Among the various types of images contained in The Photographs and Prints Division on African American theater are stills from theater productions, as well as portraits of playwrights and actors. Listed below following are a sample of the numerous Black theater related photo collections available in Photographs and Prints. A limited amount of photographs from this division have been digitized and made available via NYPL's Digital Collections, so it is necessary for researchers to view the collections in person. Appointments are preferred in this division and you may contact Photographs and Prints staff by email at schomburgphotography@nypl.org or (212) 491-2057 during regular hours
Photograph Collections
- AMAS Musical Theatre Photograph Collection AdditionsThe AMAS Musical Theatre was founded by Rosetta LeNoire, an American Negro Theatre company member, to be a multiracial company that developed and produced musical theater works. This collection consists of thousands of shots of AMAS productions, publicity shots, and candid views of performers, and community workshops.
- Bert Andrews CollectionCall Number: Sc Photos Bert Andrews CollectionThis collection contains more than 300 photographs from Bert Andrews who documented Black theater productions in New York City from the 1950s through the 1980s including performances by Negro Ensemble Company and New Federal Theatre. The Schomburg Center is believed to hold the largest collection of Andrews' work in a public repository.
- Frank Silvera Writers Workshop Photograph CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo Frank Silvera Writers Workshop CollectionThe Frank Silvera Writers Workshop (FSWW) Photograph Collection features hundreds of images from the Workshop's activities from the 1970s to the 1980s. Numerous playwrights of African descent developed work at the FSWW during its heyday and unpublished versions of these plays are housed in the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division.
- Helen Armstead-Johnson Photograph CollectionMore than 15,600 images (including photographs, photographic prints and postcards), can be found in this collection which documents African-Americans in the performing arts, both in the United States and overseas. The collection is divided into five series: I. Armstead-Johnson Foundation for Theater Research; II. Personalities; III. Production stills; IV. Personal collections; V. Postcards.
- Henry D. Miller Theater Photograph CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo Henry D. Miller Theater CollectionHenry D. Miller was an actor, director and theater company founder and his photograph collection consists of studio portraits of actors and actresses who may've applied for acting roles in Miller's productions. Also contained in this collection are images from Afro-American Repertory Theatre Company productions, including rehearsals and publicity shots.
- Kenn Freeman Photograph CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo Kenn Freeman CollectionKenn Freeman was a performer and theater artist who appeared in the touring version of American Negro Theatre's production of "Anna Lucasta." This collection contains hundreds of images from aspects of Freeman's personal life and career, publicity photos from touring theatrical productions, social gatherings and other activities.
- Negro Ensemble Company Photograph CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo Negro Ensemble Company CollectionThis collection depicts NEC activity from 1960s through the early 1990s and contains more than 900 photographs including stills from NEC productions, actors, playwrights and other theater personnel.
- Urban Arts Corps Photograph CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo Urban Arts Corps Photograph CollectionThis collection depicts the activities of the Urban Arts Corps, which was established by Vinnette Carol in the 1960s, as an initiative to bring live theater and outdoor performances to under-served urban communities and also develop a major repertory company that produced new works by Black playwrights.
Left to right: American Negro Theatre member and AMAS Musical Theatre founder Rosetta LeNoire, Coco Ramirez and Stanley Grover in rehearsal for the 1961 revival of South Pacific. Photo by Vandamm Studios. The Billy Rose Theatre Division at Library For the Performing Arts.
Actors Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones in The Blacks by Jean Genet. Photo by Martha Swope in the Billy Rose Theatre Division at the Library For The Performing Arts