Search Results

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1917 - 1947

bulk 1939-1945

Scope and contents note:

Letters are primarily from Blanche Queen written during World War II to her future husband, Robert Fractious. The correspondence documents their romantic relationship, family and community news, as well as the political climate. There are a couple of letters from Robert to Blanche and letters written to Robert from his sister, Lillian.

Collection Rights:

The Fractious Family papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.

Collection Citation:

Fractious Family papers, Anacostia Comunity Museum, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Kristina Leszczak and Rene Fracticious.

Identifier:

ACMA.06-086, Series 2

See more items in:

Fractious Family Papers

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-acma-06-086-ref2

Interviewer:

Meghelli, Samir  Search this

Creator:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Extent:

3 Sound recordings (MP3)

Type:

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Oral histories (document genres)

Interviews

Place:

Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)

Southwest (Washington, D.C.)

Washington (D.C.) -- Politics and government

Date:

2016 September 12

Scope and Contents:

Interview created as part of the research for the Anacostia Community Museum's A Right to the City" exhibition.

Collection Restrictions:

Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Riots  Search this

Neighborhoods -- Washington, D.C. -- History  Search this

Genre/Form:

Oral histories (document genres)

Interviews -- 21st century

Citation:

Interview with Dan Bankett, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

A Right to the City Exhibition Records

A Right to the City Exhibition Records / Series I: Oral History Interviews

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-acma-03-119-ref25

Interviewer:

Meghelli, Samir  Search this

Creator:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Extent:

1 Sound recording (MP3)

Type:

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Oral histories (document genres)

Interviews

Place:

Shaw (Washington, D.C.)

Brookland (Washington, D.C.)

Date:

2016 November 9

Scope and Contents:

Interview created as part of the research for the Anacostia Community Museum's "A Right to the City" exhibition.

Collection Restrictions:

Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Washington (D.C.) -- Politics and government  Search this

Neighborhoods -- Washington, D.C. -- History  Search this

Genre/Form:

Oral histories (document genres)

Interviews -- 21st century

Citation:

Interview with Jaha Booker, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

A Right to the City Exhibition Records

A Right to the City Exhibition Records / Series I: Oral History Interviews

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-acma-03-119-ref38

Interviewer:

Meghelli, Samir  Search this

Creator:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Extent:

1 Sound recording (MP3)

Type:

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Oral histories (document genres)

Interviews

Place:

Chinatown (Washington, D.C.)

Date:

2016 June 22

Scope and Contents:

Interview created as part of the research for the Anacostia Community Museum's "A Right to the City" exhibition.

Collection Restrictions:

Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Washington (D.C.) -- Politics and government  Search this

Neighborhoods -- Washington, D.C. -- History  Search this

Genre/Form:

Oral histories (document genres)

Interviews -- 21st century

Citation:

Interview with Linda Wang, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

A Right to the City Exhibition Records

A Right to the City Exhibition Records / Series I: Oral History Interviews

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-acma-03-119-ref46

Interviewer:

Meghelli, Samir  Search this

Creator:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Extent:

1 Sound recording (MP3)

Type:

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Oral histories (document genres)

Interviews

Place:

Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)

Barry Farms (Washington, D.C.)

Georgetown (Washington, D.C.)

Washington (D.C.) -- Politics and government

Date:

2016 August 18

Scope and Contents:

Interview created as part of the research for the Anacostia Community Museum's "A Right to the City" exhibition.

Collection Restrictions:

Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Neighborhoods -- Washington, D.C. -- History  Search this

Genre/Form:

Oral histories (document genres)

Interviews -- 21st century

Citation:

Interview with Marie Hamlin, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

A Right to the City Exhibition Records

A Right to the City Exhibition Records / Series I: Oral History Interviews

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-acma-03-119-ref48

Interviewer:

Meghelli, Samir  Search this

Creator:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Extent:

1 Sound recording (MP3)

Type:

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Oral histories (document genres)

Interviews

Place:

Adams Morgan (Washington, D.C.)

Washington (D.C.) -- Parks

Date:

2016 November 28

Scope and Contents:

Interview created as part of the research for the Anacostia Community Museum's "A Right to the City" exhibition.

Collection Restrictions:

Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Washington (D.C.) -- Politics and government  Search this

Gentrification  Search this

Neighborhoods -- Washington, D.C. -- History  Search this

Genre/Form:

Oral histories (document genres)

Interviews -- 21st century

Citation:

Interview with Mindy Moretti, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

A Right to the City Exhibition Records

A Right to the City Exhibition Records / Series I: Oral History Interviews

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-acma-03-119-ref51

Container:

Box 2, Folder 5

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1971-2016

Collection Restrictions:

Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Collection Citation:

Gateways/Portales Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Gateways/Portales Exhibition Records

Gateways/Portales Exhibition Records / Series 1: Research Files / 1.3: Subject Files

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-acma-03-102-ref50

Creator:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Names:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Extent:

2 Video recordings (MP4 Video (.MP4), born digital)

1 Sound recording (MP3 Sound (.MP3), born digital)

Type:

Archival materials

Video recordings

Sound recordings

Place:

Washington (D.C.)

Baltimore (Md.)

Charlotte (N.C.)

Raleigh (N.C.)

United States

Date:

2016 November 04

Scope and Contents:

Johnny Yataco, Founder and President of Washington Hispanic, talked about his family and growing up in Lima, Peru; why he moved to Washington, D.C. and his first impression of Washington, D.C.; creating a network of people in Washington, D.C.; and his start in media selling newspapers for local newspaper 'El Latino.' Yataco explained the need in the Latino community for education and for another voice for the Hispanic community which led to the creation of 'Washington Hispanic,' an independent Spanish-language weekly newspaper in the D.C. metro area, in 1994. He talked about the challenges he faced and what he learned when he first started 'Washington Hispanic,' and how the newspaper evolved with advancements in technology and digital media. Yataco spoke about the growth and evolution of the Latino community in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding areas; the importance of local media; how and why media has changed throughout the Washington, D.C. metro area; and how he would like to see the Hispanic community more politically involved. He stated being a voice for the Hispanic community makes him happy; he enjoys photography, travel, and tennis; and he would love to start a shoe internet business for women. Clips of this interview were included in the 'Local Media' section of the exhibition.

Interview. Related to exhibition 'Gateways/Portales.' Dated 20161104.

Restrictions:

Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Hispanic Americans  Search this

Latin Americans -- United States  Search this

Immigrants  Search this

Communities  Search this

Genre/Form:

Video recordings

Sound recordings

Citation:

Gateways/Portales: Interview with Johnny Yataco, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Gateways/Portales Exhibition Records

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-acma-03-102-ref68

Creator:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Names:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Extent:

25 Video recordings (MP4 Video (.MP4), born digital)

2 Sound recordings (AIFF Sound (.aif), born digital)

Type:

Archival materials

Video recordings

Sound recordings

Place:

Washington (D.C.)

Baltimore (Md.)

Charlotte (N.C.)

Raleigh (N.C.)

United States

Date:

2016 October 29

Scope and Contents:

John Herrera was the founder of El Pueblo, co-founder of the Latino Community Credit Union in Durham, co-founder of La Fiesta del Pueblo, first Latinx nominated to be part of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) board, and first Latinx elected to municipal office in North Carolina as the alderman of Carrboro. Herrera talked about his family and where they lived; growing up in San Jose, Costa Rica; why he left Costa Rica; his arrival in North Carolina and his first impression of NC; how North Carolina changed since his arrival; and when he knew North Carolina was his home. Herrera described his experiences creating community in North Carolina, working on the NCUA board, and serving his community as alderman of Carrboro; and he explained why he entered politics. He talked about the importance of the credit union for the Latino community and the success of the credit union. Herrera explained about the mission of El Pueblo, an advocacy organization which strengthens the Latino community in North Carolina through advocacy, public policy, leadership, development, education, and promotion of cross-cultural understanding. El Pueblo organized and brought about the 1996 La Fiesta del Pueblo; and developed North Carolina's first Latino legislative agenda in 2001. Herrera talked about the inaugural La Fiesta del Pueblo in 1994, and the community reaction and response to the festival. La Fiesta del Pueblo, the largest Latinx festival in the Raleigh-Durham area, featured booths for social, physical, and mental health services; a soccer tournament; food; and entertainment. The inaugural festival targeted Mexican farmworkers; 300 were expected, but 2000 attended. Herrera also talked about what makes him happy, proud; lessons he learned; and what he does for fun. Clips of this interview were included in the 'Community-Owned Banking,' 'Recognition and Representation,' and 'La Fiesta del Pueblo' sections of the exhibition.

Interview. Related to exhibition 'Gateways/Portales.' The MP4 video files are grouped with related SMI files, PPN files, XML documents, and BIM files. Dated 20161029.

Restrictions:

Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Hispanic Americans  Search this

Latin Americans -- United States  Search this

Immigrants  Search this

Communities  Search this

Genre/Form:

Video recordings

Sound recordings

Citation:

Gateways/Portales: Interview with John Herrera, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Gateways/Portales Exhibition Records

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-acma-03-102-ref77

Creator:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Names:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Extent:

18 Video recordings (MP4 Video (.MP4), born digital)

2 Sound recordings (MP3 Sound Recording )

Type:

Archival materials

Video recordings

Sound recordings

Place:

Washington (D.C.)

Baltimore (Md.)

Charlotte (N.C.)

Raleigh (N.C.)

United States

Date:

2016 October 27

Scope and Contents:

Dr. Maria Teresa Unger Palmer founded an immigrant church in Chapel Hill, established the first Spanish immersion preschool in North Carolina in 1996, became the first Latina appointed to North Carolina's Board of Education in 1999, and became the first Latina elected official in North Carolina as a council member for the town of Chapel Hill in 2013. Palmer talked about her family and where they lived; growing up in Lima, Peru; her college experience at Jacksonville State University in Alabama; her first impression of Alabama; her arrival in North Carolina; her first impression of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; her graduate school experience at University of North Carolina (UNC); and how Chapel Hill has changed since her arrival. Palmer talked about her first job in the United States as a summer missionary providing help to migrant farmers; the founding of a Hispanic congregation in North Carolina and the community's reception to it; working with young people in the community; fighting North Carolina's voter suppression laws; her arrest at the Moral Monday march; her start in politics and the political process; meeting her husband, John Herrera; and helping to organize El Fiesta del Pueblo and the soccer tournament for the festival. Palmer also spoke about what makes her happy, proud; lessons she learned; what she does for fun; and how she talked her children about her social justice work. Clips of this interview were included in the 'Undocumented and Unafraid,' 'Church as Safe Space,' and 'Recognition and Representation' sections of the exhibition.

Interview. Related to exhibition 'Gateways/Portales.' The MP4 video files are grouped with related SMI files, PPN files, XML documents, and BIM files. Dated 20161027.

Restrictions:

Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Hispanic Americans  Search this

Latin Americans -- United States  Search this

Immigrants  Search this

Communities  Search this

Genre/Form:

Video recordings

Sound recordings

Citation:

Gateways/Portales: Interview with Dr. Maria Teresa Unger Palmer, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Gateways/Portales Exhibition Records

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-acma-03-102-ref78

Collection Creator:

Morehouse, Harold E., 1894-1973  Search this

Container:

Box 4, Folder 15

Type:

Archival materials

Text

Collection Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Collection Rights:

Permissions Requests

Collection Citation:

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies Collection, Acc. XXXX-0450, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection / Series 1.1: Biographies of Flying Pioneers 1.1

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0450-ref116

Collection Creator:

Morehouse, Harold E., 1894-1973  Search this

Container:

Box 3, Folder 5

Type:

Archival materials

Text

Collection Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Collection Rights:

Permissions Requests

Collection Citation:

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies Collection, Acc. XXXX-0450, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection / Series 1.1: Biographies of Flying Pioneers 1.1

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0450-ref81

Creator:

Parsons, Betty  Search this

Names:

Betty Parsons Gallery  Search this

Bess, Forrest, 1911-1977  Search this

Congdon, William, 1912-1998  Search this

Pollock, Jackson, 1912-1956  Search this

Reinhardt, Ad, 1913-1967  Search this

Rothko, Mark, 1903-1970  Search this

Extent:

61.1 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sketchbooks

Interviews

Video recordings

Drawings

Date:

1916-1991

bulk 1946-1983

Summary:

The Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers measure 61.1 linear feet and date from 1916 to 1991, with the bulk of the material dating from 1946-1983. Records provide extensive documentation of the gallery's operations from its inception in 1946 to its closing in 1983 and of the activities of Betty Parsons as one the leading art dealers of contemporary American Art in the latter half of the twentieth century, particularly the work of the Abstract Expressionists. Over one third of the of the collection is comprised of artists files containing correspondence, price lists, and printed materials. Additional correspondence is with galleries, dealers, art institutions, private collectors, and the media. Also found are exhibition files, exhibition catalogs and announcements, sales records, stock inventories, personal financial records, and photographs. Betty Parsons's personal papers consist of early curatorial files, pocket diaries, personal correspondence, and evidence of her own artwork, including sketchbooks, and files documenting her personal art collection.

Scope and Content Note:

The Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers measure 61.1 linear feet and date from 1916 to 1991, with the bulk of the material dating from 1946-1983. Records provide extensive documentation of the gallery's operations from its inception in 1946 to its closing in 1983 and of the activities of Betty Parsons as one the leading art dealers of contemporary American Art in the latter half of the twentieth century, particularly the work of the Abstract Expressionists. Over one third of the of the collection is comprised of artists files containing correspondence, price lists, and printed materials. Additional correspondence is with galleries, dealers, art institutions, private collectors, and the media. Also found are exhibition files, exhibition catalogs and announcements, sales records, stock inventories, personal financial records, and photographs. Betty Parsons's personal papers consist of early curatorial files, pocket diaries, personal correspondence, and evidence of her own artwork, including sketchbooks, and files documenting her personal art collection. Personal papers also include personal photographs.

Artists files, the largest and most extensive series, consist of a wide variety of documents, including biographical materials, correspondence with or related to the artist, exhibition catalogs and announcements, sales and expense invoices, clippings, price lists, and photographs of the artist, exhibitions, and artwork. The files reflect Parsons's close personal relationships with certain artists, particularly Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, and Barnett Newman. Extensive documentation is also found for Forrest Bess, William Congdon, Paul Feeley, Thomas George, Alexander Liberman, Seymour Lipton, Richard Pousette-Dart, Jesse Reichek, and Jack Youngerman. Historians and researchers will find these files to be an invaluable resource both in tracing Betty Parsons's role in promoting Abstract Expressionism and researching individual artists.

Exhibition files primarily document the gallery's infrequent group or themed exhibitions. Of particular note are the files on The Ideographic Picture, which was organized by Barnett Newman and included his work, as well as that of Pietro Lazzari, Boris Margo, Ad Reinhardt, Mark Rothko, Theodoros Stamos, and Clyfford Still. Price lists, artist biographies and exhibition schedules are housed in the general exhibition files. Loan exhibition files provide documentation of artwork borrowed by other galleries or institutions for exhibitions, as well as shows outside of the gallery that were organized by Betty Parsons. Also found are gallery exhibition guest books, and announcements and catalogs.

Gallery correspondence is primarily with galleries and dealers, museums, arts organizations, and collectors. Scattered letters from artists are also found, although the bulk of the artists' correspondence is filed in the Artists Files. Also found here are memoranda and letters between Betty Parsons and her staff that contain detailed information concerning Parsons's schedule and gallery activities. Similar correspondence is found amongst the correspondence files within the series Betty Parsons papers.

Appraisal and conservation files include correspondence, appraisal invoices, forms, and appraisal requests and other information from the Art Dealers Association of America, and conservation invoices and reports. The majority of the appraisal records contain information about the specific works of art, including artist, title, date, current owner and the estimated value at the time of the request. Conservation records document conservation treatments undertaken by outside conservators to gallery stock.

Sales, purchases, stock and inventory are well documented in the sales and inventory records. The records provide detailed information about individual sales, prices of individual pieces of artwork, consignments, and loans. Most sales records also include detailed information about the buyer and are a valuable resource for provenance research. Files documenting the general administration, routine business operations, and financial transactions (not individual sales) of the gallery are housed in the general business and financial records. These records include ledgers, receipts, tax records, and banking records. There is some limited information about works of art scattered amongst the receipts and in the "in/out slips" files. Legal records house general legal documents and those concerning specific lawsuits. Of particular note is the file detailing the lawsuit between Betty Parsons and Sidney Janis over the fifth floor of 24 West 57th Street.

The remainder of the collection consists of Betty Parsons's personal papers which document her career prior to opening her own gallery, her work as an artist, and her personal art collection.

Some information about Parsons's work prior to opening her own gallery is found in the early curatorial files she retained from her curatorial and administrative work at the Wakefield Gallery and the Mortimer Brandt Gallery. Clippings, correspondence, announcements, exhibition lists and exhibition files are found. For both positions, she kept only the exhibition files for a small group of exhibitions organized around a specific theme, the most notable being the exhibition of Pre-Columbian Sculpture at the Wakefield Gallery.

Biographical materials include copies of her biography, family genealogies, photographs of Parsons, interviews with Colette Roberts and WYNC radio, memberships, photographs, and ephemera, including a collection of programs and invitations from events that she attended. Throughout her life Parsons gave generously of her time to various cultural and charitable institutions and was awarded for her contributions. There are also a number of files that document her speaking engagements, her participation as a juror in numerous juried exhibitions, charitable work, and awards that she received.

Parsons's personal correspondence files reflect how deeply Parsons's life was intertwined with the gallery. There are letters from museum directors, dealers, artists seeking representation, and personal letters from artists with whom she had close personal relationships, most notably Larry Bigelow, Alexander Calder, William Condon, and Ad Reinhardt. There are also letters from the English artist Adge Baker, with whom Parsons was romantically involved. Correspondence also includes several files of postcards and Christmas cards.

Pocket diaries and engagement calendars, spanning from 1933-1981, record social engagements, meetings, vacations, and telephone numbers. Also found are circa two linear feet of notebooks and sketchbooks, many of which are annotated with addresses, poetry, journal entries, and other observations of people, places, and travels. Writings by others include writings about Betty Parsons or the Betty Parsons Gallery, such as Lawrence Alloway's unpublished typescript titled "An American Gallery" and other topics.

Printed material consists of exhibition announcements and catalogs, art magazines, and newspaper and magazine clippings about Betty Parsons, her family and acquaintances, artists, and other art related topics, coupled with a miscellaneous selection of clippings, and a video recording, on topics that presumably captured Parsons's attention.

Personal art work records document Betty Parsons's career as an artist through inventories, group and solo exhibitions files, price lists, appraisals, sales and consignment invoices. Photographs are primarily reproductions of her works of art, although there are scattered photographs of exhibition installations.

Betty Parsons's private art collection files document her extensive personal collection of art that included works by Jackson Pollock, Agnes Martin, Romare Bearden, Barnett Newman, and Mark Rothko, in addition to Amlash sculpture from ancient Persia and primitive sculpture from New Hebrides. These files include inventories, lists, exhibition records, sales and purchase invoices, and photographs. There are also files for donations and loans from Parsons's personal collection to museums and fund raising auctions for several non-profit institutions.

Finally, the personal financial records provide information about the Parsons's family finances and her personal financial success as an art dealer. In addition to her own investments, Parsons inherited shares in family investments through the estates of her parents, J. Fred Pierson, Jr. and Suzanne Miles Pierson, and younger sister, Emily Rayner. Real estate files include correspondence, utility bills, receipts, area maps, and land plots for houses in Sheepscot, Maine and St. Maartens, Netherlands Antilles. Tax returns, ledger worksheets, receipts, banking statements, deposit slips, and cancelled checks are among the other financial records.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as seven series. Many of the series are further divided into subseries.

Series 1: Artists Files, 1935-1983 (19.4 linear feet; Boxes 1-18, 51, 55-56, OVs 53, 65)

Series 2: Exhibition Files, 1941-1983 (2.9 linear feet; Boxes 18-21, 51, 55, OVs 54, 66)

Series 3: Correspondence Files, 1941-1983 (3.9 linear feet; Boxes 21-24, 52, 56)

Series 4: Appraisal Files, 1954-1983 (0.7 linear feet; Box 24)

Series 5: Sales and Inventory Records, 1946-1983 (3.9 linear feet; Boxes 25-28, 51)

Series 6: General Business and Financial Records, 1946-1983 (9.3 linear feet; Boxes 28-38, 51, 56)

Series 7: Betty Parsons Personal Papers, 1916-1991 (21 linear feet; Boxes 38-51, 55-64, OVs 65-67)

Historical Note:

Betty Parsons (1900-1982) was one of the leading art dealers in New York City specializing in modern art, particularly the work of the Abstract Expressionists, and an abstract painter and sculptor in her own right. She opened Betty Parsons Gallery in 1946 at 15 E. 57th St., later moving to 24 W. 57th St.

The history of the Betty Parsons Gallery is inextricably bound to the life and experiences of its founder. Betty Parsons was born Betty Bierne Pierson on January 31, 1900 in New York City. She enjoyed a privileged childhood, which included vacation homes in Newport and Palm Beach. Her only formal education was a five-year stint at the prestigious Chapin School from 1910-1915, where she met many of the women who would become life-long friends and supporters. In the spring of 1920, she married Schuyler Livingston Parsons from one of New York's oldest families. The marriage ended after only three years and the couple traveled to Paris where they could obtain a divorce on the grounds of incompatibility. She retained her married surname and purchased a house on the rue Boulard in Paris, where she remained for ten years, pursuing studies in painting and sculpture.

Financial constraints forced Parsons to return to the United States in 1933. She first traveled west to California, but it was her return to New York in 1935 that marked the start of her career as an art dealer. Her first opportunity to connect with the New York art world came after a successful exhibition of her watercolors at the Midtown Galleries where the owner, Alan Gruskin, noted Parson's faithful and wealthy group of supporters and offered her work installing exhibitions and selling paintings on commission. Her work for the Midtown Galleries led to a second position in the Park Avenue gallery of Mary Sullivan, one of the founders of the Museum of Modern Art. Here, Parsons learned the business of running a gallery. By 1940 Parsons was ready to take on more independent responsibility and agreed to manage a gallery within the Wakefield Bookshop. In this job, she exercised full curatorial control by selecting artists and organizing exhibitions. She championed then unknown contemporary American artists and the gallery's roster soon included Saul Steinberg, Hedda Sterne, Alfonso Ossorio, Joseph Cornell, Walter Murch, and Theodore Stamos. Although the majority of the exhibitions were solo shows, there were a few group shows and themed exhibitions, such as Love in Art (1941) and Ballet in Art (1942). Under Parson's direction, the gallery hosted an important exhibition of Pre-Columbian sculpture, curated by Barnett Newman.

When the owners of the Wakefield Bookshop decided to close the gallery late in 1944, Mortimer Brandt, a dealer who specialized in Old Master paintings and drawings, offered her a position as head of the newly created contemporary section of his gallery. Many of the artists who had shown with Parsons at the Wakefield Gallery followed her to her new gallery, where they were joined by Ad Reinhardt, Boris Mango, and Hans Hofmann. While the exhibitions garnered attention from the press and the interest of contemporary artists, the contemporary section was not a financial success and Brandt opted to close his gallery in 1946.

Using $1000 of her own money and an additional borrowed $4000, Parsons sublet the space that previously housed Mortimer Brandt's contemporary section, on the fifth floor of 15 East 57th Street, and opened the Betty Parsons Gallery.

In many respects the early years of the Betty Parsons Gallery were the most vital, as it was during the period of 1947-1951 that the gallery became linked with the Abstract Expressionists and the history of post-WWII American Art. In an unpublished history of the gallery, noted art critic Lawrence Alloway stated that the significance of the gallery's early exhibitions ranks with Durand-Ruel's Impressionists exhibitions or Kahnweiler's shows of the Cubists. Betty Parsons Gallery quickly became one of the most prestigious galleries in New York City associated with new American Art of all styles. Her close friend Barnett Newman organized the gallery's inaugural exhibition of Northwest Coast Indian Art and he soon began to exhibit his own work at the gallery. When Peggy Guggenheim's Art of This Century Gallery closed, Jackson Pollock, Clyfford Still, and Mark Rothko joined Parsons' growing stable of artists. Although Parsons continued to promote and exhibit many of the artists whom she had previously discovered, these four artists dominated this period. Newman, Pollock, Still, and Rothko worked closely together, holding themselves apart from the other artists somewhat. They were actively involved in the curatorial process and often hung their own shows. For these artists, the exhibition itself was an artistic act of creation.

Parsons provided a supportive environment and allowed her artists enormous freedom in planning and designing their exhibitions. She was not, however, an aggressive salesperson. During this early period the gallery ledgers document sales to an impressive array of museums including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as important collectors such as Edward Root and Duncan Phillips. Nevertheless, the art that the gallery promoted was not yet widely accepted. Sales were few, prices were low and the business would not turn a profit for several years. Meanwhile, there was mounting pressure from Pollock, Newman, Still, and Rothko to drop some of the other artists from Parsons' stable and focus all resources on them. They wanted to be promoted to a larger audience and have their work sold at higher prices, but Parsons enjoyed discovering new artists and did not want to be restricted in this endeavor. The year 1951 marks the last time that Pollock's drip paintings or the monumental works of Newman, Rothko or Still were shown at the Betty Parsons Gallery.

In the following years the Betty Parsons Gallery continued to attract a diverse group of talented artists. Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Tuttle, Robert Rauschenberg, and Jack Youngerman had their first New York exhibitions at the Betty Parsons Gallery. Parsons opened Section Eleven in 1958, a short-lived annex to the main gallery, so that she could promote younger, less well-known artists. It closed in 1960 due to the administrative difficulties in running two essentially separate galleries.

In 1962, Sidney Janis, another prominent art dealer, started proceedings to evict Parsons from the floor that they shared on 15 East 57th Street. The Betty Parsons Gallery moved to 24 West 57th Street in 1963, where it remained until it closed in 1983, following Parsons' death the preceding year. Throughout the gallery's history, Parsons continued to promote faithful artists such as Hedda Sterne and Saul Steinberg, who had been with her from the beginning and to seek out new talent, both for her main gallery and for other venues, such as the short-lived Parsons-Truman Gallery, which she opened in 1974 with former Parsons Gallery director Jock Truman to show works on paper by emerging artists.

In addition to being an art dealer, Betty Parsons was a respected artist and collector. With her connoisseur's eye and connections, Parsons amassed an impressive private collection of art. She bought her first piece while an art student in Paris in the 1920s, a small gouache by Zadkine, but did not begin acquiring works in earnest until she was established as an art dealer. Partial inventories of her personal collection show that the majority of her collection contained works by artists associated with the gallery. Mark Rothko, Hans Hofmann, Ad Reinhardt, Agnes Martin, and Kenzo Okada were among the artists represented. Many were gifts from the artists, such as an ink drawing by Jackson Pollock, inscribed "For Betty." Selections from her collection appeared in small museums across the United States, including a traveling exhibition organized by Fitch College, New York, in 1968. In her role as a promoter of contemporary American art, Parsons lent generously from her collection, particularly to the federal Art in the Embassies Program. Throughout her life she also donated works to a variety of museums, most notably, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark.

Parsons frequently claimed that her desire to pursue a career as an artist stemmed from a visit to the Armory Show when she was thirteen. In her late teens, after pressuring her father for art lessons, she studied with the sculptor Gutzon Burglum of Mount Rushmore fame. In Paris, she continued her studies first with Antoine Bourdelle, whose sculptures she had admired at the Armory Show, and later with Ossip Zadkine. The first exhibition of her work, figurative watercolors and sculptures, took place in Paris in 1927. As she matured as an artist, her art became more abstract. Her late works were painted wood sculptures that she pieced together from wood that she found near her studio in Long Island. Parsons's work was exhibited in more than thirty solo exhibitions, including, Betty Parsons; Paintings, Gouaches and Sculpture, 1955-1968, at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. During her lifetime, she would not allow her works to be shown in her own gallery. Shortly after she died of a stroke in 1982, In Memoriam, Betty Parsons: Late Sculptures, opened at the Betty Parsons Gallery.

Related Material:

Also found in the Archives of American Art are oral history interviews with Betty Parsons, June 4-9, 1969, by Paul Cummings, and June 11, 1981 by Gerald Silk.

Separated Material:

Some of the material originally loaned for microfilming in 1968 and 1969 was not included in later donations and can be viewed on microfilm reels N68/62-N68/74 and N69/105-N69/106. Loaned materials are not described in the container listing in this finding aid.

Provenance:

The gallery donated some records in 1974, many of which had been loaned earlier for microfilming. The bulk of the collection was donated in 1984 and 1986 by William Rayner and Christopher Schwabacher, executors of the Estate of Betty Parsons. Additional material was donated by William Rayner in 1998 and Christopher Schwabacher in 2017. Additional material was donated in 2018 by the Lee Hall estate via Carolyn Crozier and Deborah Jacobson, co-executors. Hall was Parsons's biographer and had the material in her possession at the time of Parsons's death. An additional photograph of Parons and Marie Carr Taylor by Henri Cartier-Bresson was donated in 2021 by Mary Carpenter, who inherited the photograph from her mother, Nan Thorton Jones, who received it as a gift from Taylor.

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Occupation:

Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Topic:

Women art dealers  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Abstract expressionist  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sketchbooks

Interviews

Video recordings

Drawings

Citation:

Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers, 1916-1991. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and The Walton Family Foundation.

Identifier:

AAA.parsbett

See more items in:

Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-parsbett

Collection Creator:

Parsons, Betty  Search this

Container:

Box 14, Folder 36

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1970

Collection Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

Collection Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Collection Citation:

Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers, 1916-1991. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and The Walton Family Foundation.

See more items in:

Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers

Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers / Series 1: Artists Files

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-parsbett-ref456

Collection Creator:

Gourevitch, Jacqueline  Search this

Container:

Box 2, Folder 11

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1958-1963

Collection Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Collection Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Collection Citation:

Jacqueline Gourevitch papers, 1949-2019. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Jacqueline Gourevitch papers

Jacqueline Gourevitch papers / Series 3: Professional Files

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-gourjacq-ref40

Creator:

Moore, John McDonald, 1919-1999  Search this

Names:

New School for Social Research (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Werblud, Elaine R. (Bobbie)  Search this

Extent:

21.5 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Date:

1948-2015

bulk 1968-1999

Summary:

The papers of art historian and educator John McDonald Moore measure 21.5 linear feet and date from 1948-2015, with the bulk dating from 1968-1999. Included are biographical material regarding Moore; his writings, including book proposals and lectures; correspondence regarding teaching and letters from students; voluminous notecards for lectures; and sound recordings of lectures.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of art historian and educator John McDonald Moore measure 21.5 linear feet and date from 1948-2015, with the bulk dating from 1968-1999. Included are biographical material regarding Moore; his writings, including book proposals and lectures; correspondence regarding teaching and letters from students; voluminous notecards for lectures; and sound recordings of lectures.

This collection documents Moore's career as an art historian and educator at the New School for Social research and his contribution to understanding the New York Art Scene from the late 1960s through the 1990s. It also provides insight on Elaine R. (Bobbie) Werblud's long career as Moore's teaching assistant. Materials include Moore's academic transcripts and diplomas; resumes; a 1989 teaching award; certificates; correspondence related to his education and courses he taught at NYU's Liberal Arts Extension and the New School for Social Research; draft manuscripts; academic papers; book proposals; handwritten and typed lectures; lecture notebooks including lecture and research notes; lecture notebooks maintained by Werblud; lecture notecards documenting research for Moore's course lectures and hand written lectures; course descriptions; flyers; clippings; photographs; exams; enrollment lists; a sound recording of Moore's Memorial service; and sound recordings of a sample of Moore's lectures from circa 1969-1998.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 4 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1948-2015 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1959-1999 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1960s-1986 (0.8 linear feet, Box 1-2)

Series 4: Teaching Material, circa 1967-2000 (20.3 linear feet, Box 2-25)

Biographical / Historical:

John McDonald Moore (1919-1999) was a lecturer in art history at the New School for Social Research in New York City from 1968 until his death in 1999. Moore was born in the state of Georgia, where he attended the High Museum School of Art. He served as an illustrator for the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. After the war he worked as an advertising illustrator in New York. In 1961, Moore realized his true vocation was teaching. He began teaching part time at New York University, and in 1968 became a lecturer in art history at the New School, where he continued to teach until his death. There he met his wife, Elaine R. (Bobbie) Werblud, who became Moore's teaching assistant in 1970. Werblud was instrumental in supporting Moore's work through her extensive logging of course lectures in notebooks, transcribing lectures on notecards, recording weekly lectures, and organizing trips to exhibitions and artist studios, as well as studies abroad. From 1968-1971 Moore earned a B.A. and M.A. in art history at Goddard College. Moore was an inspirational lecturer acclaimed by many New York artists who were his students, including Mary Frank and Ursula von Rydingsvard. The John McDonald Moore Memorial Lecture series at the Vera List Center for Art and Politics was established in his honor.

Separated Materials:

193 audio cassettes documenting 10 lecture courses taught by John McDonald Moore from 1971 through 1998 were transferred to the New School Libraries and Archives in 2019.

Provenance:

Donated in 2018 by Debra Werblud, Moore's step-daughter.

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Occupation:

Art historians -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Educators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Citation:

John McDonald Moore papers, 1948-2015. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.moorjohn

See more items in:

John McDonald Moore papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-moorjohn

Source:

Mackins, Ayanna  Search this

Former owner:

Mackins, Ayanna  Search this

Collection Creator:

National Museum of African American History and Culture (U.S.)  Search this

Extent:

3 Video recordings

Type:

Archival materials

Video recordings

Date:

circa 2003

Scope and Contents:

The Ayanna Mackins Family Home Movies feature casual gatherings of family and friends, vacations, and an unidentified political meeting.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is available online for open research.

Collection Rights:

The Great Migration Home Movie Study Collection, is a product of and owned by the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.

Copyright for all works are retained by the creators of the original analog materials. Permissions for any use of the material may be requested from National Museum of African American History and Culture Right and Reproductions 202-633-3846.

Topic:

Families  Search this

African Americans  Search this

Family recreation  Search this

Government and politics  Search this

Vacations  Search this

Collection Citation:

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Supported by the Robert Frederick Smith Fund of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Sponsor:

This project received support from the Robert Frederick Smith Fund of the National Museum of African American History and Culture Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Great Migration Home Movie Study Collection

Archival Repository:

National Museum of African American History and Culture

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmaahc-sc-0001-ref743

Collection Creator:

National Museum of African American History and Culture (U.S.)  Search this

Extent:

1 Video recording (1 VHS tape)

Type:

Archival materials

Video recordings

Home movies

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is available online for open research.

Collection Rights:

The Great Migration Home Movie Study Collection, is a product of and owned by the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.

Copyright for all works are retained by the creators of the original analog materials. Permissions for any use of the material may be requested from National Museum of African American History and Culture Right and Reproductions 202-633-3846.

Topic:

African Americans  Search this

Christmas  Search this

Domestic and family life  Search this

Political speeches  Search this

Genre/Form:

Home movies

Collection Citation:

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Supported by the Robert Frederick Smith Fund of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Sponsor:

This project received support from the Robert Frederick Smith Fund of the National Museum of African American History and Culture Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NMAAHC.SC.0001, Item SC_0001_20170518_Montgomery_VHS_02

See more items in:

Great Migration Home Movie Study Collection

Great Migration Home Movie Study Collection / Martha E. Montgomery Family

Archival Repository:

National Museum of African American History and Culture

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmaahc-sc-0001-ref84

Creator:

National Air and Space Museum  Search this

Type:

Conversations and talks

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2019-12-29T02:05:26.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Aeronautics;Flight;Space Sciences  Search this

See more by:

airandspace

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

YouTube Channel:

airandspace

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_mWnFnzuUIjk

Creator:

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center  Search this

Type:

Interviews

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2010-02-22T23:53:32.000Z

YouTube Category:

News & Politics  Search this

Topic:

Asian Americans  Search this

See more by:

apaprogram

Data Source:

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

YouTube Channel:

apaprogram

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_HAJLDo3aeUk