Research Catalog

Title

Negro Actors Guild of America photograph collection [graphic].

Author

Negro Actors Guild of America.

Publication

[190-]-[198-]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Andrews, Bert.
• Bakchy, Boris.
• Clemons, Curt.
• Dummett, L. St. Clair.
• Korman, Murray.
• Kriegsmann, James J.
• Layne, Cecil.
• Poole, Paul.
• Robinson, Albert.
• Rossner, Harry.
• Seymour, Maurice.
• Smith, M.
• Smith, Merritt.
• Tucker, Lorenzo.
• Van Der Zee, James, 1886-1983.
• Winik, Paul.
• Workman, David.
• Arsene Studio (New York, N.Y.)
• Bell Studio (New York, N.Y.)
• Bloom (Chicago, Il.)
• Bruno of Hollywood (New York, N.Y.)
• Cameron Studio (New York, N.Y.)
• Campbell's (New York, N.Y.)
• Charles Studio (Oneonta, N.Y.)
• De Camp (New York, N.Y.
• Diaz & Rogers (New York, N.Y.)
• Elcha (New York, N.Y.)
• Fred Hess & Co. (Atlantic City, N.J.)
• Gibson (Chicago, Ill.)
• A. Hansen Studio (New York, N.Y.)
• Hooks Bros. Studio (Memphis, Tenn.)
• Kerr (New York, N.Y.)
• Layne's Studio (New York, N.Y.)
• Lucas & Monroe, Inc. (New York, N.Y.)
• Maurice (New York, N.Y.)
• Mitchell (New York, N.Y.)
• Ottomar Studio (New York, N.Y.)
• Patton Studio (Indianapolis, In.)
• Progress (New York, N.Y.)
• Rice Studio (Columbus, Oh.)
• Smith Studios (Cleveland, Oh.)
• Standard (Philadelphia, Pa.)
• Strand Bookstore
• Swisher (Chicago, Ill.)
• Theatrical Studio (Chicago, Ill.)
• Woodard's Studio (Chicago, Ill.)

Found In

c2tc Negro Actors Guild of America, Inc. Negro Actors Guild of America records, 1904-1982 (CStRLIN)NYPW89-A163

Description

• 1829 items (6 lin. ft. 9 boxes); 36 x 28 cm. and smaller.
• 9 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w ;
• 925 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w, some hand colored ;
• 207 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w, some hand colored ;
• 338 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w ;
• 27 photographic prints : col. ;
• 67 photographic prints : col. ;
• 105 photographic prints : col. ;
• 16 dye diffusion transfer prints : col. ;
• 62 photomechanical prints : halftone, b&w ;
• 25 negatives
• 15 photographic postcard : b&w ;
• 15 clippings : halftone, b&w ;
• 8 panoramic photographs : silver gelatin, b&w ;
• 10 miscellaneous items.

Summary

• The Negro Actors Guild (NAG) Photograph Collection (190?-198?) constitutes a portion of the organization's archives.
• Al Vigal Scrapbook (193?-195?) consists of studio portraits and candid shots of a young Al Vigal, his family, associates, and probably friends. Individuals pictured include Honi Coles, Ida Forsyne and Freddi Washington. Also included is a production scene from the musical revue, "Soldier Drill," performed at Club Alhambra. The scrapbook does not document Vigal's later professional activities.

Donor/Sponsor

Schomburg NEH Blacks on Stage: African-American Theater Arts Collections Project.

Alternative Title

• A comedy act.
• Anna Lucasta.
• Calypso carnival.
• Crimson skull.
• Miracle in Harlem.
• The philanderer.
• Skin deep.
• Soldier drill.
• Uncle Tom's cabin.

Subject

• Alice, Mary, 1941-
• Bailey, Pearl
• Baker, Josephine, 1906-1975
• Black, Phil, -1975
• Brown, Lillyn, 1885-1969
• Cato, Minto, 1900-1979
• Chester, Slick, 1900-
• Coles, Honi, 1911-1992
• Cooper, Ralph, 1918-
• Davis, Evelyn
• Davis, Ossie
• Dee, Ruby
• Fetchit, Stepin
• Fletcher, Tom, 1873-1954
• Forsyne, Ida
• Freeman, Ann Gaillard
• Freeman, Bee, 1899-1986
• Freeman, Kenn, 1917-
• Girvan, Virginia
• Godfrey, Lynnie
• Guyse, Sheila
• Hall, Adelaide
• Horne, Lena
• Jackson, Harold
• Jessye, Eva, 1895-1992
• Lebensin, Claire
• Leyba, Claire
• Nabbie, Jimmie
• O'Neal, Frederick, 1905-1992
• Perry, Nettie
• Pinkard, Maceo, 1897-1962
• Razaf, Andy, 1895-1973
• Schiffman, Frank, -1974
• Scott, Eloise Bennett
• Sissle, Noble, 1889-1975
• Tucker, Lorenzo
• Vigal, Al
• Wallace, Emmett Babe, 1909-
• Washington, Fredi, 1903-1994
• Waters, Ethel, 1896-1977
• Whipper, Leigh R. 1877-1975
• Wilson, Dooley, 1894-1953
• WPA Federal Theatre
• Chautaugua Four (Musical group)
• Good Hearts Welfare Association
• Hot Shots (Dance group)
• Ink Spots (Musical group)
• Kenny and the Casanovas (Musical group)
• King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band
• Lunceford Quartette
• Manhattan Temple Drill Team
• Negro Actors Guild of America
• New Amsterdam Musical Association, Inc
• Whitman Sisters (Dance group)
• African American theater > New York (State) > New York
• African American actors
• African American actresses
• African American dancers
• African American entertainers
• African American motion picture actors and actresses
• African American singers
• African American musicians
• African Americans in the performing arts > New York (State) > New York
• African American women entertainers
• Theatrical productions > 1910-1989
• Arts, Black > New York (State) > New York
• Dance, Black
• Musical groups
• Musical revues and comedies > New York (State) > New York > 1910-1989
• Dancers > 1910-1989
• Vaudeville > New York (State) > New York > 1910-1959
• Blackface entertainers > New York (State) > New York > 1910-1959
• African American boxers
• Boxers (Sports)
• Female impersonators > New York (State) > New York > 1940-1989
• Eating & drinking > New York (State) > New York > 1910-1989
• Stereotyping in advertising

Genre/Form

• Publicity photographs – 1910-1989.
• Portrait photographs – 1910-1989.
• Group portraits – 1910-1989.
• Photomontages – 1910-1989.
• Panoramic photographs – 1940-1959.
• Gelatin silver prints – 1910-1989.
• Dye coupler prints – 1950-1989.
• Gelatin silver film negatives – 1920-1989.
• Halftone photomechanical prints – 1940-1989.
• Inscriptions – 1910-1989.
• Autographs – 1910-1989.

Note

• Title devised by cataloger.
• Some photographs bear handstamp of either photographer, photography studio, news agency, or corporate body on verso; some photographs have photographer's or photography studio's blind stamp on recto; some items have photographer's name signed or printed on verso. Some photographs have typewritten captions attached to verso or recto; others have handwritten captions on verso. Some items have printed captions on recto. Some portraits have actors' resume attached. Some photographs are inscribed or autographed. Some photographs are mounted; a group of items are mounted on scrapbook pages. Some images are cropped; other items are damaged. Some photographs are duplicates.
• Collection includes works by Bert Andrews, James Kriegsmann, M. Smith and others.

Terms of Use (note)

• Restricted: Permission of the copyright holder is required for duplication.

Biography (note)

• The Negro Actors Guild of America, Inc. (NAG) was incorporated in 1936 in New York City as a welfare and benevolent organization for mainly African-American performers.

Linking Entry (note)

• Forms part of the Negro Actors Guild of America Records, 1904-1982.

Call Number

Sc Photo Negro Actors Guild of America Collection

OCLC

NYPG00-F152

Author

Negro Actors Guild of America.

Title

Negro Actors Guild of America photograph collection [graphic].

Imprint

[190-]-[198-]

Terms Of Use

Restricted: Permission of the copyright holder is required for duplication.

Biography

The Negro Actors Guild of America, Inc. (NAG) was incorporated in 1936 in New York City as a welfare and benevolent organization for mainly African-American performers. It was established with the assistance of the Theatre Authority, which encouraged black performers to form the Guild in order to become eligible for funds dispersed by the Theater Authority. Some of the services NAG provided were financial aid to indigent entertainers, visitations on black entertainers and gifts to the sick. The Guild kept statistics and maintained a biographical archive as well as publishing a quarterly journal, "The Negro Actor," from 1938-1940.

Among the founding members of NAG were Fredi Washington, W. C. Handy, Paul Robeson and Ethel Waters. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was named honorary president at its inception. Noble Sissle was the first elected president, 1937-1957; followed by Leigh Whipper, 1957-1960; Frederick O'Neal, 1960-1964; Charles "Honi" Coles, 1964-ca. 1980; and James Randolph, 1980-1981. In the mid-1970s the Guild received approximately $75,000 from photographer Carl Van Vechten's estate which almost tripled its treasury. The Guild had approximately 875 members when it collapsed in 1982 due to mishandling of funds and factional infighting.

Linking Entry

Forms part of the Negro Actors Guild of America Records, 1904-1982.

Local Note

Sc MG 259

Connect to:

NYPL Digital Collections

Local Subject

Caypso (Dance)

Added Author

Andrews, Bert. Photographer

Bakchy, Boris. Photographer

Clemons, Curt. Photographer

Dummett, L. St. Clair. Photographer

Korman, Murray. Photographer

Kriegsmann, James J. Photographer

Layne, Cecil. Photographer

Poole, Paul. Photographer

Robinson, Albert. Photographer

Rossner, Harry. Photographer

Seymour, Maurice. Photographer

Smith, M. Photographer

Smith, Merritt. Photographer

Tucker, Lorenzo. Photographer

Van Der Zee, James, 1886-1983. Photographer

Winik, Paul. Photographer

Workman, David. Photographer

Arsene Studio (New York, N.Y.)

Bell Studio (New York, N.Y.)

Bloom (Chicago, Il.)

Bruno of Hollywood (New York, N.Y.)

Cameron Studio (New York, N.Y.)

Campbell's (New York, N.Y.)

Charles Studio (Oneonta, N.Y.)

De Camp (New York, N.Y.

Diaz & Rogers (New York, N.Y.)

Elcha (New York, N.Y.)

Fred Hess & Co. (Atlantic City, N.J.)

Gibson (Chicago, Ill.)

A. Hansen Studio (New York, N.Y.)

Hooks Bros. Studio (Memphis, Tenn.)

Kerr (New York, N.Y.)

Layne's Studio (New York, N.Y.)

Lucas & Monroe, Inc. (New York, N.Y.)

Maurice (New York, N.Y.)

Mitchell (New York, N.Y.)

Ottomar Studio (New York, N.Y.)

Patton Studio (Indianapolis, In.)

Progress (New York, N.Y.)

Rice Studio (Columbus, Oh.)

Smith Studios (Cleveland, Oh.)

Standard (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Strand Bookstore

Swisher (Chicago, Ill.)

Theatrical Studio (Chicago, Ill.)

Woodard's Studio (Chicago, Ill.)

Added Title

A comedy act.

Anna Lucasta.

Calypso carnival.

Crimson skull.

Miracle in Harlem.

The philanderer.

Skin deep.

Soldier drill.

Uncle Tom's cabin.

Found In:

c2tc Negro Actors Guild of America, Inc. Negro Actors Guild of America records, 1904-1982 (CStRLIN)NYPW89-A163

Research Call Number

Sc Photo Negro Actors Guild of America Collection