Aaron Siskind photographs of Harlem, circa 1932-1941
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Summary
- Creator:
- Archive of Documentary Arts (Duke University) and Siskind, Aaron
- Abstract:
- 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 11x14 inch prints, documenting life in New York City's Harlem neighborhoods from about 1932 to 1940. The images originate from two projects by Siskind: "Harlem Document" and "The Most Crowded Block in the World." Subjects include African American men, women, and children at home and in the streets; scenes from the Apollo and New Lafayette theaters, a nightclub, and a church; and the interiors and exteriors of tenement buildings. Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.
- Extent:
- 1.0 Linear Foot (1 box)
- Physical description:
- Inscriptions: print versos are marked with legacy identifiers, titles, and dates assigned by former owners, and other notes. All are signed in ink by Siskind.
- Language:
- Materials are in English.
- Collection ID:
- RL.11171
Background
- Scope and content:
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Collection consists of 28 black-and-white photographs by photographer Aaron Siskind, documenting life and conditions in New York City's Harlem neighborhoods from about 1932 to 1941. The images form part of two of Siskind's early documentary projects: "Harlem Document," and "The Most Crowded Block in the World." Subjects include African American men, women, and children in their kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, and outside on the streets of Harlem; there are also scenes from the Apollo and New Lafayette theaters, and scenes from a nightclub and a church; many images feature the interiors and exteriors of tenement buildings.
The gelatin silver prints in this collection are all signed by Siskind. They 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. These particular prints were created by Siskind from original negatives sometime before his death in 1991, possibly in the early 1980s. Some images have multiple copies in the collection.
- Biographical / historical:
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Aaron Siskind (1903-1991) was a New York City-based photographer and faculty member of the Chicago's Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology; later in life, he joined his mentor Henry Callahan at the Rhode Island School of Design until he retired in the 1970s. The images in this collection were created by Siskind from about 1932 to 1940, during his association with the Newy York City Film and Photo League, a cooperative of photographers who sought to address social conditions through their documentary work. They were published in Siskind's 1981 photobook titled Harlem Document. He died in 1991 in New York City.
- Acquisition information:
- The Aaron Siskind photographs of Harlem were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 2015 and 2020.
- Processing information:
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Processed by and described by Paula Jeannet, May 2016, January 2021, and May 2022.
Accession(s) described in this collection guide: 2015-0208, 2020-0091.
Titles and dates for the photographs in this collection guide have been assigned by library staff according to information associated with original negatives donated by Siskind to the George Eastman House; some images are untitled. Variant titles assigned by former owners or institutions are also noted in the descriptive entry for each print.
- Arrangement:
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The photographs are listed in approximate chronological order.
- Physical facet:
- 28 photographic prints
- Dimensions:
- 11x14 inches
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.
- Subjects:
- African American churches -- New York (State) -- New York -- Photographs
African American photographers -- New York (State) -- New York -- 20th century
African American theater -- New York (State) -- New York -- Photographs
African Americans -- New York (State) -- New York
African Americans -- New York (State) -- New York -- Social conditions -- 20th century
African Americans -- New York (State) -- New York -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
African Americans -- Photographs
African Americans -- Portraits
Documentary Photography -- New York (State) -- Harlem (New York, N.Y.)
Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York
Street photography -- New York (State) -- New York - Format:
- Black-and-white photographs
Gelatin silver prints - Names:
- Archive of Documentary Arts (Duke University)
Apollo Theater (New York, N.Y. : 125th Street) -- Photographs
New Lafayette Theatre -- Photographs
Siskind, Aaron - Places:
- Harlem (New York, N.Y.) -- Photographs
Harlem (New York, N.Y.) -- Social conditions -- 20th century
Harlem (New York, N.Y.) -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
New York (N.Y.) -- Photographs
Contents
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- Restrictions:
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Collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
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The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. Images may only be used for educational, non-commercial purposes. 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:
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[Identification of item], Aaron Siskind photographs of Harlem, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
- Permalink:
- https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1w659