Explore Black History

2009; printed 2019

A black-and-white photograph of Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr. and Simeon Wright, cousins of Emmett Till, by Platon. Parker and Wright are depicted on the left side of the photograph, standing next to a parked railroad caboose. Both men are shown from the legs up, looking at the viewer, and wearing serious expressions on their faces. Parker stands on the left with his fingers laced together and held at waist level. He is wearing a medium tone suit, a black dress shirt, a dark pocket square, and a square patterned tie. He is also wearing a medium tone Stetson hat with a black band. Wright stands on the right with his proper right arm linked through Parker’s proper left arm and his other hand resting behind his back. He is wearing a light tone suit, a white dress shirt, a light tone pocket square, and a light tone patterned tie. He is also wearing a medium tone Stetson hat with a light band. On the right side of the photograph are empty train tracks and a partially visible caboose of a train. There is illegible stenciled text and graffiti on the long side of the caboose and additional stenciled text on the visible short end. The photograph has a thick white border. The edition number, [5/12], is printed in the bottom left corner. The photographer’s signature and date, [Platon 19], is handwritten in the bottom right corner. Inside the border, at the bottom center, is the photographer’s embossed mark: [PLATON ? / EDITIONED ? / PRINT ?[encircled between two bands of embossed dots]]. The back of the photograph is plain and white.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Photographs and Still Images

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Platon

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2021.33.9

pigment prints
portraits

© Platon
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

pigment on paper

H x W (image): 14 15/16 × 21 7/16 in. (37.9 × 54.4 cm)
H x W (sheet): 20 × 24 in. (50.8 × 61 cm)
H x W (matted): 22 × 28 in. (55.9 × 71.1 cm)

Title • Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr. and Simeon Wright

nmaahc_2021.33.9

NMAAHC

REVEREND WHEELER PARKER, JR. AND SIMEON WRIGHT

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

2000s

Till, Emmett • Platon • Parker, Wheeler • Wright, Simeon

New York City • United States • Chicago • North and Central America • Illinois • Cook County

Photography • Activism • American South • Discrimination • Segregation • Violence • Race • Religion • Hate crimes • Civil rights

Christians • African Americans

City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • City • Chicago • County • Cook County • State • Illinois

Portraits • pigment prints

Images

Limited Use