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(CIVIL RIGHTS—KING, MARTIN LUTHER JR.)
“Before We Lynch Fred
Ahmed Evans a Few Nagging Questions.”
Black and white poster 34
1
/
2
x 23 inches,
with considerable restoration to the margins, backed with archival paper.
Cleveland, 1968
[2,500/3,500]
AN EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG PIECE OF POSTER ART
,
COMING OUT OF THE
1968
CLEVELAND
RIOTS
.
The months following the death of Martin Luther King Jr. saw cities around the country erupt
in violence. But Cleveland remained relatively calm, thanks in great part to America’s first black
mayor, Carl B. Stokes. However, Cleveland’s poor, black suburb of Glenville, the anger and disap-
pointment combined with the summer heat, was just too much, and on July 23rd all hell broke loose.
Shots were fired, and an all out battle between armed residents and police ensued. An hour and a half
later, seven people lay dead, including three Cleveland policemen, fifteen more were wounded. Five
days more of violence and rioting continued until Mayor Stokes called in the National Guard, and
order was finally restored. Fred Ahmed Evans a local and vocal radical leader was arrested and charged
with seven counts of murder. There was no direct evidence, but Evans nonetheless was tried, convicted
and sentenced to death. The sentence was later reduced to life in prison. This is the first example of
this poster we have seen.