August 28, 1963. "Emancipator looking down on demonstrators. Participants in the March on Washington in front of the Lincoln Memorial and massed along both sides of the Reflecting Pool, viewed from behind Abraham Lincoln statue." Photo by James K. Atherton for United Press International.

A Bird’s Eye View of the ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech – An Incredible Photograph

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What an incredible photograph. This is a shot over Lincoln’s left shoulder, down onto the massive crowd watching the “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963.

August 28, 1963. "Emancipator looking down on demonstrators. Participants in the March on Washington in front of the Lincoln Memorial and massed along both sides of the Reflecting Pool, viewed from behind Abraham Lincoln statue." Photo by James K. Atherton for United Press International.
August 28, 1963. “Emancipator looking down on demonstrators. Participants in the March on Washington in front of the Lincoln Memorial and massed along both sides of the Reflecting Pool, viewed from behind Abraham Lincoln statue.” Photo by James K. Atherton for United Press International.

Source: Shorpy

2 thoughts on “A Bird’s Eye View of the ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech – An Incredible Photograph”

  2. This is a very telling photo for those who are students of art as well as historic events.
    When the Lincoln Memorial was to be formally dedicated in the 1920s, the sculptor of the great statue went to see the installation. He waited till midnight, so as not to be disturbed. Upon arrival, he asked the newly installed lights be turned on.
    The sculptor was aghast. The lights were in the wrong place. They were shining upward. This gave the President a look of shock, making his brows look raised and erasing the shadows that showed the sculptured planes of his face. A crew from the National Park Service worked all evening to reinstall the lights shining from the top downward.
    These lights (in this pic) are ‘installed for filming of TV purposes’ not night illumination.

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