Peter Sekaer photographs, circa 1937-1940

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Summary

Creator:
Sekaer, Peter, 1901-1950
Abstract:
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.
Extent:
1.0 Linear Foot (2 boxes)
Physical description:
Print versos are marked with legacy identifiers, sometimes including original photographer's numbers. Other markings sometimes include titles, locations, and dates assigned by former owners or the agency; and credit information.
Language:
English
Collection ID:
RL.11875

Background

Scope and content:

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.

Biographical / historical:

Peter Sekaer (1901-1950) was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and emigrated to Canada in 1918. After arriving in New York in 1920, he studied at the Art Students' League, then worked with Berenice Abbott and Walker Evans. He was hired by the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) in 1936. He was transferred in 1937 to the National Housing Authority and remained until about 1940, during which time he took these photographs in this collection, documenting housing conditions and public housing projects in areas of poverty. He left federal employment in the late 1940s, and after several years of freelance work, he died of a heart attack in 1950 at age 49. The whereabouts of his negatives are unknown, but the Library of Congress holds a collection of several hundred prints.

The U.S. National Housing Authority was created in 1937 by the Federal government as part of the recovery programs known as the "New Deal" during the Great Depression.

[Source: Wikipedia, accessed January 18, 2021]

Acquisition information:
The Peter Sekaer photographs were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in December 2020.
Processing information:

Processed and described by Paula Jeannet, January 2021.

Accession(s) described in this collection guide: 2020-0091.

Physical facet:
15 photographic prints
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

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

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