tears to edges and minor creasing. A well-preserved scarce set.
''We Shall Overcome'' First Edition Portfolio From the ''March on Washington'' -- Scarce Complete Portfolio of Five Collages Issued by the National Urban League as a Memento for Marchers
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