12 Negatives (photographic) (dupe negs, black & white, 4 x 5 in.)
115 Postcards (1 volume)
12 Photographic prints ((1 album), black & white, 13 x 18 cm. or smaller.)
12 Photographic prints (dupe prints (1 v.), black & white, 8 x 10 in.)
Container:
Item 12
Box 1
Volume 1
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Negatives (photographic)
Postcards
Photographic prints
Place:
Mogadishu (Somalia)
Liberia
Nigeria
Brazzaville (Congo)
Africa
Senegal
Congo River
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Gorée (Senegal)
Côte d'Ivoire
Monumama (Congo)
Date:
1961
Summary:
Photographic album purchased by Blake Robinson in 1961 from the Charlejean Studio in Brazzaville, Congo. These images are of great interest as the images were most likely taken by an African photographer. Images include three of rivers scenes, two of funeral ceremonies, one each of a President and a press conference, three of modern house interiors and one aerial of Monumama.
42 postcards are from the city and surrounding countryside of Mogadishu, Somalia and depict architecture and wildlife. Evidence of Italian and Islamic influences appear in the urban scenes of Mogadishu's schools, banks, burial grounds, places of worship and legislative building. People pictured in the background are seen in mostly European clothing. A few scenes of the countryside include Somali herders in their traditional garments. Postcards of wildlife illustrate elephants, wart hogs, lions, buffalo, antelope and a leopard.
73 postcards depict scenes of urban and rural living in Chad, Nigeria, Liberia, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire, Congo and Morocco. Images include market places, aerial views of Goree and Liberian basket weavers.
Arrangement note:
Images indexed by negative number.
Biographical/Historical note:
Blake Robinson, b. 1932, worked for the U.S. Information Agency in the Philippines, Somalia (then U.N. Trusteeship Territory of Somalia), Senegal, Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia), Democratic Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville), the United States, Vietnam, Italy and France and for the U.S. Educational and Cultural Foundation in Liberia. He received a B.A. from Harvard in 1953 and an M.A. in 1957. After retiring, he translated French and Italian literary works.
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.
Genre/Form:
Postcards
Photographic prints
Identifier:
EEPA.1997-012
Archival Repository:
Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
