Aaron Siskind (1903-1991) was an American photographer and faculty member of the Chicago Institute of Design and Rhode Island School of Design. Collection consists of 28 black-and-white signed prints by Siskind, documenting life in New York City's Harlem neighborhoods from about 1933 to 1941. The images form part of two projects, "Harlem document" and "The most crowded block in the world," and feature portraits of African American men, women, and children; street scenes; images from the Apollo and Lafayette theaters, a night club, and a church; and the interiors and exteriors of tenement buildings. The gelatin silver prints measure 11x14 inches. Some of the images have two copies in the collection, resulting in 23 unique images represented by 28 prints. Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.

Collection consists of 28 black-and-white photographs taken during the earliest years of Aaron Siskind's career, documenting life and conditions in New York City's Harlem neighborhoods from about 1933 to 1941. The majority of the images feature portraits of African American men, women, and children in various settings: on the street; in the Apollo and Lafayette theaters; in a night club; taking part in a church service; playing around abandoned houses; and posing in bedrooms, kitchens, and other interior rooms of tenement buildings. A few images focus only on buildings or outdoor settings.

Siskind included these and other images in two photo projects in which he played a central role: "Harlem document" and "The most crowded block in the world." "Harlem document" was sponsored by the Photo League of New York. The second project unfolded from about 1939 to 1941 after Siskind left the Photo League; to a large extent, this project carried on his work of documenting street life in Harlem.

The gelatin silver prints in this collection are all signed by Siskind. They all measure 11x14 inches, with the image dimensions ranging from 9 1/8 x 8 3/4 to 11 3/4 x 9 7/5 inches. The year these particular prints were created is unknown. Some of the images have two copies in the collection, resulting in 23 unique images represented by 28 prints. Library staff assigned titles and original negative dates according to original negatives donated by Siskind to the Eastman House; some titles are not known. Titles assigned by a former collector, sometimes present on the back of the prints, are also given in a note field in the entry for each print.

Frank Espada was a political activist and documentary photographer of Puerto Rican extraction based in New York and California. His photographic archives comprise thousands of black-and-white photographs and negatives and related materials concerning Espada's lifelong work documenting the Puerto Rican diaspora, civil and economic rights movements, indigenous Chamorro communities in Micronesia, and HIV/AIDS outreach in San Francisco. The Puerto Rican Diaspora project also includes over 150 oral history recordings. The Civil Rights series documents voter registration and school desegregation rallies in New York City, 1964-1970, as well as housing and anti-poverty movements, primarily in California. Photographic subjects encompass Puerto Ricans, African Americans, and indigenous peoples, as well as whites and racially mixed people. The professional papers include files related to activism, research and writings, exhibits, teaching, and publicity. The earliest dated item is a 1946 essay by Espada, "What democracy means to me." Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.

Frank Espada's photographic archives comprise thousands of photographic prints, contact sheets, and negatives, as well as professional papers, spanning the length of Frank Espada's career as a photographer and community activist from the mid-1950s through 2010. The materials document the Puerto Rican diaspora; indigenous Chamorro communities in Micronesia, primarily in Guam, Tinian, and Saipan; drug abuse prevention programs and HIV/AIDS outreach in San Francisco; and civil rights, education, and anti-poverty and housing rights movements, primarily in New York City and San Francisco. Photographic subjects include Puerto Ricans, African Americans, and indigenous peoples, as well as whites and racially mixed people.

A large series of professional papers provides supporting documentation of his life and work as a photographer, activist, community organizer, and teacher. The earliest dated item, an essay Espada wrote in 1946, "What democracy means to me," is found in this series, which contains files on Espada's activism; research topics; photography and exhibits; a few videocassettes; syllabi and notes from his photography courses at U.C. Berkeley; awards and memorabilia; and publicity.

The largest body of materials, which numbers over 12,000 items and includes photographs as well as manuscripts and over 100 recorded oral interviews (digitized use copies available), derives from Espada's grant-funded work documenting Puerto Rican communities across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico, 1979-1981.

Another significant group of materials derives from Espada's activism on behalf of voter registration and school desegregation in New York City from 1962-1970, and later in California in support of anti-poverty, HIV/AIDS, drug abuse prevention and outreach, and housing rights.

Each of the photographic project series includes finished prints ranging in size from 8x10 to 24x30 inches; contact sheets and work prints; and negatives, which are housed in a separate series and are closed to use.

Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.

Collection consists largely of correspondence between historian Nell Irvin Painter and her parents (1969-2003), documenting various stages of their lives, travels, and Painter's scholarly career. Also includes writings by or about Nell Painter, including reviews of her work; materials, including photographs and tintypes (circa 1890s-1910s) of African Americans in Victoria, Texas, kept by Frank and Dona Irvin, relating to their early life near Houston, and documenting aspects of African American history in that area; copies and reviews of Dona Irvin's writings; documents related to Frank and Dona's education and careers; family photographs; videos; Frank irvin's diary (2000-2003); legal papers; and other items. Acquired as part of the John Hope Franklin Research Center for African and African American History and Culture.

Collection consists largely of correspondence between historian Nell Irvin Painter and her parents (1969-2003), documenting various stages of their lives, travels, and Painter's scholarly career. Also includes writings by or about Nell Painter, including reviews of her work; copies and reviews of Dona Irvin's writings; documents related to Frank and Dona's education and careers; Frank irvin's diary (2000-2003); legal papers; and other items.

Photographs also form an important part of the collection. Along with papers and records, Frank and Dona Irvin kept early photos and tintypes (circa 1890s-1910s) of African Americans in Victoria, Texas; together, these materials speak to their early life near Houston, and document aspects of African American history in that area. There are also family photographs from later decades (1930s-1980s).

For preservation purposes, original audiovisual media are closed to use; copies may be available on request.

Acquired as part of the John Hope Franklin Research Center for African and African American History and Culture.

James Karales was an American photojournalist on staff at Look magazine. Collection houses the archive of photojournalist James Karales, active from the 1950s to the 1980s. The majority of the images in the collection originated from his work for Look magazine during the 1960s. Major projects document Rendville, Ohio, a coal mining town and one of the first racially integrated towns in Appalachia; the Vietnam War; New York's Lower East Side; Oregon logging; and the 1960s Civil Rights movement, including photographs of Martin Luther King, Jr. There may be racially mixed persons appearing in the Rendville series. Smaller projects document California, New Mexico, the Andrea Doria disaster, and other subjects. Formats in the collection include contact sheets, which serve as a thumbnail guide to almost all of the prints and negatives in the collection; black-and-white proof prints and finished prints in a range of sizes; original negatives (closed to research use); and over 1100 color slides. There are also print and biographical materials, some correspondence, and audiovisual materials. Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.

The majority of the images in the collection originated from his work for Look magazine during the 1960s. His major projects include images from Rendville, Ohio, a coal mining town and one of the first racially integrated towns in Appalachia; the Vietnam War; New York's Lower East Side; Oregon logging and the timber industry; and important individuals and events of the 1960s Civil Rights movement, including photographs of Martin Luther King, Jr. and activities of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. There may be racially mixed persons appearing in the Rendville and Lower East Side series. Other smaller projects include images of California, New Mexico, the Andrea Doria, and other subjects.

There are also supporting materials that include Karales' curriculum vitae; essays on photography and teaching; publicity for exhibits and other events; correspondence with publishers; digitized images from the Vietnam War on a CD; and clippings, magazine layouts, and other materials related to Karales' published work. An audiocassette contains remarks on Karales' life and works by Sam Stephenson at the opening of an exhibit of Karales' work at Duke University.

Formats in the collection include contact sheets; proof prints and finished prints ranging from 8 1/2 x 14 to 16 x 20 inches; original negatives (closed to research use); and over 1100 color slides. Unless otherwise noted, the photographic items are arranged in the following sequence in each series: contact sheets, prints (from smallest to largest), slides, negatives, and finally, duplicates. There are also digital jpeg files for selected images in certain series (Vietnam, Rendville).

Michael Francis Blake was one of Charleston, South Carolina's first African American studio photographers. Collection consists of 118 photographs, mostly studio portraits taken by Michael Francis Blake from about 1912 to 1934, with some outdoor settings. There is also a full set of copy prints. The great majority of the subjects appear to be African American; however, there are also individuals who are multi-racial, and possibly white and Asian. Formats comprise 91 photographic postcards and 28 black-and-white prints, many on card mounts but some in the form of more casual snapshots; there are also eight copy negatives. A few of the photographs may be taken by others. Thirty-six individuals in the photographs have been identified, including a portrait of the photographer. Acquired as part of the John Hope Franklin Research Center for African and African American History and Culture at Duke University.

Collection consists of 118 photographs of men, women, and children as single individuals, family groups, and other group shots. There is also a full set of copy prints (preferred for access) and eight copy negatives. The great majority of the subjects appear to be African American; however, there are individuals who are multi-racial, and possibly white and Asian. The photographs were taken by Michael Francis Blake, an African American photographer from Charleston, South Carolina, from about 1912 to 1934, mostly in his studio at 384 West Sumter Street. There are a few that may have been taken by another indiviual. Some of the photographs are stamped with Blake's name and studio addresses.

The majority of the photographs were originally housed in a photograph album entitled "Portraits of Members," also included in the collection, but have been rehoused for preservation purposes. Ninety-one of the photos are photographic postcards and the others are either mounted photographs or snapshots. The predominant style is the formal studio portrait, standing or seated. There are also some informal snapshots that may or may not have been taken by Blake. Some portraits were taken outdoors in front of a backdrop with props such as rugs, chairs and plants to recreate a studio setting. Others were taken on the street; the location of photograph #28 has been identified as just outside of Blake's studio. Some have what appear to be shopping lists and other notations written on the backs, and a few have names, ages, and street addresses, presumably of the sitter or their household.

Through existing captions and public input, thirty-six individuals in the photographs have been identified, including the photographer, Michael Francis Blake, who appears in one portrait.

Each original print has been assigned a unique institutional identifier. All but one have been digitized and are available online through the Duke Digital Collections website.

Peter Sekaer (1901-1950) was a Danish-born American photographer. Collection consists of fifteen black-and-white photographs taken by Sekaer from about 1937-1940, while working for the U.S. National Housing Authority to document living conditions and public housing projects in various places in the U.S. Known locations include Louisville, Kentucky; New Orleans, Louisiana; Williamsburg, N.Y.; Nashville, Tennessee; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Austin, Texas. Individuals in the photographs include African Americans and other people of color, and White Americans; there are quite a few photographs of children playing. The focus is typically on urban and rural dwellings and yards in areas of poverty; there are also a few images of public housing projects, small businesses, and warehouses. The gelatin silver print sizes range from 4 1/2 x 4 5/8 to 10 1/4 x 13 1/8 inches. Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.

Collection consists of fifteen black-and-white photographs taken by Danish-American photographer Peter Sekaer from about 1937 to 1940, who was working at the time for the U.S. National Housing Authority to document living conditions and public housing projects in various places in the U.S. Known locations include Louisville, Kentucky; New Orleans, Louisiana; Williamsburg, N.Y.; Nashville, Tennessee; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Austin, Texas. Individuals in the photographs include African Americans and other people of color, and White Americans; there are quite a few photographs of children playing. The focus is typically on urban and rural dwellings and yards in areas of poverty; there are also a few images of public housing projects, small businesses, and warehouses.

The gelatin silver print sizes range from 4 1/2 x 4 5/8 inches to 10 1/4 x 13 1/8 inches; some are mounted on board, the largest of which is 16 x 20 inches, but for the most part they are unmounted and 8 x 10 inches or smaller. Titles in this collection, if present, originate from the prints; if there is no title, a brief description has been provided by library staff.

Collection contain images related to two photography projects by Sarah Hoskins. The Homeplace series contains 250 11x14 inch silver gelatin prints documenting Hoskins' visits and relationships with rural African American communities in Kentucky, originally established by freedmen in the 19th century. Her photographs include community events and activities such as hog butchering, church services, family reunions, and gatherings of charity groups. The Rosenwald Schools series contains approximately 300 color digital images of schools for African Americans built during the first half of the 20th century through the Rosenwald foundation, as well as some portraits of former students in Kentucky, North Carolina and Alabama. The series also includes images of a Rosenwald foundation-funded apartment building in Chicago, Illinois. Acquired by the Archive of Documentary Arts.

Collection contain images related to two photography projects by Sarah Hoskins: The Rosenwald Schools and The Homeplace.

The Homeplace series contains 250 11x14 inch silver gelatin black-and-white prints documenting Hoskins' visits and relationships with rural African American communities in Kentucky, originally established by freedmen in the 19th century. Her photographs include community events and activities such as hog butchering, church services, family reunions, and gatherings of charity groups.

The Rosenwald Schools series contains approximately 300 color digital images of schools for African Americans built during the first half of the 20th century through the Rosenwald foundation, as well as portraits of some former students in Kentucky, North Carolina and Alabama. The series also includes images of a Rosenwald foundation-funded apartment building in Chicago, Illinois.

Acquired by the Archive of Documentary Arts.

Collection comprises 5 black-and-white gelatin silver developing-out paper photographs taken by SNCC representatives from the Atlanta, Georgia, regional office. One photograph is uncredited, the others were photographed by Joffré T. Clarke, Bob Fletcher, and Tom Wakayama. They are undated, but probably were taken during the 1960s. Subjects in the images are all African-American, and include an elderly woman picking cotton, a young boy drawing with crayons, a little girl in a group watching others, a man slaughtering hogs, and a group building a house.