Platon Instagram – reverend joseph lowery, reverend c. t. vivian, andrew young, & reverend fred shuttlesworth. “Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The previous post was a picture of his chair. I can think of no better way to honor this great man’s existence than by sharing this story with you. This picture was taken outside Martin Luther King Jr.’s Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. I had the great privilege to invite his closest aids and compatriots to come together one more time underneath the famous neon sign. At the time this picture was taken, the brave and courageous Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth was extremely frail and ill, yet he insisted on traveling a great distance with his family to be part of this historic gathering. His family dressed him in a dapper suit and he arrived at the church in a wheelchair. His presence created a beautiful spirit of reunion -iIt felt as if we were all going back in time. I was deeply concerned, however, about composing and capturing this communion of compassion. Would the wheelchair become a barrier? How would I bring these great men physically together in an everlasting icon of empathy? The neon sign seemed like a great anchor for my composition. These legends gathered underneath the glowing light and instantly surrounded Reverend Shuttlesworth. These men played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights movement in America; their courage and determination was matched by their empathy and hope for a better life. It seemed only natural that as I took this picture they should all say a prayer for the continued battle for human dignity in America. How lucky I am to have caught this majestic moment on film. Since this picture was taken, Fred Shuttlesworth has sadly passed away, and this marks the last time they were all together in prayer. To the brave warriors of the Civil Rights movement, I salute you.”