Description

The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) is embarking on a four-year project centered on its recent, major purchases of two private collections of 19th and early-20th-century African American photography. With combined holdings of over 700 objects, the L.J. West Collection and the Dr. Robert Drapkin Collection are distinguished by their extraordinary depth in work by African American photographers, including early daguerreotypists. SAAM will begin to address this newly established Early African American Photography Collection by staffing a team to carry out documentation, conservation, rehousing, and research. Project staff will also prepare key components of the collection for installation in SAAM’s first dedicated Early American photography galleries. This preparatory project will be foundational to SAAM’s ongoing presentation, publication, and programming of the collection, with the aim of rewriting narratives of American photography and its cultural work. 
This grant aligns with the AAP strategic goal 1a: To advance innovative museum projects that prioritize representation and equity through the preservation, study, and presentation of work by under-represented artists of color, collaborations with diverse external partners, and outreach to underserved communities.