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Some of the archival materials in this collection may be subject to copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Users of these materials are advised to determine the copyright status of any document from which they wish to publish.
Copyright to these photographs is retained by the donor until September 25, 2033. Rights will be given to the United States at that time.
Received from Seth R. Beckerman of Pittsburgh, PA, on 06 November 2008, accession PX2009-005.
Processed by James B. Hill.
In 1968, Seth Beckerman was a senior at George Washington University and worked as a photographer and writer for the student newspaper. Senator Robert Kennedy's press office called upon the United States Student Press Association to seek student journalists to travel on Robert Kennedy's funeral train, and the Student Press Association reached out to Mr. Beckerman, who was immediately available. Mr. Beckerman is now a writer living in Pennsylvania.
Photographs made outside of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, documenting the arrival and departure of family, friends, and mourners attending the funeral of Robert F. Kennedy, and photographs made while aboard the train carrying Robert F. Kennedy's body from New York to Arlington National Cemetery for burial. During the trip, many thousands of mourners lined the sides of the railroad tracks to offer their respects, and the photographs in this collection capture some of their expressions of grief and sympathy. There are also a few images made within the train car showing members of the Robert F. Kennedy family, friends, and mourners.
Arranged chronologically, as events unfolded.
This series contains black-and-white photographs of the arrival and departure of mourners for the funeral of Robert F. Kennedy at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, and photographs made from the funeral train transporting Robert F. Kennedy's body to Arlington National Cemetery for burial on 08 June 1968.
Roll 1: Mourners arrive and enter St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, New York, to attend funeral services for Robert F. Kennedy. Mourners include Robert S. McNamara, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Durante, Nelson Rockefeller, Earl Warren, and others.
Roll 2: St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, New York, funeral services for Robert F. Kennedy. Clergy, body enter Cathedral; mourners on street outside Cathedral; body, Kennedy family members exit Cathedral.
Roll 3: Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Jr. exit Cathedral; Eugene McCarthy, John Lindsay, John Kenneth Galbraith, and others exit Cathedral; views from train interior of mourners along railroad tracks.
Roll 4: Views of mourners at railway stations and along tracks.
Roll 5: Views of mourners along tracks; Joseph P. Kennedy II greets passengers; passengers congregating.
Roll 6: Views of mourners along railway tracks.
Roll 7: Views of mourners along railway tracks.
Roll 8: Views of mourners along railway tracks.