Research Catalog

Title

Wesley Williams photograph collection [graphic].

Author

Williams, Wesley A., 1896-1984.

Publication

[1910?]-1981.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Anderson, Bill.
• Campbell, James C.
• Fox, A.
• Justice, C.
• Layne, Cecil.
• Layne's Studio (New York, N.Y.)
• New York (N.Y.) Fire Dept.

Found In

p1tc Williams, Wesley A., 1896-1984. Wesley Williams papers, 1909-1984 (CStRLIN)NYPW89-A234

Description

• 497 items (1.3 lin. ft., 5 boxes); 32 x 21 cm. and smaller.
• 94 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w, some hand-col. ;
• 111 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w ;
• 77 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w ;
• 167 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w, some hand-col. ;
• 17 photographic prints : col. ;
• 14 photographic prints : col. ;
• 11 photographic postcards : b&w ;
• 4 polaroid prints : b&w, one col. ;
• 1 photomechanical print : halftone, b&w ;
• 1 drawing : b&w, pen and ink ;

Summary

The Wesley Williams Photograph Collection depicts aspects of his personal life, and his professional career as a fire fighter, from the late 1800s to the 1980s.

Subject

• Williams, Wesley A., 1896-1984
• Williams, James H., 1879?-1948
• Battle, Samuel J
• Beekman, Augustus A
• Bethune, Mary McLeod, 1875-1955
• Black, Julian A
• Bond, Julian, 1940-
• Cavanaugh, Edward F
• Delany, Hubert T
• Durocher, Leo, 1905-1991
• Grumet, Jacob
• Impellitteri, Vincent R. 1900-1987
• Irvin, Monte, 1919-
• Jack, Hulan E
• Lefkowitz, Louis J
• Lindsay, John V
• Louis, Joe, 1914-1981
• Lowery, Robert O. 1916-
• Mays, Willie, 1931-
• Motley, Constance Baker, 1921-2005
• O'Dwyer, William, 1890-1964
• Powell, Adam Clayton, Jr., 1908-1972
• Randolph, A. Philip 1889-1979
• Rivers, Francis E. 1893-1975
• Robinson, Sugar Ray, 1920-1989
• Sutton, Percy E
• Walker, James John, 1881-1946
• Watson, James L., 1922-
• New York (N.Y.). Fire Department
• Vulcan Society (New York, N.Y.)
• African American fire fighters > New York (State) > New York
• African American fire fighters > New York (State) > New York > Societies, etc
• Fire fighters > New York (State) > New York
• Bodybuilders > New York (State) > New York
• Rites and ceremonies > 1940-1989
• Receptions > 1940-1989
• Awards

Genre/Form

• Portrait photographs – 1910-1979.
• Group portraits – 1910-1989.
• Snapshots – 1910-1979.
• Photographic postcards – 1910-1919.
• Gelatin silver prints – 1910-1989.
• Dye coupler prints – 1950-1979.
• Instant camera photographs – 1960-1979.
• Halftone photomechanical prints.
• Ink drawings – 1930-1939.

Note

• Title devised by cataloger.
• Many photographs bear photographer's or photography studio's handstamp; two photographs bear photography studio blind stamp; some images have photographer's name printed on either verso or recto. Some items are mounted on wooden plaques; many snapshots are mounted on loose photo album pages. Many images have handwritten notations on verso and/or recto; some items have typewritten captions. Some items are duplicates.
• Collections contains work by Cecil Layne, Bill Anderson, James C. Campbell, and the New York Fire Department, among others.

Terms of Use (note)

• Some items are restricted; permission of copyright holder is required for duplication.

Biography (note)

• Wesley A. Williams, New York City fire fighter and official, was born in New York in 1896.

Linking Entry (note)

• Forms part of the Wesley Williams Papers, 1909-1984.

Call Number

Sc Photo Wesley A. Williams Collection

OCLC

NYPG00-F212

Author

Williams, Wesley A., 1896-1984.

Title

Wesley Williams photograph collection [graphic].

Imprint

[1910?]-1981.

Terms Of Use

Some items are restricted; permission of copyright holder is required for duplication.

Biography

Wesley A. Williams, New York City fire fighter and official, was born in New York in 1896. His father was James H. Williams who served as the Chief Attendant of the Red Caps at Grand Central Terminal for 45 years. Wesley, who was raised and educated in New York, was an amateur body builder who, by age 18, had become the National Amateur Weight-lifting champ. In 1919, he became the first and, at the time, the only African-American appointed as a fire fighter to the New York City Fire Department, as well as the second man to ever enter the Fire Department with a 100 percent physical fitness rating. He was assigned to Engine Company No. 55 in Manhattan's Lower East Side, and ascended the ranks to lieutenant (1927), captain (1934) and battalion chief (1938). He finished out his service as battalion chief of the 15th Fire Battalion until job-related injuries forced his retirement in 1952. He also co-founded and organized the Vulcan Society in 1940, a black fire fighters fraternal organization to help improve working conditions for fire fighters. Williams, who had four children and had married and outlived three wives, died in 1984 in Queens, New York.

Linking Entry

Forms part of the Wesley Williams Papers, 1909-1984.

Local Note

Sc MG 379

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Added Author

Anderson, Bill. Photographer

Campbell, James C. Photographer

Fox, A. Photographer

Justice, C. Photographer

Layne, Cecil. Photographer

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

New York (N.Y.) Fire Dept.

Found In:

p1tc Williams, Wesley A., 1896-1984. Wesley Williams papers, 1909-1984 (CStRLIN)NYPW89-A234

Research Call Number

Sc Photo Wesley A. Williams Collection