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:
Lee Nordness business records and papers, circa 1931-1992, bulk 1954-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Institution Collection Care Preservation Fund
The papers of Los Angeles painter, printmaker, and educator, Charles W. White, measure 12.9 linear feet and date from 1933 to 1987, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1960s to the 1970s. The collection contains biographical material, including a sound recording of an interview with White; personal and professional correspondence; writings by White and others about his philosophy of art, his life, and career; professional files documenting White's participation in a variety of boards, committees, juries, symposiums, professional projects, and commissions; teaching files documenting White's tenure at Otis Art Institute; extensive printed material charting White's career from the 1930s until his death; scrapbooks primarily documenting his early career; and a small series of photographs.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Los Angeles painter, printmaker, and educator, Charles W. White, measure 12.9 linear feet and date from 1933 to 1987, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1960s to the 1970s. The collection contains biographical material including a sound recording of an interview with White; personal and professional correspondence; writings by White and others about his philosophy of art, his life, and career; professional files documenting White's participation in a variety of boards, committees, juries, symposiums, professional projects, and commissions; teaching files documenting White's tenure at Otis Art Institute; extensive printed material charting White's career from the 1930s until his death; scrapbooks primarily documenting his early career; and a small series of photographs.
Biographical material includes documentation of awards received by White, biographical notes, resumes, White's high school report cards, interview transcripts and a sound recording of an interview, and records related to Elizabeth Catlett from the 1940s.
Correspondence includes scattered letters from family and friends but is primarily professional. White's correspondence was often conducted by Benjamin Horowitz and, occasionally, by Frances White, although some scattered original drafts of letters by White can also be found in this series. The series documents many aspects of White's career including: his relationship with Horowitz and Heritage Gallery as his representative; sales, loans, and exhibitions of White's artwork at many museums, galleries, and art institutions; the publication of his work in journals, magazines, and books, and it's use in the film and music industries; and his relationships with others in the arts and the entertainment industry including Richmond Barthé, Margaret Burroughs, Bing Davis, David Driskell, Lorraine Hansberry, and Harry Belafonte's company, Belafonte Enterprises.
Writings by White include two addresses made to the Annual Conference of Negro Artists, statements on his philosophy of art, and an autobiographical essay. Writings by others include drafts of Benjamin Horowitz's book Images of Dignity:The Drawings of Charles White.
White's professional activities are further documented through records related to the many boards, committees, and exhibition and art contest juries he served on, as well as lectures he delivered, and panels and symposiums he participated in. White's professional files also contain records relating to fellowships he received and document projects such as designs for books, films, and magazines.
White's teaching files primarily relate to Otis Art Institute and contain some records related directly to his work there as well as general faculty and board material. The records document, to some extent, White's role as spokesperson for the faculty and students during the transfer of the Otis charter to Parsons School of Design in 1979. Documentation of White's association with Howard University is minimal and includes letters related to his appointment and resignation in 1978-1979.
Gallery and exhibition files document specific solo and group exhibitions and include records on two visits White made to Germany in 1974 and 1978.
Printed material includes announcements, exhibition catalogs, articles in journals, magazines, and news clippings, and publications with artwork by White that provide extensive coverage of White's career from the 1930s to his death. Also found is printed material collected by White on other artists, and on subjects of interest to him.
Three disbound scrapbooks provide compilations of printed material and occasional letters further documenting White's career. A small series of photographs includes holiday card photos of White, Frances White, and their two children, and photos of White and others taken at a workshop in 1969.
Throughout the collection there are folders containing notes written by Frances White, circa 1980-1981, which provide important contextual information about people, organizations and subjects in the collection, and sometimes highlight the racism White encountered, particularly during his early career. The dates of these notes are not included in folder dates.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as nine series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1934-1979 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1937-1984 (Boxes 1-4, 13; 3.64 linear feet)
Series 3: Writings, 1936-circa 1981 (Boxes 4-5; 0.45 linear feet)
Series 4: Professional Activities, circa 1942-1982 (Boxes 5-6, 13, OV 15; 1.81 linear feet)
Series 5: Teaching Files, 1950-1979 (Boxes 6, 13; 0.72 linear feet)
Series 6: Gallery and Exhibition Files, 1946-1980 (Box 7, Box 14; 0.98 linear feet)
Series 7: Printed Material, 1933-1987 (Boxes 8-14, OVs 15-17; 4.8 linear feet)
Series 8: Scrapbooks, 1936-1970s (Box 12; 0.15 linear feet)
Series 9: Photographic Material, 1940-1976 (Box 12; 0.15 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, printmaker, and educator, Charles W. White (1918-1979), was a prominent figure in the Chicago Black Renaissance and became one of the most celebrated and influential African American artists of the twentieth century. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, White lived and worked in California beginning in 1956, and taught at the Otis Art Institute from 1965 until his death.
White began painting at a young age, earning first prize in a nationwide high school art contest. He studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he was awarded a full scholarship, from 1937-1938. After graduating from the school, White worked as a muralist for the Illinois Federal Arts Project sponsored by the Works Progress Administration from 1939 to 1940. He then received two fellowships from the Julius Rosenwald Foundation in 1942 and 1943 and created the mural The Contribution of the Negro to American Democracy at the Hampton Institute. From 1943-1945 he taught at the George Washington Carver School in New York City, and was artist-in-residence at Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 1945.
White's first marriage to Elizabeth Catlett ended in divorce and he married Frances Barrett in 1950. The couple relocated to Los Angeles where White was represented by Benjamin Horowitz's Heritage Gallery. White was widely exhibited in Los Angeles, and at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Newark Museum, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and elsewhere. Working primarily in black and white or sepia and white drawings, paintings, and lithographs, White's artwork was primarily figurative and depicted African American history, socio-economic struggles, and human relationships.
Charles White received a number of awards and honors and in 1972 he was the third African American artist to be elected a full member of the National Academy of Design.
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds the Charles W. and Frances White letters and photographs to Melvin and Lorraine Williamson, the Lucinda H. Gedeon research material on Charles W. White, and an oral history interview with Charles W. White conducted by Betty Hoag, March 9, 1965.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of loaned materials (reels LA7 and 3099). Reel LA7 includes photographs of White, his work, and a career resume. Reel 3099 contains 31 items consisting of three travel diaries kept by Frances White, photographs and a recording of their trip to Russia in 1950, and 11 record album covers designed by Charles White. Loaned materials were returned to the lenders after microfilming and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Charles White's "Black Experience Archive," originally received with the papers, was donated to Howard University's Moorland-Springarn Research Center in 1985 at the request of Frances White.
Provenance:
Photographs on reel LA7 and material on reel 3099 were lent to the Archives of American Art for microfilming in 1965 and 1982, by Benjamin Horowitz, White's dealer, and by Frances White. Material on reel 2041 was donated by the George Arents Research Library, Syracuse University, 1976, who had originally received it from Horowitz. The remainder of the papers were donated by Charles White, 1975-1978, and after his death by Frances White and Benjamin Horowitz, 1981-1989.
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.
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
The papers of painter, illustrator, muralist, and political activist William Gropper measure 3.3 linear feet and date from 1916-1983. Almost one-half of the collection consists of printed materials, including full issues of New Masses, Liberator, and Der Hammer, all featuring illustrations by Gropper. Circa 600 letters include those written to Gropper by Frank Crowninshield, Robert Henri, Louis Lozowick, Raphael Soyer, and others. Also found are photographs of Gropper, his family, colleagues, and friends, as well as scattered writings and notes, business records, biographical information, three drawings, and a fabric sample designed by Gropper.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of painter, illustrator, muralist, and political activist William Gropper measure 3.3 linear feet and date from 1916-1983.
Three folders of scattered Biographical Information are found for William Gropper, his wife Sophie and their children. Business Records consist of lists of artwork, price lists, contracts, receipts, and other financial records. Scattered Writings and Notes include mostly writings about Gropper by others, lists of works of art, and miscellaneous writings. Works of Art include three original drawings by Gropper and a sample of fabric designed by Gropper. Circa 600 letters within the papers were written to William Gropper between 1916 and 1977 (bulk, 1970s), although Sophie Gropper's correspondence is also included. Found here are letters from Frank Crowninshield, Robert Henri, Louis Lozowick, Frank Alva Parsons, Raphael Soyer, and others. There are also letters concerning Gropper's participation in the Federal Art Project and from Ben Horowitz of the Heritage Gallery who represented Gropper's artwork.
Almost one-half of the collection consists of Printed Materials, including full issues of New Masses, Liberator, and Der Hammer, all featuring illustrations by Gropper. Also found are auction and exhibition catalogs, clippings, press releases, and printed reproductions of Gropper's artwork.
Photographs are of Gropper, his family, colleagues, friends, family vacations, and works of art.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into seven series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Information, circa 1942-1982 (Box 1; 3 Folders)
Series 2: Business Records, circa 1936-1983 (Box 1; 8 Folders)
Series 3: Writings and Notes, circa 1947-1978 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 4: Works of Art, circa 1940s, 1952, after 1958 (Box 1, OV 4; 2 Folders)
Series 5: Correspondence, circa 1916-1983 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 6: Printed Material, circa 1919-1983 (Box 1-3, OV 4; 1.4 linear feet)
Series 7: Photographs, after 1937-circa 1980s (Box 3; 0.8 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
William Gropper was born on December 3rd, 1897 in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. His family was impoverished and his parents worked in the New York garment factories. To help his family, Gropper took odd jobs throughout New York City. When he was not busy working, Gropper nurtured his artistic talents by drawing cartoons on sidewalks and the sides of buildings.
In 1912, Gropper began formal art education at the Ferrer School in Greenwich Village where he was influenced by the Ashcan School of social realists, particularly artists Robert Henri and George Bellows. After the Ferrer School, Gropper studied at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts on a scholarship granted by Frank Alvah Parsons. Following his education, Gropper worked simultaneously at the New York Tribune and Rebel Worker as a draftsman and cartoonist respectively. He continued a career as a cartoonist and illustrator for publications such as Vanity Fair, New Masses, The Nation, Freiheit, and various Jewish and Hebrew publications for more than thirty years. Gropper's cartoons typically portrayed the everyday worker and the injustices he suffered.
Gropper, who was also a painter, produced powerful imagery of social protest. His subjects included industrial strikes and the labor wars of the coal mining and steel industries. Additionally, William Gropper received several commissions from the Federal Arts Project, Works Progress Administration to create murals for various public buildings around the country, including one for the United States Department of the Interior building in Washington, D.C. Here, he created Construction of the Dam to represent the combination of labor and technology to construct various dams on the Colorado River. The Guggenheim Foundation awarded a fellowship to Gropper to travel to the impoverished Dust Bowl region. This trip inspired a series of illustrations that appeared in The Nation. Gropper's trips to Russia and Poland also served to inspire his art.
Later in his career, William Gropper exhibited his artwork throughout the United States and the world. Gropper was also one of the originial members of the Artists Equity Association founded in 1947. Gropper's artwork can be found in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution, The National Gallery of Art, The Butler Institute of American Art, Princeton University, The Phillips Collection, The William J. Clinton Presidential Library as well as many other museums and universities. William Gropper remained in New York City and the surrounding area with his wife, Sophie until his death in 1977.
Related Material:
Among the holdings of the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview of William Gropper conducted by Bruce Hooton in 1965. The Louis Lozowick papers contain documentation of Lozowick's research and writings for a biography of Gropper.
The Special Collections Research Center at the Syracuse University Library also holds a collection of William Gropper's papers.
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Sophie Gropper, Gropper's widow, in 1984.
Restrictions:
The collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website.
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:
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Introduction:
The Sultanate of Oman lies on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula, facing the Arabian Sea. Living at this crossroads between Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean, Omanis have developed a complex culture that draws on the country's Arab roots as well as its long-standing contacts with India, East Africa, and the Middle East. For millennia, Oman has traded throughout the region. Its ships have sailed to Asia and Africa, and its caravans have traveled overland to the shores of the Mediterranean, contributing to the country's surprisingly cosmopolitan history.
In recent decades, Oman has undertaken numerous cultural preservation projects that recognize the fragility of local traditions in the face of globalization - even if global exchange was familiar throughout Oman's history. Oman knows that its place in world history has created a unique culture that deserves support. Encouragement of traditional music and crafts coupled with laws to preserve local architecture and historic sites have been the hallmark of policies that value the past and also anticipate the future. The reign of Sultan Qaboos bin Said and the Omani people's firm belief in Islam have united a people with broadly different experiences and histories. This cultural diversity is reflected in Oman's three vastly different environments - the desert, the oasis, and the sea. The Festival program used these three themes to illustrate how the country's complex culture reflects its people's responses to each environment.
Music in Omani society plays a role at every stage of a person's life. From birth, to coming of age and marriage, during professional life, and finally in death, an Omani is accompanied by traditional arts that express joy or pain or simply help with everyday work. Oman's traditional music is sustained by oral transmission between generations, and each region has its own unique forms. Songs and dances are performed during festivals and ceremonies throughout the country. Songs vary from region to region, north to south, from one environment to another. As Festival visitors could experience first-hand, songs of desert, oasis, and sea differ in purpose, content, and instrumentation.
Although the old is making way for the new in present-day Oman, progress is still a mantle worn lightly by a society that retains a strong commitment to tradition, culture, and heritage. The extent to which Omani craft products continue to have utility in daily life is quite remarkable, as is the extent to which craft producers continue to equate challenge with opportunity in the practice of their craft. Craft skills continue to be passed down from mother to daughter, father to son, and Oman remains among the few nations in the Middle East with a living heritage that remains relevant to both local populations and visitors. Festival visitors had the chance to observe craftspeople at work and to interact directly with them, breaking through barriers of language and distance.
In Oman, a Curatorial Committee included Hassan Mohammed Ali Al-Lawati (Chair), Riyadh Yousef Al Raisi, Majid Said Hilal Al Mahroqi, Khalfan Ahmed Al Barwani, Salim Adil Al Mamary, Abeer Abdullah Al Farsi, Abdullah Hilkal Al Dawodi, Adil Humaid Al Mur Al Alawi, and Saeed Sultan Al Busaidy. Richard Kennedy was Curator, and Saeed Sultan Al Busaidy and Mary N. Sebold were Program Coordinators. Marcia Dorr was Crafts Program Advisor; Khalfan Al-Barwani was Music Program Advisor; and Diana N'Diaye was Adornment Pavilion Program Advisor.
The program was produced in partnership with the Ministries of Heritage and Culture, Tourism, Information, and Foreign Affairs, and the Public Authority for Crafts Industries of the government of the Sultanate of Oman, and with the cooperation of the Middle East Institute (Washington, D.C.), and the Oman Heritage Gallery.
Presenters:
Jamal Ahmed Ghulam Al Balushi, Khalfan Ahmed Al Barwani, Asyah Al Buali, Mubarak Al Dawodi, Majid Al Harthy, Murtatha Abdul Khaliq Al Lawattia, Hamood Abdullah Al Waheibi, Enrico Derrico, Adam Dorr, Marcia Dorr, Neil Richardson, Muna Ritchie
Participants:
Craft Traditions
Aromatics and Pottery
Mahfoodha Hamed Said Al-Amri, 1962-, incense, Salalah, Oman
Muna Mohammed Mahad Al-Amri, 1960-, incense burners, Salalah, Oman
Ghaliya Ali Mohammed Al-Bas, 1945-, incense, Salalah, Oman
Maryam Ahmad Balhaj, perfume, Salalah, Oman
Calligraphy
Saleh Juma Muslem Al-Shukairi, 1977-, calligraphy, Muscat, Oman
Mohammed Kasim Nasser Al-Sayegh, 1971-, calligraphy, Muscat, Oman
Desert Camp
Nasra Nasser Saad Al-Batahari, 1976-, camel milking baskets, Shleem, Oman
Jawhara Said Ali Al-Duwaiki, 1966-, camel trappings, Ibra, Oman
Haniya Sultan Al-Waheibi, 1952-, camel trappings, Ibra, Oman
Najud Hamoud Al-Wahibi, Bedouin cosmetics, Ibra, Oman
Embroidery
Khalsa Mohammed Abdullah Al-Jabri, 1965-, Cap embroidery, Samail, Oman
Najla Juma Said Al-Sinani, 1978-, Suri embroidery, Sur, Oman
Masar Jamaan Saad Bait-Saad, 1959-, Salalah embroidery, Salalah, Oman
Maryam Ali Rashid Al-Shehhi, 1967-, date palm baskets, Kasab, Oman
Indigo
Amur Saleem Salim Al-Shamakhi, 1940-, indigo-dyed cloth, Bahla, Oman
Metalwork
Mubarak Abdullah Ismail Al-Farsi, 1952-, copperwork, Sur, Oman
Musabah Jaarof Khamis Al-Hadad, 1945-, metalwork, Manah, Oman
Ibrahim Hamood Al-Isma'ili, 1978-, silver jewelry, Nizwa, Oman
Omar Abdullah Khalifin Al-Rashidi, 1944-, silver -- khanjar -- work, Sinaw, Oman
Khalid Naseer Saif Al-Taiwani, -- khanjar -- adornment, Nizwa, Oman
Weaving
Sulaiman Abdullah Basan Al-Khatri, 1961-, wool weaving, Al-Hamra, Oman
Khalfan Amur Khalfan Al-Badowi, 1941-, silk weaving, Al-Mudaibi, Oman
Occupational Traditions
Oasis Kitchen
Samira Bakhit Abdulla Al-Badri, 1964-, Omani cooking, Muscat, Oman
Zahir Hamed Mohammed Al-Dhahli, 1978-, halwa making, Muscat, Oman
Said Abdullah Said Al-Harthy, 1972-, Omani cooking, Muscat, Oman
Ahmed Rashid Abdullah Al-Masroori, 1974-, halwa making, Muscat, Oman
Traditional Building
Khalid Juma Hassoun Al-Araimi, 1974-, boats, Sur, Oman
Ahmed Mubarak Sabeit Al-Oraimi, 1979-, boats, Sur, Oman
Ali Said Khamis Al-Yahyaai, 1946-, traditional structures, Bahla, Oman
Saleh Khalaf Saif Al-Yahyaai, traditional structures, Bahla, Oman
Music and Dance Traditions
Al Majd, Salalah (South Oman traditions) -- Al Majd, Salalah (South Oman traditions)Said Awadh Salim Al-Hadhrami, 1966-Jalal Awadh Said Alloun, 1979-Abdul Sharif Bakhit Ba-Maalaq, 1971-Dhiyab Nasser Arfah Bait Al-Rabash, 1982-Nassr Bashir Ashoor Bait-Ardhain, 1979-Samid Nasib Farhan Bait-Bu Salasel, 1976-Wafa Said Mohammed Bait-Dashisha, 1982-Appian Said Jamaan Bait-Farhan, 1980-Abdul Hadi Fael Bait-Maaleq, 1983-Abir Gharib Bakhit Bait-Mabrook, 1990Khaloud Gharib Bakhit Bait-Mabrook, 1992-Ataf Saleh Faraj Bait-Mustahil, 1982-Said Aman Allah Said Bait-Naghathit, 1979-Naji Awadh Rajab Bait-Rabia, 1985-Rajab Khamis Saad Bait-Saleem, 1969-Amna Riyadh Rabia Bait-Taroom, 1953-Abdallah Masib Faraj Al-Amri, 1967-Rasam Rabia Nasib Maad, 1977-Anwar Nasib Saad Qafqaf, 1974-Arafat Matar Rajab, 1978-
Suhar Ensemble (North Coast traditions) -- Suhar Ensemble (North Coast traditions)Abdullah Saleh Al-Balushi, 1935-Ibrahim Mubarak Hamed Al-Balushi, 1952-Juma Khamis Juma Al-Balushi, 1980-Sinan Ibrahim Ali Al-Balushi, 1946-Ali Suhail Salim Al-Dhahri, 1981-Obaid Mohammed Obaid Al-Farisi, 1959-Khamis Ali Mohammed Al-Hamdani, 1954-Mohammed Abdullah Al-Hamdani, 1941-Said Nasib Kharabash Al-Hamdani, 1977-Abdallah Saleh Ali Al-Jabri, 1958-Abdullah Khadeem Dhiwai Al-Kahali, 1952-Abdullah Ali Shinain Al-Maqbali, 1943-Abdullah Salmeen Al-Maqbali, 1977-Khalfan Saleh Abdullah Al-Nofli, 1956-Younis Juma Kharnis Al-Nofli, 1978-Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Qasmi, 1954-Saad Said Nasib Al-Qasmi, 1977-A'saim Ali Mohammed Al-Shafei, 1981-Mohammed Ali Ibrahim Al-Shezawi, 1949-Darwish Saleh Salim Al-Shibli, 1932-Dhahi Ghasab Dhahi Al-Shibli, 1939-Salim Mohammed Abdulla Al-Shibli, 1955-Mohammed Hassan Said Al-Shidi, 1930-Khamis Ali Khaif Al-Hamdani, 1940-
Collection Restrictions:
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 2005 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Henry Street Settlement, Armory Show 50th Anniversary Exhibition
Hepburn, Katharine
Herbert, Ellen
Herbert, James D.
Heritage Gallery
Herndon, Isabel
Herrman, E. Adele
Herron, David
Collection Restrictions:
The collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website.
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:
Frank K. M. Rehn Galleries records, 1858-1969 (bulk 1919-1968). Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the digitization of the microfilm of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.
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:
Howard W. and Jean Lipman papers, 1848, 1916-2000. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Authorization to quote or reproduce for purposes of publication requires written permission from Bridget R. Sutton via Bridget's son, Tim Sutton. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Anton Refregier papers, circa 1900-circa 1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Jaime Davidovich papers, 1949-2014. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
The processing and digitization of this collection received Federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center. Additional funding for the digitization of the papers was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation.
This series includes letters written to William Gropper from 1916 until 1977, including some photocopies. Very few of William Gropper's responses are in this collection, which are mostly undated. There is also correspondence written by and to Sophie Gropper from 1980 to 1983. Notable correspondents include Louis Lozowick, Frank Crowninshield, Raphael Soyer, Robert Henri, and Frank Alvah Parsons. There are many letters from Ben Horowitz with the Heritage Gallery, which sold Gropper's art. Additionally, there are letters concerning William Gropper's participation in the Works Progress Administration. Correspondence from 1935 documents Gropper's contributions to Vanity Fair magazine before it ceased publication in 1936. Correspondence after Gropper's death is between his widow, Sophie Gropper and various museums, galleries, and publishers.
See Appendix for a list of selected correspondents from Series 5
Arrangement note:
Correspondence is arranged chronogically.
Appendix: Selected Correspondents from Series 5:
Although this index is not comprehensive, an effort has been made to highlight the major artists, museums and galleries with which William and Sophie Gropper corresponded.
Angelo, Emidio (artist): 1971; 1972
Ballot, Adele ( -- Vanity Fair -- magazine): 1935
Barr, Alfred H. Jr. (The Museum of Modern Art): 1936
Sharkey, Alice (United States Treasury Department): 1936
Singer, Clyde (Butler Institute of American Art): 1973
Soby, James Thrall (The Museum of Modern Art): 1964
SoRelle, Jane (ACA Gallery, Rome): 1964
Soyer, Raphael (artist): 1947; 1970
Taylor, Francis Henry (The Museum of Modern Art): 1942
Tolley, William P. (Syracuse University): 1968
United States Treasury Department: 1935
Vanity Fair -- magazine: 1935
Valeska, S. (Valeska Art Studios): 1966
Watson, Forbes (United States Treasury Department): 1936; 1942
Winser, Beatrice (Newark Museum): 1935
Yasko, Karel (Public Buildings Service): 1969; 1971; 1977; undated
Young, Art (artist): 1934
Collection Restrictions:
The collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website.
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:
William Gropper papers, 1916-1983. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
Addresses and contact lists include a list from an unidentified exhibition at Heritage Gallery. Awards and honors include two Internationale Buchkunst-Ausstellung awards, and an InterGrafik 76 award; announcements of White's elections to Associate (1971) and Academecian (1974) of the National Academy of Design; and records related to a 1965 Grammy award nomination in category of Best Album Cover-Graphic Arts for the RCA album Gould: Spirituals for Orchestra, Copland: Dance Symphony. A reproduction of this album cover can be found in Series 7: Printed Material.
Also found are biographical notes and resumes for various stages of White's career; bibliographies of writings about White and his work; a 1979 expression of condolence in memory of Charles White from Los Angeles Mayor, Tom Bradley; White's high school report cards; a 1975 Southern Poverty Law Center membership card; a wedding announcement for Charles and Frances White; and a logo designed for White by David Green who, at the time, was a retired chairperson of the Otis Art Institute sculpture department.
Material relating to Elizabeth Catlett, White's first wife, includes a letter, a published article by Catlett, news clippings and announcements related to Catlett's Julius Rosenwald Fellowship in 1945, and a catalog for a 1947 group exhibition at Barnett-Aden Gallery.
Interviews include a sound recording of an interview with Charles White conducted by Karl Fortess, and a folder of interview transcripts. Transcripts do not include questions of the interviewer but appear to be answers to questions or biographical sketches. The second interview in the transcript file appears to be a transcript of Charles White's answers during the Archives of American Art's oral history interview conducted by Betty Hoag in 1965.
Arrangement:
Folders are arranged alphabetically by record type.
Collection Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
This series consists primarily of professional correspondence, with some family and other personal correspondence scattered throughout. Several references are made in the correspondence to the fact that White was not known to be a letter writer, and indeed a large portion of his professional correspondence appears to have been conducted by Benjamin Horowitz of Heritage Gallery on White's behalf. A significant portion of the correspondence is in the form of photocopies. In addition to letters, files may contain financial and legal records, and photographic or printed material.
Notable family correspondence includes eight letters from White's great-aunt, Hasty Baines, who was the subject of his painting Matriarch, and lived to be over a hundred. There is also one letter from White's mother, Ethelene Gray, in which she admonishes her son for not writing to her and expresses her desire for a visit from him. There are three folders of correspondence with social worker and civic leader Ann Shaw. Shaw and her husband, Leslie Shaw, were close friends of the Whites for many years.
Professional correspondence documents White's relationship with Benjamin Horowitz and Heritage Gallery and includes an agreement, with terms, to act as artist representative and dealer for White signed by Horowitz in 1962. Heritage Gallery files also include groups of letters mailed to multiple recipients, such as letters informing people of publications about Charles White and letters to the Charles White Memorial Committee. White's personal relationship with Horowitz and his wife Miriam is also documented through personal notes and postcards. Horowitz's book on Charles White, Charles White: Images of Dignity, is documented in Series 3.2: Writings by Others.
White's involvement with galleries, museums, and publications dedicated to promoting African American artists is represented in substantial correspondence with Brockman Gallery and Alonzo Davis, Margaret Burroughs and DuSable Museum, the National Center of Afro-American Artists, Hoyt Fuller and Negro Digest, and others. Barnett-Aden Gallery correspondence includes a photocopy of an essay by White about his association with the gallery in its early years, written at the gallery's request.
Letters from artists and writers are scattered but often substantive. There are letters from artists such as Richmond Barthé, Romare Bearden, Claude Clark, Bing Davis, David Driskell, Elton Fax, Langston Hughes, Rockwell Kent, Jacob Lawrence, Hughie Lee-Smith, and others, letters from dancer Arthur Wright, and from writers Howard Fast, Nikki Giovanni, Lorraine Hansberry, Langston Hughes, Carlton Moss, and Alice Walker.
Also documented are purchases and loans of White's artwork for exhibition by galleries, art institutions, and community groups including Atlanta University, Carnegie Institute, Forum Gallery, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Smithsonian's National Collection of Fine Arts, Pasadena Society of Artists, and others. Otis Art Institute correspondence found here is between Heritage Gallery and the institute, and relates to arrangements for loans and exhibition of White's artwork at Otis Art Institute.
Commercial publication of White's artwork is also documented in correspondence with George A. Pflaum Publishers, Inc., Golden State Mutual Insurance Company, Johnson Publishing Company, Pro Artis, Scholastic Magazines, Inc., Twentieth Century Fox, and others, including correspondence and agreements related to White's illustrations for Harry Belafonte Enterprises which included a songbook, an anthology, and a holiday show.
Arrangement:
This series is arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent interspersed occasionally by name of subject, and chronologically thereafter. Some correspondents with illegible signatures or for whom only the first name is known are housed at the end of the series. Other small groups of correspondence including get well cards sent to White in 1978, personal announcements and invitations received by the White family to events such as christenings and weddings or annotated by Frances White to indicate personal connections, and condolence letters on the death of Charles White, are also housed at the end of the series.
Collection Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
