Search Results

Collection Creator:

W. Atlee Burpee Company  Search this

W. Atlee Burpee Co.  Search this

Burpee, W. Atlee (Washington Atlee), 1858-1915  Search this

Burpee, David, 1893-1980  Search this

Wm. Henry Maule (Firm)  Search this

James Vick's Sons (Rochester, N.Y.).  Search this

Extent:

3 Files

Container:

Box 323, Folder 35-37

Type:

Archival materials

Files

Date:

1916-1968

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original images by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by the Archives of American Gardens.

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, W. Atlee Burpee & Company Records

See more items in:

W. Atlee Burpee & Company Records - Accretion 2

W. Atlee Burpee & Company Records - Accretion 2 / Series 2: Business Records / 2.2: Administrative Records / Personnel

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-bur2-ref1601

Creator:

Michigan Artrain  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7988

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210157

AAA_collcode_michartr

Theme:

Government Sponsorship of the Arts

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210157

Creator:

Audubon Artists (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Subject:

Hoffman, Malvina  Search this

Gary, Jan  Search this

Freeman, Mark  Search this

Feininger, Lyonel  Search this

Davis, Stuart  Search this

Blume, Peter  Search this

Benton, Thomas Hart  Search this

Arms, John Taylor  Search this

Facci, Domenico  Search this

Engel, Michael M.  Search this

Domareki, Joseph  Search this

Disney, Walt  Search this

Young, Stark  Search this

Whitaker, Frederic  Search this

Wengenroth, Stow  Search this

Poor, Henry Varnum  Search this

Meyerowitz, William  Search this

McKay, Renee  Search this

Lee-Smith, Hughie  Search this

Type:

Photographs

Topic:

Art -- Societies, etc. -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)8438

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210612

AAA_collcode_auduarti

Theme:

Diaries

Lives of American Artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210612

Creator:

American Watercolor Society  Search this

Subject:

American Watercolor Society  Search this

American Society of Painters in Water Colors  Search this

New York Water Color Club  Search this

Type:

Photographs

Topic:

Watercolor painting -- 19th century -- United States  Search this

Art -- Societies, etc. -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Watercolor painting, American  Search this

Watercolor painting -- 20th century -- United States  Search this

Watercolorists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)8636

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210816

AAA_collcode_amerwate

Theme:

The Art Market

Communities, Organizations, Museums

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210816

Creator:

Smithsonian Institution Office of International Relations  Search this

Subject:

Smithsonian Institution Directorate of International Activities  Search this

Smithsonian Institution Office of International Activities  Search this

Smithsonian Foreign Currency Program  Search this

Physical description:

47.75 cu. ft. unprocessed holdings

Type:

Manuscripts

Clippings

Drawings

Books

Color photographs

Black-and-white photographs

Floor plans

Brochures

Videotapes

Compact discs

Electronic records

Black-and-white negatives

Electronic mail

Date:

1954

1954-2014

Topic:

Budget process  Search this

Budget  Search this

International relations  Search this

Contracts  Search this

Environmental responsibility  Search this

Speeches, addresses, etc  Search this

Committees  Search this

Workshops  Search this

Research grants  Search this

Local number:

SIA RS01498

Restrictions & Rights:

Materials less than 15 years old Restricted. Records may contain personally identifiable information (PII) that is permanently restricted. Contact reference staff for details

See more items in:

Administrative Records 1954-2014 [Smithsonian Institution Office of International Relations]

Data Source:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_287184

Creator:

American Watercolor Society  Search this

Names:

American Society of Painters in Water Colors  Search this

American Watercolor Society  Search this

New York Water Color Club  Search this

Extent:

3.8 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Date:

1867-1977

bulk 1950-1970

Summary:

The records of the American Watercolor Society measure 3.8 linear feet and date from 1867 to 1977, with the bulk of the material dating from 1950 to 1970. The collection provides scattered documentation of the operations and activities of one of the oldest continuously operating artists' organizations in the United States and includes records of its administration and history, membership, and exhibitions, as well as printed material and photographs.

Scope and Content Note:

The records of the American Watercolor Society measure 3.8 linear feet and date from 1867 to 1977, with the bulk of the material dating from 1950 to 1970. The collection provides scattered documentation of the operations and activities of one of the oldest continuously operating artists' organizations in the United States and includes records of its administration and history, membership, and exhibitions

Records documenting the founding, history, and operations of the society are found in the administration and history series. Included are written histories and material on the 1941 merger with the New York Water Color Club, including an updated Constitution and By-Laws. Also found here are reports, committee documents, administrative correspondence, records of participation in national art events, and financial records.

The membership records include a membership roster notebook, dating from 1953-1961, lists of members, member biographies, and correspondence regarding membership. The society's exhibition files include a bound volume of the record of works shown in the annual exhibition from 1897 to 1904, as well as files on a few other annual exhibitions and exchange exhibitions with other countries. These files contain scattered correspondence, price lists, exhibition checklists and printed material.

A small amount of printed material in the collection includes a booklet entitled, Water-Color Painting: Some Facts and Authorities in Relation to Its Durability, distributed by the society in 1868, as well as news clipping about events and exhibitions, newsletters, and other published items. Photographs are of members, jurors, events, painting demonstrations, and artwork.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into 5 series:

Series 1: Administration and History, 1891-1970 (Box 1-2; 1.1 linear feet)

Series 2: Membership, 1941, 1951-1960s (Box 2; 0.7 linear feet)

Series 3: Exhibition Files, 1867-1910, 1955-1975 (Box 2-3, BV 5; 1.2 linear feet)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1868, 1943-1972 (Box 3; 6 folders)

Series 5: Photographs, circa 1940-1977 (Box 3-4; 0.5 linear feet)

Historical Note:

The American Watercolor Society still functions as an active artists' organization that was founded in New York City on December 5, 1866 as the American Society of Painters in Water Colors. The first president was Samuel Colman. Initially, election to membership was very selective, consisting of active members and honorary members (those living outside of New York City). From the beginning, the most important activity of the organization was its annual exhibition, open to both members and non-members, the first being held in the winter of 1867-1868.

The Society's first six annual exhibitions were held jointly with the National Academy of Design at the Academy's galleries. Beginning with the seventh exhibition, the society initiated independent annual exhibitions until 1899. The early exhibitions were very successful, and the society showed work from many prominent American and European artists such as Thomas Eakins, Abbott Thayer, Eugene Delacroix, and John Ruskin. 1888 marked the first year that the society awarded prizes to the best works. By the early 1900s the society had developed a program for exhibitions that included a jury of selection and jury of awards.

In 1903 the society was officially incorporated as the American Water Color Society, to "advance the art of water color painting in this country." Membership classifications changed slightly and artists were either classified as active (professional artists) or associate members. By 1904 the society was struggling financially, and annual exhibitions were held at various spaces around New York City. In 1905 the society established annual rotary (traveling) exhibitions. From 1922 to 1931, the society combined exhibition venues with the New York Water Color Club (founded in 1890), and in January 1941 these two organizations merged under the name of the American Watercolor Society and created a new constitution. This merger brought many female artists who were active in the New York Water Color Club to the society which had previously not recognized many women painters. In 1941 the society established their headquarters in one room at the National Academy of Design's new building where they also held annual exhibitions in the galleries.

Frederic Whitaker, a painter and businessman, became president in 1949 and brought a renewed vigor to the society. He reinstituted traveling exhibitions, created new committees, and increased the number of exhibition awards. He also established an office in the Flatiron building and hired an Executive Secretary. After he resigned in 1956, the society experienced a period of financial troubles that were immediately addressed when Mario Cooper became president in 1959. Offices were moved back to the National Academy, several new officers were appointed, and after a period of fiscal austerity, a scholarship program and central awards fund were established. In 1967 the society had its 100th annual exhibition and also had an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, entitled, "Two Hundred Years of Watercolor Painting In America, An Exhibition Commemorating The Centennial of the American Watercolor Society." Over the next few years the society organized and exchanged exhibitions with other countries, including Canada, Mexico, England, and Australia. Mario Cooper remained president until 1986, and the American Watercolor Society remains an active artists' organization today.

Related Material:

Additional records may be available by contacting the American Watercolor Society.

Separated Material:

Originals of loaned material, including additional exhibition materials, correspondence, photographs, and administrative records were returned to the American Watercolor Society after microfilming. Loaned material is available on reels N68-8 through N68-10, but is not described in the container listing of this finding aid.

Provenance:

The American Watercolor Society loaned material for microfilming in 1968, and, in 1978, donated some of this material. The bound volume of the record of works shown in annual exhibitions, 1897-1904, was microfilmed in 1972 and subsequently donated in 1978 by the American Antiquarian Society.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.

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.

Topic:

Watercolor painting -- 19th century -- United States  Search this

Art -- Societies, etc. -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Watercolor painting, American  Search this

Watercolor painting -- 20th century -- United States  Search this

Watercolorists  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Citation:

American Watercolor Society records, 1867-1977, bulk 1950-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Identifier:

AAA.amerwate

See more items in:

American Watercolor Society records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-amerwate

Creator:

De Patta, Margaret, 1903-1964  Search this

Names:

California College of Arts and Crafts (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this

California Labor School  Search this

Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this

Nanny's Design Gallery  Search this

Oregon State System of Higher Education  Search this

San Francisco Metal Arts Guild  Search this

Barson, Fred  Search this

Bielawski, Eugene  Search this

Davis, Adelle  Search this

Designs Contemporary  Search this

Fleisher, Janet  Search this

Flory, Alice  Search this

McHendrie, Janet  Search this

Ries, Victor, 1907-  Search this

Untracht, Oppi  Search this

Extent:

2.7 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Sketchbooks

Designs

Drawings

Date:

circa 1930-2012

Summary:

The papers of California jewelry designer Margaret De Patta measure 2.7 linear feet and date from circa 1930 to 2012. The papers include correspondence, writings, teaching files, exhibition files, personal business records, printed material, artwork and sketchbooks, and photographs.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of California jewelry designer Margaret De Patta measure 2.7 linear feet and date from circa 1930 to 2012. The papers include correspondence, writings, teaching files, exhibition files, personal business records, printed material, artwork and sketchbooks, and photographs.

Personal and professional correspondence is with family, friends, artists, galleries, museums, and universities. Notable correspondents include Fred Barson, Adelle Davis, Janet Fleisher, Alice Flory, Janet McHendrie, Victor Ries, Oppi Untracht, and Nanny's Design Gallery.

Writings include essays, personal statements, and notes. There is also an outline for a book on design and an annotated calendar.

Teaching files consist of course materials, administrative records, meeting minutes, and limited correspondence from the California Labor School. There are also a few folders from the California College of Arts and Crafts and the Oregon State System of Higher Education.

Exhibition files include announcements, correspondence, inventories, price lists, loan forms, and other material for Margaret De Patta shows at museums and galleries.

Personal business records consist of financial, legal, and administrative records on Margaret De Patta's jewelry designs and sales, as well as material related to Designs Contemporary, the jewelry production business created and managed by De Patta and her husband Eugene Bielawski. There is also material on large gifts and loans to museums and universities, and files relating to the San Francisco Metal Arts Guild.

Printed materials are mostly clippings about Margaret De Patta and other subjects, along with a few magazines and periodicals, including the San Francisco Metal Arts Guild newsletters, 1952-1964.

There is one sketchbook and several folders of drawings, jewelry designs, and flatware designs.

The bulk of the photographs are of jewelry and other objects designed by Margaret De Patta. There are a few photographs of Margaret De Patta working on jewelry and other subjects, such as a trip to Japan and her house on Laidley Street in California.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged as 8 series.

Series 1: Correspondence, 1946-2011 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Writings, circa 1935-1963 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Teaching Files, 1944-1969 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1948-2012 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 5: Personal Business Records, 1943-2001 (0.9 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1938-1981 (0.1 linear feet; Box 3)

Series 7: Artwork and Sketchbook, circa 1930-circa 1960 (0.2 linear feet; Box 3)

Series 8: Photographs, circa 1935-1967 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 3-4, OV 5)

Biographical / Historical:

San Francisco contemporary jewelry designer Margaret De Patta, née Strong, was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1903 and raised in San Diego, California. She was among the first contemporary studio jewelers and a proponent of modernism. De Patta studied painting at the San Diego Academy of Fine Arts from 1921-1923, the California School of Fine Arts from 1923-1925, and the New York Art Students League from 1926-1929.

Margaret De Patta began to create jewelry when she designed her own modernist wedding ring for her marriage to Sam De Patta in 1929. By the mid-1930s, she had become an accomplished jeweler whose work was frequently shown in galleries and museums. Her jewelry was featured in the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco. Around 1939, De Patta also started collaborating with Francis Sperisen, a noted San Francisco lapidary. De Patta designed the shapes of the jewelry using Lucite and wood, and Sperisen would use her models as a reference for the actual gem cutting.

From 1940-1941, De Patta attended the Chicago Bauhaus (now the Institute of Design) where she studied under Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. De Patta's time at the school was formative and Moholy-Nagy was tremendously impressed with her work. She also met her future second husband Gene Bielawski while she was a student in Chicago.

In 1941, De Patta returned to San Francisco, divorced Sam De Patta, and renovated her Laidley Street house in Glen Park. In 1946, she married Eugene Bielawski. The couple taught at the California Labor School. They also moved to Napa and founded Designs Contemporary, a business for producing jewelry that was as high quality as De Patta's handcrafted pieces at more affordable prices. Since all aspects of the business were conducted by the two of them, the workload became overwhelming and Designs Contemporary closed in 1957.

In 1951, Margaret De Patta was a founding member of the San Francisco Metal Arts Guild, established to promote the metal arts and specifically address the unique needs of studio jewelers. During her lifetime, she befriended many artists and continued to create jewelry, teach, and lecture. De Patta committed suicide in 1964. Her innovative jewelry designs continue to be influential today.

Provenance:

The Margaret De Patta papers were donated in two installments in 2003 and 2015 by Martha Bielawski, the second wife of Margaret De Patta's second husband, Eugene Bielawski. These papers were collected as part of the Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference 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:

Jewelers -- California  Search this

Jewelry making -- Study and teaching  Search this

Design -- Study and teaching  Search this

Topic:

Designers -- California  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Sketchbooks

Designs

Drawings

Citation:

Margaret De Patta papers, circa 1930-2012. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.depamarg

See more items in:

Margaret De Patta papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-depamarg

Creator:

Audubon Artists (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Names:

Arms, John Taylor, 1887-1953  Search this

Benton, Thomas Hart, 1889-1975  Search this

Blume, Peter, 1906-1992  Search this

Davis, Stuart, 1892-1964  Search this

Disney, Walt, 1901-1966  Search this

Domareki, Joseph  Search this

Engel, Michael M., 1896-1969  Search this

Facci, Domenico, 1916-1994  Search this

Feininger, Lyonel, 1871-1956  Search this

Freeman, Mark, 1908-  Search this

Gary, Jan  Search this

Hoffman, Malvina, 1887-1966  Search this

Lee-Smith, Hughie  Search this

McKay, Renee  Search this

Meyerowitz, William, 1887-1981  Search this

Poor, Henry Varnum, 1887-1970  Search this

Wengenroth, Stow, 1906-  Search this

Whitaker, Frederic  Search this

Young, Stark, 1881-1963  Search this

Extent:

6.7 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Date:

1944-2001

Summary:

The records of New York based Audubon Artists, a national exhibiting organization of painters, sculptors, and graphic artists, measure 6.7 linear feet and date from 1944-2001. The collection documents the organization's adoption of its constitution and first major expansion in the mid-1940s, and its subsequent growth to the present day. The records include correspondence with artist members, administrative files, exhibition files, financial records, printed material including an almost complete run of annual exhibition catalogs and prospectuses, and photographs of artwork, juries, and other groups involved in the annual exhibitions from the 1970s to 1999.

Scope and Contents:

The records of New York based Audubon Artists, a national exhibiting organization of painters, sculptors, and graphic artists, measure 6.7 linear feet and date from 1944-2001. The collection documents the organization's adoption of its constitution and first major expansion in the mid-1940s, and its subsequent growth to the present day. The records include correspondence with artist members, administrative files, exhibition files, financial records, printed material including an almost complete run of annual exhibition catalogs and prospectuses, and photographs of artwork, juries, and other groups involved in the annual exhibitions from the 1970s to 1999.

Administration and correspondence files document all aspects of the organization's activities and include founding documents; records of individual officers including presidents Domenico Facci, Joseph Domareki, Mark Freeman, Hughie Lee-Smith, Renee McKay and Frederic Whitaker, and historians Michael Engel and Jan Gary; correspondence with members and prospective members including artists such as John Taylor Arms, Thomas Hart Benton, Peter Blume, Stuart Davis, Walt Disney, Lyonel Feininger, Malvina Hoffman, William Meyerowitz, Henry Varnum Poor, Stow Wengenroth, and Stark Young; agenda, meeting minutes and reports to the Executive Board; and the correspondence and related records of various committees.

Exhibition files document a variety of activities related to exhibition planning, and include correspondence, entry forms, information on juries and awards, and lists of selected artwork and award winners.

Financial records include scattered treasurer correspondence and notes, records of bills paid, and some reports, investment and tax records from the 1960s-1990s.

Printed material includes an early brochure issued in 1944, and a brochure on the organization's history by Jan Gary, as well as annual exhibition catalogs and/or prospectuses from 1944 to 2000.

Photographic material consists of copy prints and negatives of photographic material used in the annual exhibition catalogs, including photos of artwork, juries and scattered exhibition installations.

Arrangement:

Before processing, much of the collection was unsorted, and there was little indication of original record keeping practices for a large portion of the material. Some of the earlier material from the 1940s had been sorted by name or activity and where possible this arrangement has been maintained. Researcherss should be aware, however, that similar types of material such as correspondence, financial, and administrative records, can be found in various places throughout the collection, particularly throughout Series 1. The collection is arranged as 5 series.

Series 1: Administration and Correspondence Files, 1944-2000 (2.43 linear feet; Boxes 1-3, OV 9)

Series 2: Exhibition Files, 1944-1999 (0.67 linear feet; Box 3)

Series 3: Financial Records, 1962-1999 (0.5 linear feet; Box 4)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1944-2001 (1.7 linear feet; Boxes 4-6)

Series 5: Photographic Material, circa 1969-1999 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 6-8)

Biographical / Historical:

Audubon Artists, a national exhibiting society of painters, sculptors, and graphic artists, was founded in New York, New York, in 1940. The organization took its name from the homestead of John James Audubon where it met in December, 1941, to discuss a less regional name than the one it had initially adopted: Professional Arts Group of Washington Heights. The group's association with Audubon, however, begins and ends with the name.

Audubon Artists held its first exhibition at 8th Street Gallery in Apri-May, 1942, with an exhibiting group of 22 members. In 1943 the group was able to attract a wider pool of recognized professional artists, and by 1944 the membership had increased to 60 and the organization issued its first annual exhibition catalog with the newly adopted eagle and palette emblem.

A reorganization meeting took place on March 27, 1944, to address the growing responsibilities for the annual exhibition. President Frederic Whitaker subsequently oversaw the creation of the original consitution, the credo and the 1946 incorporation of the organization, and led a membership campaign designed to attract nationally renowned artists of various aesthetic persuasions and gain the organization more prestige.

Since then, Audubon Artists has continued to hold an annual exhibition in a variety of locations throughout New York City, including the National Academy of Design, National Arts Club, and the Salmagundi Club. The latter has been the exhibition's preferred home since 1997, and with circa 350 members Audubon Artists remains a thriving organization dedicated to "artistic progress" today.

Provenance:

The records were donated by Audubon Artists in 1978 (via Mark Freeman, president) and 2001 (via David Pena, president).

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference 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:

Artists -- New York (State)  Search this

Topic:

Art -- Societies, etc. -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Citation:

Audubon Artists records, 1944-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

The Audubon Artists records were processed in 2015 with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art

Identifier:

AAA.auduarti

See more items in:

Audubon Artists records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-auduarti

Collection Creator:

Audubon Artists (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Extent:

2.43 Linear feet (Boxes 1-3, OV 9)

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1944-2000

Scope and Contents:

This series consists of mixed administrative records and correspondence documenting all aspects of the organization's activities. While no records exist from the original meetings of interested parties from 1940-1942, the series does include fragments of the 1946 certificate of incorporation (with a photocopy of the full document), working copies of the constitution and by-laws from 1944-1946 and a 1946 published copy which includes a roll of membership. Subsequent revisions to the constitution from the 1950s-1980s can also be found here.

Correspondence is found throughout the series, but some correspondence of individual presidents, historians, committee chairs and other individuals can also be found in named files. Of particular interest is correspondence documenting Frederic Whitaker's membership campaign to attract nationally renowned artists, which includes dozens of letters to known American artists. These can primarily be found in the general business and correspondence files for the 1940s and includes replies to Whitaker from artists such as Stuart Davis and Lyonel Feininger. The series also houses an honorable mention award presented to Whitaker in October 1945.

Other correspondents during the 1940s include John Taylor Arms, Thomas Hart Benton, Peter Blume, Jon Corbino, Walt Disney, Robert Gwathmey, Raoul Hague, Malvina Hoffman, Peter Hurd, William Meyerowitz, Henry Varnum Poor, Everett Shinn, Benton Spruance, Stow Wengenroth, and Stark Young. There are also numerous letters from presidents who succeeded Whitaker such as Ralph Fabri, Domenico Facci, Mark Freeman, Renee McKay and Hughie Lee-Smith, and the organization's two historians, Michael M. Engel and Jan Gary.

Correspondence related to Eileen and Frederic Whitaker is from Eileen following Frederic's death and includes papers related to a misunderstanding about whether Frederic Whitaker or John J. Karpick was the first president of Audubon Artists.

General correspondence from the 1970s includes documentation of the organization's attempts to secure publicity by means of a promotional video tape submitted to a local cable public access channel.

Also found here are executive board and director's minutes for the 1960s, and some meeting minutes for 1977-1979, 1985 and 1988. Additional scattered agenda, minutes and reports can be found in the general business and correspondence files. The series also includes the correspondence and related records of various committees including those for admissions, awards, and nominations; lists of executive board members, officers, members and associate members; and some financial records.

Arrangement:

Folders are arranged alphabetically by folder title.

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference 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:

Audubon Artists records, 1944-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

The Audubon Artists records were processed in 2015 with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art

Identifier:

AAA.auduarti, Series 1

See more items in:

Audubon Artists records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-auduarti-ref2

Creator:

Hundred Acres gallery  Search this

Subject:

Porter, Liliana  Search this

Paschke, Ed  Search this

Haas, Richard  Search this

Eversley, Frederick  Search this

Karp, Ivan C.  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7819

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209986

AAA_collcode_hundacre

Theme:

The Art Market

Art Gallery Records

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209986

Creator:

Hundred Acres gallery  Search this

Names:

Eversley, Frederick  Search this

Haas, Richard, 1936-  Search this

Karp, Ivan C., 1926-2012  Search this

Paschke, Ed  Search this

Porter, Liliana, 1941-  Search this

Extent:

3.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1969-1977

Summary:

The records of New York City gallery Hundred Acres measure 3.2 linear feet and date from 1969 to 1977. The collection contains files documenting the activities of artists such as John Baeder, Nancy Blanchard, Frederick John Eversley, John Fekner, Richard Haas, Eleanor Hubbard, Stevan Jennis, Noel Mahaffey, Ed Paschke, Liliana Porter, and Mark Wilson. Also included are gallery files consisting of administrative records, sales and inventory records, correspondence, exhibition files, and a file regarding the Radical Realism I print portfolio.

Scope and Contents:

The records of New York City gallery Hundred Acres measure 3.2 linear feet and date from 1969 to 1977. The collection contains files documenting the activities of artists such as John Baeder, Nancy Blanchard, Frederick John Eversley, John Fekner, Richard Haas, Eleanor Hubbard, Stevan Jennis, Noel Mahaffey, Ed Paschke, Liliana Porter, and Mark Wilson. Also included are gallery files consisting of administrative records, sales and inventory records, correspondence, exhibition files, and a file regarding the Radical Realism I print portfolio.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as two series.

Series 1: Artist's Files, 1969-1977 (1.8 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 2: Gallery Files, 1970-1977 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 2-4)

Biographical / Historical:

The Hundred Acres gallery was an art gallery owned by Ivan Karp (1926-2012) located in New York City. Karp, known for his support of the Pop art movement, was director of the Castelli Gallery before opening Hundred Acres. He was also the owner of the O.K. Harris gallery that operated across the street from Hundred Acres gallery.

Hundred Acres gallery was in operation through most of the 1970s and represented contemporary artists including John Baeder, Shirley Pettibone, Liliana Porter, Mark Wilson, and numerous others. The gallery held group shows, the exhibition Judy and Adrienne - Two Lives (1973), and published Radical Realism I, a portfolio of lithographic prints by artists such as Richard Estes and Ralph Goings.

Related Materials:

Also found at the Archives of American Art are the Ivan C. Karp papers and OK Harris Works of Art gallery records, 1960-2014.

Provenance:

The Hundred Acres gallery records were donated by Ivan Karp, owner and director of the gallery, in 1982.

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 Reference 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.

Function:

Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State) -- New York

Citation:

Hundred Acres gallery records, 1969-1977. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.

Identifier:

AAA.hundacre

See more items in:

Hundred Acres gallery records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-hundacre

Creator:

Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association of Philadelphia. Arts Council  Search this

Names:

Golden, Judith  Search this

Extent:

1.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Minutes

Drafts (documents)

Date:

1962-2006

bulk 1967-1981

Summary:

The records of the YM/YWHA Arts Council measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1962 to 2006, with the bulk of the records dating from 1967 to 1981. This collection documents the activities of the Philadelphia-based arts organization, primarily during the period that Judith Golden was the council chair. Included are administrative records, scattered correspondence, exhibition and program files, and printed material.

Scope and Content Note:

The records of the YM/YWHA Arts Council measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1962 to 2006, with the bulk of the records dating from 1967 to 1981. This collection documents the activities of the Philadelphia-based arts organization, primarily during the period that Judith Golden was the council chair. Included are administrative records, scattered correspondence, exhibition and program files, and printed material.

Administrative records include documentation on the Arts Council history, the council manual belonging to Judith Golden, committee member lists, meeting minutes and agendas, and documentation on grants and program funding. Also found are draft letters to members, draft press releases, scattered printed material and correspondence, meeting records, notes, reports, and proposed budgets. Correspondence is from 1969 to 1972 and includes Judith Golden's outgoing and incoming correspondence as Chairman of the Arts Council. Additionally, there is one letter addressed to Golden from 2004.

The exhibition and program files document art exhibitions, theater and dance performances, lectures, and patron events organized by the YM/YWHA Arts Council. Files may include performance agreements, planning documents, correspondence, printed announcements, press releases, and press clippings.

Printed Material consists of numerous brochures and program announcements for events at the YM/YWHA. Also found are magazines and newpaper clippings documenting arts events, scattered press releases, and The Review newsletter, published by the Jewis Ys and Centers of Greater Philadelphia.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as # series:

Series 1: Administrative Records, circa 1966-1981 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1969-1972, 2004 (Box 1; 3 folders)

Series 3: Exhibition and Program Files, 1962-1970s, 2006 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1967-1987 (Box 1-2; 0.4 linear feet)

Historical Note:

The YM/YWHA Arts Council was established in 1958 as a volunteer organization dedicated to bringing the visual and performing arts to Philadelpha. Judith Golden was Arts Council Chairman from 1969-1971 and Advisory Co-Chair from 1974-1976.

Related Material:

Additional YM/YWHA records were donated in 1986 by Acey Wolgin, an early member of the Association. These records were transferred to the vertical file of Smithsonian American Art Museum Library after microfilming, and are available on microfilm reel 4340. Also at the Archives of American Art are the Joan Kron papers, 1959-1971, and the Audrey Sabol papers, 1962-1967. Both collections document their work with the YM/YWHA Arts Council of Philadelphia.

Provenance:

The YM/YWHA Arts Council records were lent for microfilming in 1986 and subsequently donated with additional unmicrofilmed material in 2010 by Judith Golden, former chairman of the YM/YWHA Arts Council of Philadelphia.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

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.

Topic:

Art -- Exhibitions -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia  Search this

Art centers -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia  Search this

Associations, institutions, etc. -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia  Search this

Genre/Form:

Minutes

Drafts (documents)

Citation:

YM/YWHA Arts Council records, 1962-2006, bulk 1967-1981. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.younmens

See more items in:

YM/YWHA Arts Council records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-younmens

Creator:

Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis  Search this

Names:

Fisher, Morgan, 1942-  Search this

Friedman, Roberta  Search this

Gehry, Leslie  Search this

Gerry, Lyn  Search this

Halpern, Amy  Search this

Möritz, William  Search this

O'Neill, Beverly  Search this

O'Neill, Pat, 1939-  Search this

Extent:

1.1 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1976-1981

Summary:

The scattered records of the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis date from 1976 to 1981 and measure 1.1 linear feet. Founded in 1975, the organization offered a venue for avant-garde and experimental film as well as special merit documentaries. The records consist of scattered business and administrative records, including member information, the constitution, and by-laws; one folder of correspondence; various notes; printed materials; and a large number of files on filmmakers.

Scope and Content Note:

The scattered records of the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis date from 1976 to 1981 and measure 1.1 linear feet. The records consist of scattered business and administrative records, one folder of correspondence, various notes, printed materials, and a large number of files on filmmakers and cinematographers.

Scattered business and administrative records include the constitution and by-laws of the organization, founding information, contracts, member information, film rental documents, and film screening schedules. Resumes are found for Oasis members Morgan Fisher, Roberta Friedman, Leslie Gehry, Lyn Gerry, Amy Halpern, Beverly and Pat O'Neill, and William Moritz.

There is one folder of scattered correspondence dating from circa 1977-1981, financial notes, meeting notes, and program notes. Printed materials include announcements and posters, printed articles written by members, clippings, press releases, and film programs.

The largest series consists of compiled files on filmmakers and cinematographers, most of whom showed at the Oasis. Files contain a variety of materials, such as clippings, reviews, programs, biographies, and notes.

Arrangement:

The records are arranged into five series:

Series 1: Scattered Business Records, 1976-1981 (Box 1; 13 folders)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1977-1981(Box 1; 1 folder)

Series 3: Notes, circa 1979-1980 (Box 1; 4 folders)

Series 4: Printed Material, circa 1976-1981 (Box 1, OV 2; 0.25 linear feet)

Series 5: Filmmakers' Files, 1976-1981 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet)

Historical Note:

The Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis was founded by a group of independent filmmakers, critics, and theorists in March 1976. The mission of the non-profit organization was to provide a southern California venue for mostly experimental and avant-garde film.

The Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis operated as a member group, and in addition to showing film, offered the opportunity for new and established filmmakers to interact and exchange ideas, and to promote cinematography as a fine art. The Oasis held film screenings about twice monthly in the gallery of the Los Angeles Institute for Contemporary Art. Although most of the films were experimental or avant-garde, the members also showed some feature films and documentaries considered to be particularly important. The Oasis served as the only regular screening venue in Los Angeles at which new and unknown filmmakers could show their works. The Oasis was dissolved in 1981.

Members and founders of the Oasis included Paul Arthur, Roberta Friedman, Leslie Gehry, Lynn Gerry, Amy Halpern, Tom Lesser, Sandy Matthews, Beverly O'Neill, Pat O'Neill, Magdalena Rangel, Tim Shepard, Grahame Weinbren, Susan Rosenblum, Brent Wilcox, Diana Wilson, David Wilson and Arlene Zeichner.

The Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis showed films by Kenneth Anger, Bruce Baillie, John Baldessari, Stan Brakhage, Rudy Burckhardt, Bruce Conner, John Cornell, Maya Deren, Jules Engel, Morgan Fisher, Oskar Fischinger, Hollis Frampton, Robert Huot, Larry Jordan, Fernand Leger, William Moritz, Susan Pitt, Hans Richter, Michael Snow, Chick Strand, John Whitney, and Emerson Woelffer, among others.

Provenance:

Amy Halpern, one of the founders of the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis donated the records in 1994.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

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:

Cinematographers  Search this

Topic:

Experimental films  Search this

Filmmakers -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Citation:

Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis records, 1976-1981. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.losangei

See more items in:

Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-losangei

Creator:

Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation  Search this

Collector:

Johnson, Frederick, 1904-1994  Search this

Churchill, Frank C. (Frank Carroll), 1850-1912  Search this

Davis, Edward H., b. 1862  Search this

Churchill, Clara G.  Search this

Harrington, M. R. (Mark Raymond), 1882-1971  Search this

Harvey, Byron  Search this

Emmons, George Thornton  Search this

Gridley, Marion E. (Marion Eleanor), 1906-1974  Search this

Wildschut, William  Search this

Stiles, William F., 1912-1980  Search this

Verrill, A. Hyatt (Alpheus Hyatt), 1871-1954  Search this

Skinner, Alanson, 1886-1925  Search this

Waterman, T. T. (Thomas Talbot), 1885-1936  Search this

Harvey, Fred  Search this

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956  Search this

Lothrop, S. K. (Samuel Kirkland), 1892-1965  Search this

Barrett, S. A. (Samuel Alfred), 1879-1965  Search this

Pepper, George H. (George Hubbard), 1873-1924  Search this

Speck, Frank G. (Frank Gouldsmith), 1881-1950  Search this

Hodge, Frederick Webb, 1864-1956  Search this

Barrett, S. A. (Samuel Alfred), 1879-1965  Search this

Churchill, Clara G.  Search this

Churchill, Frank C. (Frank Carroll), 1850-1912  Search this

Davis, Edward H., b. 1862  Search this

Emmons, George Thornton  Search this

Gridley, Marion E. (Marion Eleanor), 1906-1974  Search this

Harrington, M. R. (Mark Raymond), 1882-1971  Search this

Harvey, Byron  Search this

Harvey, Fred  Search this

Hodge, Frederick Webb, 1864-1956  Search this

Johnson, Frederick, 1904-1994  Search this

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956  Search this

Lothrop, S. K. (Samuel Kirkland), 1892-1965  Search this

Pepper, George H. (George Hubbard), 1873-1924  Search this

Skinner, Alanson, 1886-1925  Search this

Speck, Frank G. (Frank Gouldsmith), 1881-1950  Search this

Stiles, William F., 1912-1980  Search this

Verrill, A. Hyatt (Alpheus Hyatt), 1871-1954  Search this

Waterman, T. T. (Thomas Talbot), 1885-1936  Search this

Wildschut, William  Search this

Director:

Dockstader, Frederick J.  Search this

Heye, George G. (George Gustav), 1874-1957  Search this

Dockstader, Frederick J.  Search this

Source:

Force, Roland W.  Search this

Burnett, Edwin K.  Search this

Names:

Ford-Bartlett East Greenland Expedition 1930  Search this

Harriman Alaska Expedition (1899)  Search this

Hendricks-Hodge Expedition (1917-1923).  Search this

Huntington Free Library  Search this

Hyde Exploring Expedition (1902-1903)  Search this

Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation  Search this

Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research  Search this

Former owner:

Burnett, Edwin K.  Search this

Force, Roland W.  Search this

Extent:

400 Linear feet

Culture:

Indians of North America  Search this

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Administrative records

Photographs

Annual reports

Field notes

Correspondence

Ledgers (account books)

Minutes

Date:

1890-1998

Summary:

These records document the governance and programmatic activities of the Museum of the American Indian/Heye Foundation (MAI) from its inception in 1904 until its sublimation by the Smithsonian Institution in 1990. The types of materials present in this collection include personal and institutional correspondence, individual subject files, minutes and annual reports, financial ledgers, legal records, expedition field notes, research notes, catalog and object lists, publications, clippings, flyers, maps, photographs, negatives and audio-visual materials. These materials span a varied range of subjects relating to the activities of the museum which are more fully described on the series level.

Scope and Contents:

These records document the governance and programmatic activities of the Museum of the American Indian/Heye Foundation (MAI) from its inception in 1904 until its sublimation by the Smithsonian Institution in 1990. The types of materials present in this collection include personal and institutional correspondence, individual subject files, minutes and annual reports, financial ledgers, legal records, expedition field notes, research notes, catalog and object lists, publications, clippings, flyers, maps, photographs, negatives and audio-visual materials. These materials span a varied range of subjects relating to the activities of the museum which are more fully described on the series level.

Arrangement:

The MAI, Heye Foundation records have been arranged into 21 series and 50 subseries: Series 1: Directors, 1908-1990 (1.1: George Gustav Heye, 1863-1962, 1.2: Edwin K. Burnett, 1943-1960, 1.3: Frederick Dockstader, 1950-1976, 1.4: Alexander F. Draper, 1972-1977, 1.5:Roland W. Force, 1963-1990, 1.6: George Eager, Assistant Director, 1977-1990) Series 2: Board of Trustees, 1916-1990 (2.1: Board of Trustee Minutes, 1916-1990, 2.2: Individual Board Correspondence, 1943-1990, 2.3: Subject Files, 1917-1990) Series 3: Administrative, 1916-1989 (3.1: Subject Files, 1904-1991, 3.2: Personnel, 1956-1991, 3.3: Legal, 1900-1989, 3.4: Task Force, 1976-1986, 3.5: George Abrams, 1980-1991) Series 4: Financial, 1916-1990 (4.1: Ledgers, 1900-1962, 4.2: Correspondence, 1905-1985, 4.3: Subject Files, 1916-1990) Series 5: Expeditions, 1896-1973Series 6: Collectors, 1872-1981Series 7: Registration, 1856-1993Series 8: Collections Management, 1937-1988Series 9: Curatorial, 1963-1990 (9.1: Curatorial Council, 1973-1990, 9.2: Gary Galante, 1979-1991, 9.3: Mary Jane Lenz, 1974-1994, 9.4: James G. E. Smith, 1963-1990, 9.5: U. Vincent Wilcox, 1968-1984, 9.6: Anna C. Roosevelt, 1973-1988) Series 10: Exhibits, 1923-1991 (10.1: MAI Exhibits, 1923-1990, 10.2: Non-MAI Exhibits, 1937-1991) Series 11: Public Programs, 1935-1990Series 12: Publications, 1904-1994 (12.1: Annual Reports, 1917-1989, 12.2: Publications by MAI, 1904-1990, 12.3: Publications by Other Sources, 1881-1990, 12.4: Administration, 1920-1988, 12.5: Archival Set of Official Publications, 1907-1976) Series 13: Public Affairs, 1938-1991Series 14: Development, 1927-1991 (14.1: Administration, 1979-1990, 14.2: Donors, 1978-1990, 14.3: Fundraising, 1973-1990, 14.4: Grants, 1970-1990, 14.5: Subject Files, 1976-1990) Series 15: Other Departments, 1914-1990 (15.1: Archives, 1914-1990, 15.2: Conservation, 1972-1989, 15.3: Education, 1921-1990, 15.4: Indian Information Center, 1977-1989, 15.5: Museum Shop, 1947-1989, 15.6: Photography, 1918-1990, 15.7: Physical Anthropology, 1919-1956) Series 16: Huntington Free Library, 1926-1991Series 17: Museum Relocation, 1969-1992 (17.1: Subject Files, 1979-1990, 17.2: American Museum of Natural History, 1980-1987, 17.3: Dallas, Texas, 1984-1987, 17.4: Smithsonian Institution, 1979-1990, 17.5: U.S. Custom House, 1977-1990, 17.6: Other Locations, 1974-1987) Series 18: MediaSeries 19: PhotographsSeries 20: Miscellaneous, 1837-1990Series 21: Oversize, 1873-1972 (21.1: Maps, 1873-1975, 21.2: Miscellaneous, 1884-1982)

History of the Museum of the American Indian/Heye Foundation:

The Museum of the American Indian/Heye Foundation was established by wealthy collector George Gustav Heye in 1908. Heye began collecting American Indian artifacts as early as 1897 and his collection rapidly increased over the next several years. Based in New York, Heye bought collections and documentary photographs, sponsored expeditions, and traveled and collected items himself. In addition, once MAI was established he sponsored numerous expeditions across the Western Hemisphere, including North American, Canada, South America and Central America.

From 1908 to 1917 Heye housed his artifacts on temporary loan at the University of Pennsylvania's University Museum, Pennsylvania, in lofts on East 33rd Street in New York City, and at other depositories. In 1917, the collections moved from his apartment to their permanent museum location at Audubon Terrace, at 155th Street and Broadway in New York City. The museum, containing ethnographic and archaeological collections from North, Central and South America, opened to the public in 1922. Less than ten years later, Heye completed a storage facility in the Pelham Bay area of the Bronx, known as the Research Branch. Heye served as Chairman of the Board and Museum Director until his death in 1957. After growing concern about the financial and other management of the collections came to a head, the museum became part of the Smithsonian Institution in 1989 and in 1994 opened exhibit space in the U.S. Customs House at Bowling Green near New York City's Battery Park. The Cultural Resources Center in Suitland, Maryland later opened in 1999 and the main Washington, DC museum opened in 2004.

Please visit the following links for more information about the history of the museum; History of the Collection, Collections Overview, and Significance of the Collection. Moreover, for information about how the museum currently cares for and exhibits the collection, please see the Conservation department and recent entries regarding Exhibitions and Conservation on the NMAI Blog. In addition, see portions of the NMAI Archive Center's collections highlighted in the SIRIS Blog.

Related Materials:

In 2004, the Huntington Fee Library, once part of the MAI/Heye Foundation, was transferred to the Cornell University Library Rare Book and Manuscript Collection. While this collection mainly contained books, it also contained a significant amount of archival materials. The Huntington Free Library's Native American Collection contains outstanding materials documenting the history, culture, languages, and arts of the native tribes of both North and South America, as well as contemporary politics and human rights issues are also important components of the collection. Further information about the collection and links to finding aids can be found here: rmc.library.cornell.edu/collections/HFL_old.html.

Restrictions:

Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).

Rights:

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish or broadcast materials from the collection must be requested from the National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiarchives@si.edu.

Topic:

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Peru  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Tennessee  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- New York (State)  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Panama  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- New Jersey  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- New Mexico  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Missouri  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Nevada  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- California  Search this

Indians of South America  Search this

Indians of Central America  Search this

Pre-Columbian objects  Search this

Museum exhibits  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Texas  Search this

Museums -- Collection management  Search this

Archaeological expeditions  Search this

Ethnological expeditions  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology)  Search this

Museums -- Acquisitions  Search this

Museums -- Curatorship  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Cuba  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Ecuador  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Arkansas  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Canada  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Guatemala  Search this

Excavations (Archaeology) -- Haiti  Search this

Genre/Form:

Administrative records

Photographs

Annual reports

Field notes

Correspondence

Ledgers (account books)

Minutes

Citation:

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Museum of the American Indian/Heye Foundation Records, Box and Folder Number; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NMAI.AC.001

See more items in:

Museum of the American Indian/Heye Foundation records

Archival Repository:

National Museum of the American Indian

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmai-ac-001

Creator:

National Congress of American Indians  Search this

Names:

Arrow, Inc.  Search this

National Tribal Chairmen's Association  Search this

Native American Rights Fund  Search this

United Effort Trust  Search this

United States. American Indian Policy Review Commission  Search this

United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs  Search this

United States. Indian Claims Commission  Search this

Bronson, Ruth Muskrat  Search this

Curry, James E., 1907-1972  Search this

Deloria, Vine  Search this

Harjo, Suzan Shown  Search this

McNickle, D'Arcy, 1904-1977  Search this

Peterson, Helen L.  Search this

Snake, Reuben, 1937-1993  Search this

Tonasket, Mel  Search this

Trimble, Charles E.  Search this

Extent:

251 Linear feet (597 archival boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Videotapes

Correspondence

Administrative records

Financial records

Audiotapes

Clippings

Date:

1933-1990

bulk 1944-1989

Summary:

The National Congress of American Indian (NCAI), founded in 1944, is the oldest nation-wide American Indian advocacy organization in the United States. The NCAI records document the organization's work, particularly that of its office in Washington, DC, and the wide variety of issues faced by American Indians in the twentieth century. The collection is located in the Cultural Resource Center of the National Museum of the American Indian.

Scope and Contents:

The records of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) reflect the operations of its Washington, DC, headquarters and, in particular, the activities and responsibilities of its executive director. The papers primarily cover the period 1943 to 1990, although some documents pre-dating NCAI are present. The bulk of the material relates to legislation, lobbying, and NCAI's interactions with various governmental bodies. A large segment also concerns the annual conventions and executive council and executive committee meetings. Finally, the records also document the operations of the NCAI, including personnel, financial, and fundraising material. Materials found throughout the collection include letters, memoranda, handwritten notes, speeches, press releases, newspaper clippings, publications, minutes of meetings, transcripts, reports, agenda, programs, financial records, legislative materials, photographs, and sound recordings.

Arrangement:

The National Congress of American Indians records are arranged in 21 series:

Series 1 -- : NCAI Conventions and Mid-Year Conferences

Series 2 -- : Executive Council and Executive Committee Files

Subseries 2.1: Executive Council

Subseries 2.2: Executive Committee

Subseries 2.3: Executive Committee: Benefit Awards

Series 3 -- : Correspondence Files

Subseries 3.1: Name Files

Subseries 3.2: Chronological Files

Subseries 3.3: Miscellaneous Files

Series 4 -- : Tribal Files

Subseries 4.1: Individual Tribes, Bands and Reservations

Subseries 4.2: Intertribal Organizations

Subseries 4.3: Special Issues

Subseries 4.4: Miscellaneous Tribal Files

Series 5 -- : Records of Indian Interest Organizations

Subseries 5.1: Other Indian Organizations

Subseries 5.2: Non-Indian Support Groups

Subseries 5.3: General Indian Interest Groups

Series 6 -- : NCAI Committees and Special Issue Files

Subseries 6.1: Alaskan Natives

Subseries 6.2: Policy Conference

Subseries 6.3: Religious Freedom and Related Cultural Concerns

Subseries 6.4: Hunting and Fishing Rights

Subseries 6.5: Natural Resources and Indian Water Rights

Subseries 6.6: Nuclear Waste

Subseries 6.7: Solar Bank

Subseries 6.8: AIMS [American Indian Media Surveillance] Committee

Subseries 6.9: HCR 108 and Federal Termination Policies

Subseries 6.10: Emergency Conference of 1954

Subseries 6.11: Jurisdiction --NCAI Commission and Federal Legislation

Subseries 6.12: Law Enforcement

Subseries 6.13: Litigation Committee

Subseries 6.14: Annual Litigation Conference

Subseries 6.15: Trail of Broken Treaties Impact Survey Team

Subseries 6.16: Block Grants

Subseries 6.17: Health and Welfare

Subseries 6.18: Self-Determination and Education

Subseries 6.19: National Conference on Federal Recognition

Subseries 6.20: Economic and Reservation Development

Series -- 7: United Effort Trust (UET)

Subseries 7.1: NCAI and NTCA Joint Committee

Subseries 7.2: Issues

Subseries 7.3: Legislation

Subseries 7.4: News Releases

Subseries 7.5: Indian Organizations

Subseries 7.6: Inter-Tribal Organizations

Subseries 7.7: Non-Indian Organizations

Subseries 7.8: Tribes

Series 8 -- : Attorneys and Legal Interest Groups

Subseries 8.1: Attorneys

Subseries 8.2: Legal Interest Groups

Subseries 8.3: Legal Services

Series 9 -- : Federal Indian Policy and Legislation Files

Subseries 9.1: American Indian Policy Review Task Force

Series 10 -- : Bureau of Indian Affairs

Series 11 -- : State and Local Government Organizations

Series 12 -- : Census

Series 13 -- : General Alpha-Subject Files

Series 14 -- : Records of Charles E. "Chuck" Trimble

Series 15 -- : Records of Suzan S. Harjo

Subseries 15.1: Indian Claims: Eastern Land Claims

Subseries 15.2: Indian Claims: Statute of Limitations

Subseries 15.3: Conference on -- The Indian Reorganization Act - An Assessment and Prospectus Fifty Years Later

Subseries 15.4: Inter-American Indian Institute (IAII)

Subseries 15.5: Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)

Subseries 15.6: Institute of the American West (IAW)

Subseries 15.7: Common Cause

Subseries 15.8: Office Files

Series 16 -- : Fund Raising

Subseries 16.1: Gifts, Bequests, and Contributions

Subseries 16.2: Foundations

Subseries 16.3: General --Arrow and NCAI Fund

Series 17 -- : Business and Financial Records Files

Subseries 17.1: Personnel

Series 18 -- : "Give-Away" Files

Series 19 -- : Publications

Subseries 19.1: -- News/Sentinels -- and -- Sentinel Bulletin

Subseries 19.2: Other Publications

Series 20 -- : Photographs

Series 21 -- : Audio and Film Recordings

Biographical / Historical:

The National Congress of America Indians, which describes itself as the oldest and largest American Indian and Alaskan Native organization in the United States, was founded on November 16, 1944, in Denver, CO. NCAI was intended to serve as a link between individual tribal councils and the United States government, by defining and helping to crystallize Indian thought on the administration of Indian affairs. The Congress also aimed to educate the general public about Indians, preserve Indian cultural values, protect treaty rights with the United States, and promote Indian welfare.

At the first convention, delegates representing fifty tribes ratified the constitution and by-laws, drafted resolutions determining the direction of NCAI policy, and elected the organizations' first officers, with Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Napoleon B. Johnson (Cherokee) as president. The officers, as well as eight elected council members, formed the Executive Council. The Council chose the Executive Director; Ruth Muskrat Bronson (Cherokee) was the organization's first director, from 1944-1948. "Persons of Indian blood" could join the organization either as individuals or as groups. In 1955, however, the constitution was revised to restrict group membership to recognized tribes, committees, or bands, and to make the Executive Council chosen by tribal representatives. These changes gave control of the organization to governing bodies of organized tribes, rather than individuals. A further amendment that year created a five-member Executive Committee, headed by the president, which had all the powers of the Executive Council between council meetings.

Conventions have been held annually in the fall since the formation of the NCAI in 1944. Since 1977, mid-year conferences have been held in May or June of each year, to allow more frequent and thorough discussion of issues. The resolutions passed at these conventions are the basis for all policy of the Executive Committee and Executive Director between meetings. The conventions are also used for informational sessions and meetings of standing and special committees of NCAI. One or two-day workshops may also be held on special topics or Congressional issues of particular concern.

NCAI created a tax-exempt arm in 1949 to accept charitable contributions and apply for grants, the NCAI Fund, which soon changed its name to ARROW, Inc. By 1957, however, ARROW had split off to become an independent organization, and NCAI started a new arm, again called the NCAI Fund. In the coming decades, the NCAI Fund would obtain grants from sources including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Veteran Affairs, Indian Health Service, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Ford Foundation, humanities councils and others, which they used for conferences, workshops, publications, and other projects.

In its early years, NCAI fought for the recognition of land claims of Alaska natives, the enfranchisement of Arizona and New Mexico Indians, the equitable settlement of tribal land claims, and the right of Indians to select their own attorneys. The NCAI lobbied vigorously for an Indian Claims Commission Bill, which became law in August 1946. NCAI's lobbying efforts on behalf of this act set the pattern for the organization's future role in legislative matters: keeping member tribes abreast of proposed legislation and ascertaining their views, and maintaining a presence in Congress through lobbying and testimony.

Beginning in 1954, the threat of termination pushed NCAI into a period of increased activity. Although some tribes were ready to terminate their relationship with the federal government, much of Indian Country felt threatened by the government's new stated policy. NCAI therefore organized an Emergency Conference of American Indians for February 1954 to protest this new termination policy. An agreement was forged at the conference between the NCAI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to work together toward slowly liquidating the BIA. The termination period of the 1950s and 1960s, while challenging, saw NCAI increase in confidence and political acumen.

During the 1960s, a number of other activist Indian groups sprang up and began to dilute the singular influence which NCAI had commanded. Newer, more militant groups often considered themselves at odds with NCAI, which was increasingly perceived as conservative. As the number of Indian advocacy groups grew in the 1960s and 1970s, however, NCAI actively partnered with other organizations, particularly the National Tribal Chairmen's Association (NTCA) and Native American Rights Fund (NARF), on a variety of projects.

Charles E. "Chuck" Trimble (Oglala Dakota) served as Executive Director of NCAI in 1972 until 1977, when he resigned to lead the United Effort Trust, a project designed to fight white backlash to Indian rights. NCAI spent most of the next two years trying to find another permanent director. In 1979, Ronald P. Andrade (Luiseno-Diegueno) joined NCAI and unfortunately found a group that was demoralized and underfunded. He was able to return the organization to good health but left in 1982. Si Whitman (Nez Perce), his successor, remained at NCAI for less than a year.

Suzan Shown Harjo (Cheyenne-Creek) became director of NCAI on May 1, 1984. Prior to taking this postions, she had served as Congressional Liaison for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior during the Carter administration and as legislative liaison for the Native American Rights Fund, as well as working for NCAI during the mid-1970s. Harjo was also an active and published poet, as well as a frequent speaker at events around the country. The National Congress of American Indians was particularly active on Capitol Hill while Harjo was director, advocating for government-to-government status, the Tribal Government Tax Status Act of 1983, repatriation legislation, and economic development programs, among other issues. Harjo was herself very involved in the establishment of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.

The NCAI Fund was very successful in receiving grants during this period, although they were chronically short of operating funds. Some of their most active projects during this period were the Indian and Native Veterans Outreach Program (INVOP), Inter-generational Health Promotion and Education Program (IHPEP), Environmental Handbook and related educational seminars, Solar Bank, nuclear waste disposal and transportation information sessions, and voter registration.

For years, NCAI's operating expenses had been funded by the Ford Foundation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). In 1985, the director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, opposing the use of Federal monies to support outside organizations, began to block the payment for services due to the NCAI. This created a financial crisis from which the NCAI did not recover during Harjo's tenure, and it became the major issue for which she was not rehired in October 1989.

Following the 1989 Annual Convention, Wayne Ducheneaux (Cheyenne River Sioux) became President of NCAI and A. Gay Kingman (Cheyenne River Sioux) was appointed Executive Director. Their first efforts were focused on recovering the financial well-being of the organization, which meant that less attention was devoted to issues in Congress. One of the successful projects NCAI pursued during the next two years was organization and presentation of the Indian pre-conference of the White House Conference on Library and Information Science, which was held in early 1991.

The National Congress of American Indians is still active today, continuing its work of lobbying, support for tribal governments, and advocacy for American Indian issues.

Related Materials:

Other collections at the NMAI Archives Center that include information on the National Congress of American Indians include:

Arrow, Inc., and the American Indian Tribal Court Judges records, 1949-1999 (NMAI.MS.013) James E. Curry papers, 1935-1955 (NMAI.MS.015) National Tribal Chairmen's Association records, 1971-1978 (NMAI.MS.014) Helen L. Peterson papers, 1944-1992 (NMAI.MS.016) Reuben Snake papers, 1971-1996 (NMAI.MS.012)

Provenance:

The National Congress of American Indians designated the National Anthropological Archives (NAA) as its official repository in 1976. This collection was received by NAA in four accessions between 1976 and 1991. It was transferred from NAA to the National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center in 2006.

Restrictions:

Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).

Rights:

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish or broadbast materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiarchives@si.edu.

Topic:

Indians of North America -- Government relations -- 1934-  Search this

Indians of North America -- Politics and government  Search this

Indians of North America -- Social conditions -- 20th century  Search this

Indians of North America -- Legal status, laws, etc.  Search this

Indian termination policy  Search this

Alaska Natives -- Land tenure  Search this

Indians of North America -- Civil rights  Search this

Indians of North America -- Economic conditions -- 20th century  Search this

Radioactive wastes -- United States -- Management  Search this

Trail of Broken Treaties, 1972  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Videotapes

Correspondence

Administrative records

Financial records

Audiotapes

Clippings

Citation:

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Collection Title, Box and Folder Number; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NMAI.AC.010

See more items in:

National Congress of American Indians records

Archival Repository:

National Museum of the American Indian

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmai-ac-010

Creator:

Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Names:

James, Portia P.  Search this

Extent:

3.52 Linear feet (6 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Brochures

Exhibit scripts

Contact sheets

Catalogs

Correspondence

Photographic prints

Exhibition records

Date:

1989-05 - 1990-05

Summary:

An exhibition on African American inventors and innovators, from prominent figures such as the 19th century inventor Elijah McCoy to the anonymous men and women who made important contributions to the development of American technology. The show was curated by Portia James and organized by the Anacostia Museum. It was held at the museum from May 1989 --May 1990. These records document the planning, organizing, execution, and promotion of the exhibition. Materials include correspondence, research files, exhibit scripts, administrative records, brochures, press coverage, education packets, loan agreements, floor plans, and catalogues.

Related Archival Materials note:

Audiovisual materials created for the exhibition by Anacostia Community Museum.

Restrictions:

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

Topic:

African American inventors  Search this

Museum exhibits  Search this

Genre/Form:

Brochures

Exhibit scripts

Contact sheets

Catalogs

Correspondence

Photographic prints

Exhibition records -- 1967-1989

Citation:

The Real McCoy: Afro-American invention and innovation, 1619-1930 exhibition records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

ACMA.03-026

See more items in:

The Real McCoy: Afro-American invention and innovation, 1619-1930 exhibition records

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-acma-03-026

Creator:

Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Names:

Anacostia Community Museum  Search this

Extent:

21.6 Cubic feet (consisting of 17 cartons, 2 oversized boxes.)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Transcripts

Color slides

Exhibition records

Exhibit scripts

Contact sheets

Photographic prints

Correspondence

Place:

Washington Metropolitan Area

Date:

1942-1998

Summary:

These records document the planning, organizing, execution, and promotion of an exhibition exploring the immigration of people of African descent from Central and South America and the Caribbean to the Washington Metropolitan Area. The show was organized and hosted by the Anacostia Museum from August 21, 1994 through August 7, 1995. Materials include correspondence, research files, exhibit script, administrative records, brochures, press coverage, education packets, loan agreements, floor plans, and catalogues.

Scope and Contents:

The records of the Black Mosaic exhibition presented by the Anacostia Community Museum measure 21.6 cubic feet and date from 1942 to 1998, with the bulk of material dating from 1990 to 1995. The records include administrative records, publications, research files, floor plans, exhibit text drafts, oral history transcripts, and project files for programs coordinated for or tangentially with the Black Mosaic Exhibit.

Administrative records include advisory board member lists, meeting minutes, agendas, grant proposals, project reports and assessments, correspondence, training material for museum volunteers and docents, and assorted notes. Publications within the series directly relate to the Black Mosaic Exhibit and the Anacostia Community Museum. Correspondence includes both internal correspondence and those with local community members.

Writings and notes were previously scattered throughout the collection have been collocated within the Administrative Records series, and a majority are undated. The notes cover topics ranging from administrative activities to exhibit and research planning. Included are printed documents, scrap paper, and spiral-bound notebooks.

The research files contain background information about numerous immigrant communities within Washington D.C. The community research files were originally organized by country, continent, or region of origin, and then later by subjects that coordinated with the exhibit's designated themes. This organization method has largely been maintained. Research files include scholarly articles, news clippings, event programs, compiled bibliographies, and material related to the study of museology.

The exhibit files include floor plan layouts, photocopies of images, interview transcripts, exhibit literature, and extensive exhibit text drafts. Drafts of the exhibit's text include notes throughout multiple editing stages. Additionally, copies of flip books for different thematic sections of the Black Mosaic exhibit are included and are organized alphabetically by title. Other exhibit literature present is primarily in English with one French copy present.

The project files include training material for collecting oral histories and documenting community folklife, conference records, event records, and records pertaining to related projects at the Anacostia Community Museum. Concurrent projects supporting the exhibit include the Black Mosaic community newsletter and an educational curriculum project. Additional project records that thematically overlap with the Black Mosaic exhibit but extend beyond the timeframe of the formal exhibit are present also.

Arrangement:

Black Mosaic: Community, Race, and Ethnicity among Black Immigrants in Washington, D.C. exhibition records are arranged in four series:

Series 1: Administrative Records

Series 2: Research Files

Series 3: Exhibit Files

Series 4: Project Files

Historical Note:

The exhibit Black Mosaic: Community, Race, and Ethnicity among Black Immigrants in Washington, D.C. was curated by the Anacostia Community Museum's supervisory curator Portia James, and was open at the Anacostia Community Museum from August 1994 to August 1995. The exhibition explored the immigration of people of African descent from South America, Central America, and the Caribbean to the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Topics addressed in the exhibition include migration, situations faced by Black immigrants, the maintenance of relationships with places of origin, community events and cultural performances, public and private expressions of culture, commodification of culture for economic support, and the expression of multiple identities. Some intentions of the exhibit were to provide forums for discussing culture and identity, provide resources for people learning about communities in the Washington Metro area, and to be a model to other museums and cultural institutions for understanding and interpreting similar immigration and settlement patterns.

The exhibit was designed to be experienced with broader cultural concepts being introduced towards the external part of the exhibit, while personal stories could be experienced further in. Over 100 oral history interviews featured prominently in the exhibit where interviewed individuals explained their immigration experience and how they've adapted to life in the area. The exhibit also included mounted photographs, artifacts, music, and conversations. Artifacts included passport photos, tickets, family photographs, and letters. The exhibit's text displayed in three languages: English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. There were additional exhibition guides provided in Brazilian Portuguese, French, and the Ghanaian languages of Ga, Twi, Akan, and Ewe.

Coupled with the exhibit, the museum coordinated an extensive series of programs to engage various communities in the exploration of issues and traditions. These programs included creating newsletters and a photograph exhibit to keep the community up to date about the progression of the exhibit, working with performance groups, creating multi-institutional partnerships in order to develop more effective methods of collecting oral histories, and collaborating and modeling for the CFPCS African Immigrant Communities project.

Provenance:

Records of Black Mosaic: Community, Race, and Ethnicity Among Black Immigrants in Washington, D.C. Exhibition were created by the Anacostia Community Museum.

Restrictions:

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

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:

Immigrants -- United States -- Exhibitions  Search this

Museum exhibits  Search this

Genre/Form:

Transcripts

Color slides

Exhibition records -- 1990-2004

Exhibit scripts

Contact sheets

Photographic prints

Correspondence

Citation:

Black Mosaic: Community, Race, and Ethnicity among Black Immigrants in Washington, D. C. Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

Identifier:

ACMA.03-027

See more items in:

Black Mosaic: Community, Race, and Ethnicity among Black Immigrants in Washington, D. C. Exhibition Records

Archival Repository:

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-acma-03-027

Creator:

Fiberworks, Center for the Textile Arts  Search this

Names:

Laky, Gyöngy, 1944-  Search this

Extent:

3.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Sound recordings

Video recordings

Date:

1973-2005

bulk 1974-1987

Summary:

The Fiberworks, Center for the Textile Arts records measure 3.2 linear feet and date from 1973-2005, with the bulk of the records dating from 1974-1987. The collection documents the textile arts school, gallery, and studio through administrative records, photographs, printed matter, and audiovisual material. Records include meeting minutes; photographs of artwork, events, and the Fiberworks community; brochures, announcements, newsletters, and clippings; and sound and video recordings from symposiums, lectures, and interviews.

Scope and Contents:

The Fiberworks, Center for the Textile Arts records measure 3.2 linear feet and date from 1973-2005, with the bulk of the records dating from 1974-1987. The collection documents the textile arts school, gallery, and studio through administrative records, photographs, printed matter, and audiovisual material. Records include meeting minutes; photographs of artwork, events, and the Fiberworks community; brochures, announcements, newsletters, and clippings; and sound and video recordings from symposiums, lectures, and interviews.

Administrative records include meeting minutes from the board of trustees and advisory committee as well as an exhibition file. Printed material includes exhibition announcements, posters, and catalogs; event posters and schedules; Fiberworks course catalogs and brochures; publications; and clippings. Photographs and slides depict artwork, exhibition installations, and events. Also included is a series composed of papers, photographs, video, and sound recordings from Fiberworks symposiums as well as recordings of interviews and lectures hosted by the organization.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 4 series.

Series 1: Administrative Records, 1974-1987

Series 2: Symposiums, Lectures, and Interviews, circa 1978-1989

Series 3: Printed Material, 1973-2005, bulk 1974-1987

Series 4: Photographs, 1974-1987

Biographical / Historical:

Fiberworks Center for the Textile Arts was a textile arts school in Berkley, California, established in 1973 by artist Gyöngy Laky. Fiberworks operated a studio, a gallery, and a school until 1987.

Fiberworks held exhibitions and symposiums, housed resident-artists, and organized workshops, adult education classes, and trips all over the world for interested textile artists. Additionally, Fiberworks partnered first with Lone Mountain College in San Francisco, California, and then with John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, California, to provide an M.F.A. degree.

Provenance:

The collection was donated by Gyongy Laky, founder of Fiberworks, in 2006.

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.

Topic:

Fiber artists -- California  Search this

Function:

Art Schools -- California

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Video recordings

Citation:

Fiberworks, Center for the Textile Arts records, 1973-2005. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.

Identifier:

AAA.fibecenf

See more items in:

Fiberworks, Center for the Textile Arts records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-fibecenf

Creator:

Woman's Building (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this

Names:

Feminist Studio Workshop  Search this

Women's Graphic Center (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this

Chicago, Judy, 1939-  Search this

De Bretteville, Sheila Levrant  Search this

Raven, Arlene  Search this

Extent:

33.5 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Slides

Artists' books

Date:

1970-1992

Summary:

The records of the Woman's Building feminist arts organization in Los Angeles measure 33.5 linear feet and date from 1970-1992. Originally founded by artist Judy Chicago, graphic designer Sheila Levant de Bretteville, and art historian Arlene Raven in 1973, the Woman's Building served as an education center and public gallery space for women artists in southern California. The records document both the educational and exhibition activities and consist of administrative records, financial and legal records, publications, curriculum files, exhibition files, grant funding records and artist's works of arts and prints. A significant portion of the collection documents the Women's Graphic Center, a typesetting, design, and printing service operated by The Woman's Building.

Scope and Content Note:

The records of the Woman's Building measure 33.5 linear feet and date from 1970 to 1992. The organization played a key role as an alternative space for women artists energized by the feminist movement in the 1970s. The records document the ways in which feminist theory shaped the Building's founding core mission and goals. During its eighteen year history, the Building served as an education center and a public gallery space for women artists in Los Angeles and southern California; the records reflect both functions of the Building's activities.

The Administrative Files series documents the daily operations of the Building, with particular emphasis on management policies, budget planning, history, cooperative relationships with outside art organizations and galleries, special building-wide programs, and relocation planning. Included in this series are the complete minutes from most Building committees from 1974 through closing, including the Board of Directors and the Advisory Council. The General Publicity and Outreach series is particularly complete, containing publicity notices from most events, exhibits, and programs held at the Woman's Building, including brochures, announcements, programs, invitations, press releases, newspaper clippings, and magazine articles.

The Woman's Building's educational programs centered on courses offered by the Feminist Studio Workshop and the Extension Program. While the Workshop provided a two-year program for women interested in fully developing their artistic talent, the Extension Program offered a broad range of classes, specifically oriented to working women interested in art and art vocations. The records fully document both programs, focusing on the course development and descriptions, teacher contracts, class evaluations, budget planning, and scholarship programs. Although the Archives does not have the entire slide library, there are files concerning the establishment and administration of the library, as well as a few folders of slides.

The Gallery Programs series houses the records of the visual, performing, literary and video arts events held at the Woman's Building. Administrative files detail the daily operation of the gallery spaces. The files in the remaining subseries are primarily arranged by event and contain proposals, announcements, publicity, and artist biographies.

The Women's Graphic Center became a profit-making arm of the Woman's Building in 1981 but the typesetting and design equipment had been used by staff and students since 1975. The records in this series focus on the work produced at the Center, including general projects and artist designs and art prints. Many of the design and printing examples were produced for Woman's Building events and programs.

The Artist's Works of Art series includes artist books, resumes, correspondence, postcards, and samples of art in the form of sketches, drawings, and prints. There is also material related to Woman's Building projects. Especially noteworthy is the "What is Feminist Art?" project where artists gave their responses in various formats and mediums from text to pieces of artwork.

The Printed Materials series contains feminist and art publications not produced by or for the Woman's Building.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into 7 series.

Series 1: Administrative Files, circa 1970-1991 (Box 1-9, 32; 9 linear feet)

Series 2: Educational Programs, 1971-1991 (Box 10-14; 4.9 linear feet)

Series 3: Gallery Programs, 1973-1991 (Box 14-20, OV 54; 5.7 linear feet)

Series 4: Women's Graphic Center, circa 1976-1989 (Box 20-23, 32, OV 33-50; 5.6 linear feet)

Series 5: Artists' Works of Art, circa 1972-1990 (Box 24-25, OV 51-53; 1.7 linear feet)

Series 6: Grants, 1974-1992 (Box 25-30; 5.3 linear feet)

Series 7: Printed Material (Not Woman's Building), 1970-1983 (Box 30-31; 1.3 linear feet)

Historical Note:

In 1973, artist Judy Chicago, graphic designer Sheila Levant de Bretteville, and art historian Arlene Raven founded the Feminist Studio Workshop (FSW), one of the first independent schools for women artists. The founders established the workshop as a non-profit alternative education center committed to developing art based on women's experiences. The FSW focused not only on the development of art skills, but also on the development of women's experiences and the incorporation of those experiences into their artwork. Central to this vision was the idea that art should not be separated from other activities related to the developing women's movement. In November of 1973 the founders rented workshop space in a vacated building in downtown Los Angeles and called it The Woman's Building, taking the name from the structure created for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The FSW shared space with other organizations and enterprises including several performance groups, Womanspace Gallery, Sisterhood Bookstore, the National Organization of Women, and the Women's Liberation Union.

When the building they were renting was sold in 1975, the FSW and a few other tenants moved to a three-story brick structure, originally designed to be the administrative offices of the Standard Oil Company in the 1920s. In the 1940s, it had been converted into a warehouse and consisted of three floors of open space, conducive to publically available extension classes and exhibitions offered by the Woman's Building staff and students. By 1977, the majority of the outside tenants had left the Woman's Building, primarily because they were unable to sustain business in the new location. The new building was more expensive to maintain and the FSW staff decided to hire an administrator and to create a board structure to assume the financial, legal, and administrative responsibility for the Building. The funds to operate came from FSW tuition, memberships, fund-raising events, and grant monies.

In 1981, the Feminist Studio Workshop closed, as the demand for alternative education diminished. The education programs of the Building were restructured to better accommodate the needs of working women. The Woman's Building also began to generate its own artistic programming with outside artists, including visual arts exhibits, performance art, readings, and video productions. That same year, the Woman's Building founded the Women's Graphic Center Typesetting and Design, a profit-making enterprises designed to strengthen its financial base. Income generated from the phototypesetting, design, production, and printing services was used to support the educational and art making activities of the Building.

When the graphics business closed in 1988, the Woman's Building suffered a financial crisis from which it never fully recovered. The Building closed its gallery and performance space in 1991.

Related Material:

Among the other resources relating to the Woman's Building in the Archives of American Art is an oral history with Suzanne Lacy on March 16, 1990, March 24, 1990, and September 24, 1990. While not credited as a founding member, Lacy was among the first group of staff of the Woman's Building which she discusses in her interview.

The Getty Research Institute also holds a large collection on the Woman's Building which includes a wide range of material relating to its exhibitions, activities, and projects.

Separated Material:

The Archives of American Art donated 5 boxes of video tape from the collection to the Long Beach Museum of Art, Video Annex in 1994. According to documentation, this was the desire of Sandra Golvin and the Board of Directors of the Woman's Building.

Provenance:

The Woman's Building records were donated to the Archives of American Art in 1991 by Sandra Golvin, President of the Board of Directors. An small addition of a set of "Cross Pollination" posters was donated in 2019 by by ONE Archives at University of Southern California Libraries via Loni Shibuyama, Archives Librarian.

Topic:

Works of art  Search this

Art -- Study and teaching -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Women artists -- California  Search this

Feminism and art  Search this

Arts organizations -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Function:

Nonprofit organizations -- California -- Los Angeles

Genre/Form:

Slides

Artists' books

Citation:

Woman's Building records, 1970-1992. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Getty Foundation. Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by The Walton Family Foundation and Joyce F. Menschel, Vital Projects Fund, Inc.

Identifier:

AAA.womabuil

See more items in:

Woman's Building records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-womabuil

Creator:

United States. Farm Security Administration. Historical Section  Search this

Names:

Collier, John, Jr., 1913-1992  Search this

Delano, Jack  Search this

Evans, Walker, 1903-1975  Search this

Lange, Dorothea  Search this

Lee, Russell, 1903-1986  Search this

Mydans, Carl  Search this

Rosskam, Edwin, 1903-1985  Search this

Rothstein, Arthur, 1915-1985  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Stryker, Roy Emerson, 1893-1975  Search this

Vachon, John, 1914-1975  Search this

Wolcott, Marion Post, 1910-1990  Search this

Extent:

2 Items (Textual records: 2 partial microfilm reels)

218 Items (Photographs)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1935-1942

Scope and Contents:

Scattered textual records selected from the Farm Security Administration, Historical Section records at the Library of Congress and the Farmers Home Administration records at the National Archives primarily revolving around activities of Roy Stryker. Included are personnel and travel records, typescripts of photograph captions, correspondence, memoranda, files on public relations and exhibits, and printed material.

218 copy prints of photographs of America taken for the FSA, including landscapes, people, homes and other architecture, rural scenes, urban scenes, workers, products of farm and industry, transportation, entertainment, and the Quarter Circle U Ranch, Birney, Montana. Photographers include: Arthur Rothstein, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, John Collier, Marion Post Wolcott, Jack Delano, Russell Lee, John Vachon, Ben Shahn, Carl Mydans, and Edwin Rosskam.

Biographical / Historical:

Established 1935 in the Resettlement Administration Historical Section's photographic project to document poverty stricken rural America under the direction of Roy E. Stryker. In 1937, Roosevelt established the FSA, and the Resettlement Administration and its programs fell under its auspices. The Historical Section of the Resettlement Administration remained intact under the FSA, and continued its photographic survey and historical documentation under Stryker's direction.

After 1942, the photographs project was transplanted to the Office War Information, and the emphasis of the project shifted from rural and urban conditions throughout Depression-era U.S. to the domestic impact of the war. In 1946, Congress created the Farmers Home Administration (FHA) which absorbed the FSA and its programs.

Related Materials:

Additional FSA-OWI records located at: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (microfilm available at LC)

Additional Stryker papers located at: Photographic Archives University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky. 40208

Provenance:

Microfilm and copy prints donated by the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, 1965.

Reel FSA/WDC2: Record Group 96, textual records of the Farmers Home Administration include the records of the FSA, predecessor to the FHA.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Photographers  Search this

Topic:

Photography -- United States -- Landscape -- Photographs  Search this

Photography -- United States -- Portraits -- Photographs  Search this

Architectural photography -- United States -- Photographs  Search this

Federal aid to the public welfare -- Photographs  Search this

Art and state -- United States  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

New Deal, 1933-1939  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.unstfsad

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-unstfsad