Mel Rosenthal photographs, 1975-2011

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Summary

Creator:
Rosenthal, Mel, 1940-
Abstract:
Collection consists of 80 black-and-white photographs taken by native New Yorker Mel Rosenthal, stemming from two documentary projects. The first documents the destruction by arson of an entire South Bronx neighborhood in New York City in the 1970s, with images of burned-out buildings and inhabitants who were forced to abandon their homes. The second project depicts Arab Americans, including men, women and children of Syrian, Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian, Jordanian and Palestinian descent, living in New York State during the last decade of the 20th century and the early 2000s. Scenes include images of children, professionals, neighborhood life, and the religious lives of Christians, Muslims, Greek Orthodox, Maronites, Jews and Coptics. The gelatin silver prints measure 11x14 and 16x20 inches. Also included are some publicity items for exhibits and a workshop on documentary photography, and an audiocassette recording of Rosenthal speaking at an exhibit opening in 2004. Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.
Extent:
3 Linear Feet (6 boxes)
Language:
English
Collection ID:
RL.10011

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of 80 black-and-white photographs taken by New York City native Mel Rosenthal, stemming from two documentary projects. The first documents the destruction by arson of an entire South Bronx neighborhood in New York City in the 1970s, with images of burned-out buildings and inhabitants who were forced to abandon their homes. The neighborhood is the same one where Rosenthal grew up, and the series features a portrait of Mel Rosenthal in his old bedroom.

The second project examines the daily lives of Arab Americans, including men, women and children of Syrian, Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian, Jordanian and Palestinian descent, in New York State in the early 2000s. Scenes include images of children, professionals, neighborhood life, and the religious lives of Christians, Muslims, Greek Orthodox, Maronites, Jews and Coptics. It was exhibited shortly after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Selected images in the Rosenthal collection were exhibited at Duke University and these available online. The gelatin silver prints measure 11x14 and 16x20 inches. Exhibit prints in their mats measure 16x20 and 20x24 inches.

Also included are some publicity items for exhibits and workshops on documentary photography, a music CD with photography by Rosenthal, and an audiocassette recording of Rosenthal speaking at an exhibit opening in 2004.

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

Biographical / historical:

Mel Rosenthal (1940-2017) was a documentary photographer based in New York City and director of photographic programs at SUNY-Empire State beginning in 1975. Born in the Bronx, his family moved to South Carolina for a time but returned to the Bronx where he grew3 up. He is best known for his images taken in his old neighborhood. He published In the South Bronx of America in 2000.

Always interested in refugees and immigrants and how they managed life in the United States, he started a project around 2000 about the experiences of Arab Americans, and exhibited the portraits shortly afer the 2001 terrorist attacks partly in an effort to counteract blind prejudice against them.

Rosenthal received degrees from City College and the University of Connecticut, and he first took up the camera professionally as a medical photographer in Tanzania. Subsequently, his photography mainly focused on his home base in New York City. However, other projects took him to other U.S. states, and to Vietnam, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico. He died in New York City in 2017.

Acquisition information:
The Mel Rosenthal photographs were acquired by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2004 and 2008.
Processing information:

Processed by Joanne Fairhurst, January 2013.

Additional print items processed by Paula Jeannet, July 2019.

Accession(s) described in this finding aid: 2004-0150, 2004-0339, 2004-0340, 2008-0092, and 2012-0070.

Physical facet:
Approximately 92 items
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. Reproductions may only be made for personal use; all other uses, including publication and exhibition, require permission from the estate. The original audiocassette recording is closed to use; a copy must be made for access.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Mel Rosenthal photographs, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.