Collection dates from 1966 to 1976 and includes 1,817 black and white negatives, 1,519 35mm color slides, several hundred prints, and manuscript materials. Locations include Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Israel, Mali, and Niger and depict agriculture, architecture, especially mosques, landscapes, marketplaces, masquerade and musical performances, sculptures, and textiles. Peoples depicted include the Bambara, Bella, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Gao, Mandingo, San, Songhai, and Tuarag peoples.
Scope and Contents:
This collection dates from 1966 to 1976 and includes 1,817 black and white negatives, 1,519 35mm color slides, several hundred prints, and manuscript materials. Images were taken in Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Israel, Mali, and Niger and depict agriculture, architecture, especially mosques, landscapes, marketplaces, masquerade and musical performances, sculptures, textiles. Peoples depicted include the Bambara, Bella, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Gao, Mandingo, San, Songhai, and Tuarag peoples.
Arrangement:
Arranged in four series, according to format.
Series 1: Negatives
Series 2: Slides
Series 3: Photographic Prints
Series 4: Manuscript Materials
Biographical / Historical:
Marli Shamir (1919-2016) was an Israeli photographer known for her extensive work in Mali, the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso from 1966-1973. Born and raised in Berlin, Shamir started studying photography during her teenage years and took photography classes at the Contempora Lehrateliers für neue Werkkunst (1934-1937).
In 1938, she was forced to immigrate to Israel where she initially lived in a kibbutz.
From 1941-1943, she worked at the mineralogy department of the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, and then opened her own studio in Jerusalem in 1945. In 1953, she married Meir Shamir, a former Israeli Diplomat-Ambassador, and from 1966-1973 she lived successively in Mali, Gabon and Cote d'Ivoire. She held a particular fascination with architecture, monuments, mosques, arts and habitants.
During her stay in Mali, she met Pascal James Imperato with whom she wrote the article "Bokolanfini Mud Cloth of the Bamana of Mali" (African Arts, 1970). In 1976, she produced the exhibition Sahel at the Israeli museum in Jerusalem, which focused on the rural and urban architecture and people of the Sahel. The exhibition toured in Europe later that year. From 1977-1981, she lived in Strasbourg, where she focused on documenting the new style of architecture in Mali. Her work on this project is stored at the Center of Documentation in Strasbourg.
In 2005, a book devoted to her photographs from Mali was published by the Grandvaux French Edition House. The National Poet of Mali, Albakaye Ousmane Kounta, collaborated with Shamir on a book of poetry, Djenney-Ferey –La terre habitee (published by Grandaux, 2007), which is illustrated with Shamir's photographs. Shamir passed away in 2016 at the age of 93.
Related Materials:
The Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives also holds another collection of Shamir's photographs, EEPA 1995-025.
Provenance:
Purchased, 2013
Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
These original (64) magnetic audio tapes and reels were created for the Black African Heritage television series, produced by Eliot Elisofon and Group W (Westinghouse Broadcasting Company) in 1972. These correspond with the film outtakes and original work prints held in the EEPA 1973-001 Collection.
Biographical / Historical:
These materials were produced by Eliot Elisofon and Group W (Westinghouse Broadcasting Company) in 1972, for a four-hour television series called Black African Heritage. The episodes, in order of broadcast date:
1. The Congo, narrated by Julian Bond, focuses on the "heartland of Africa" the equatorial area which encompasses rainforests, grassy plains, volcanoes, the great Congo River, lakes, and the snow-covered Ruwenzori, called the Mountains of the Moon. This episode encounters groups such as the Watusi, Bambenga, the Wagenia, the Bakuba, and the Bapende—and traces African art and history back 1,500 years.
2. The Bend in the Niger, narrated by Ossie Davis, follows one of the continent's great rivers as it flows northward in West Africa from the home of the Bambara group, known for their music, dancing, and sculpture, to Timbuktu, where it turns eastward to the Atlantic Ocean through the home of the Dogon groups, famous for sculpture. Other groups met along the way are the Borora, the horseman of Muslim Hausa, the nomadic Tuaregs, and the Bozo and Dendi people of the Niger River.
3. The Slave Coast, narrated by Maya Angelou, focused on the tradition, cultures, beauty, and history of the people of the rainforest and the coast of West Africa. Watch dancers of Nigeria, examine sculptures made 2000 years ago, listen to the talking drums of Yoruba, see bronze portraits, visit the women warriors once known as Amazon, see golden treasures of Ashanti in Ghana, and marvel at the acrobatic dancers of the Ivory Coast.
4. Africa's Gift, narrated by Gordon Parks, focuses primarily on the Senufo people of the Ivory Coast, their music, and their art. Mongo Santamaria, leading exponent of Afro-Cuban music plays the "Afro-blues." Lionel Hampton and his group play "Glad Hamp," to show the relationship of the vibraphone and the balaphone of the Senufo. Modern jazz star Randy Weston and a trio play a number rooted in the Ashanti music in Ghana.
Related Materials:
Related materials include the Eliot Elisofon Papers and Photography Collection (PH-00066) at the Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin, the Time/Life Photographs Archives, and Broadcast programs collection (ACMA.09-037) at the Anacostia Community Museum Archives
Restrictions:
Materials have not yet been digitized and processed for public access.
Photographs taken by Marli Shamir in Mali, in 1971. The majority of the images show architecture in Djenne, Mali. Other images depict architecture of the Dogon in Timbuktu, Gao and San.
Photographs from this collection were featured by Labelle Prussin's thesis entitled, "The Architecture of Djenne; African Synthesis and Transformation," (Yale University, 1974) and in her book entitled, "Hatumere: Islamic Design in West Africa," (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986). The images have also been displayed in an exhibition entitled, "Marli Shamir Photographs from the Sahel," held in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, in 1976.
Arrangement note:
Images indexed by negative number.
Biographical / Historical:
Marli Shamir (1919-2016) was an Israeli photographer known for her extensive work in Mali, the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso from 1966-1973. Born and raised in Berlin, Shamir started studying photography during her teenage years and took photography classes at the Contempora Lehrateliers für neue Werkkunst (1934-1937). In 1938, she was forced to immigrate to Israel where she initially lived in a kibbutz. From 1941-1943, she worked at the mineralogy department of the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, and then opened her own studio in Jerusalem in 1945. In 1953, she married Meir Shamir, a former Israeli Diplomat-Ambassador, and from 1966-1973 she lived successively in Mali, Gabon and Cote d'Ivoire. She held a particular fascination with architecture, monuments, mosques, arts and habitants. During her stay in Mali, she met Pascal James Imperato with whom she wrote the article Bokolanfini Mud Cloth of the Bamana of Mali, (African Arts, 1970). In 1976, she produced the exhibition Sahel at the Israeli museum in Jerusalem, which focused on the rural and urban architecture and people of the Sahel. The exhibition toured in Europe later that year. From 1977-1981, she lived in Strasbourg, where she focused on documenting the new style of architecture in Mali. Her work on this project is stored at the Center of Documentation in Strasbourg. In 2005, a book devoted to her photographs from Mali was published by the Grandvaux French Edition House. The National Poet of Mali, Albakaye Ousmane Kounta, collaborated with Shamir on the book of poetry Djenney-Ferey –La terre habitee (published by Grandaux, 2007), which is illustrated with Shamir's photographs. Shamir passed away in 2016 at the age of 93.
Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A Dogon village near Songa; a storage hut. Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-1
T 2 MAL 34.1 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A good picture of a Dogon village on the cliffs; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-2
T 2 MAL 34.2 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Dogon village on the cliffs; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-3
T 2 MAL 34.3 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A waterfall cascading off the cliffs near the village; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-4
T 2 MAL 34.4 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A waterfall cascading off the cliffs near the village; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-5
T 2 MAL 34.5 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Vegetation on the above cliffs [Dogon village]; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-6
W 2 MAL 34.6 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Crops near Songa; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-7
M 2 MAL 34.7 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Crops growing [near Songa]; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-8
M 2 MAL 34.8 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A Dogon village inbetween Songa and Bandiagara; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-8[a]
T 2 MAL 34.8A CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A Dogon village inbetween Songa and Bandiagara; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-9
T 2 MAL 34.9 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A Dogon village inbetween Songa and Bandiagara; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-9[a]
T 2 MAL 34.9A CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A Dogon village inbetween Songa and Bandiagara; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-10
T 2 MAL 34.10 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
The Grand Mosque in Bamako; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-11
S 2 MAL 34.11 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A deer at the Bamako zoo; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-12
V 1 MAL 34.12 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
An elephant at the [Bamako] zoo; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-13
V 2 MAL 34.13 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A hippo at the [Bamako] zoo; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-14
V 2 MAL 34.14 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
A hippo at the [Bamako] zoo; Taken during August 1980 on my trip with Dale Williams. The date on the slide is AUG 80.
Local Numbers:
MA-34-15
V 2 MAL 34.15 CDC 80
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
