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Archives of American Art
Oral history interview with Mildred Baker
Summary
- Collection ID:
- AAA.baker63
- Creators:
-
Baker, Mildred, 1905-Phillips, Harlan B. (Harlan Buddington), 1920-1979New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project
- Dates:
-
1963 September 21
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
56 PagesTranscript
- Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
An interview of Mildred Baker conducted 1963 September 21, by Harlan Phillips, for the Archives of American Art.
Scope and Contents
This interview was conducted as part of New Deal and the Arts Project for the Archives of American Art. Baker speaks of her involvement with the Federal Art Project in its beginning, as assistant to Holger Cahill; getting the Project started nationwide; early goals of the Project; early political problems; camaraderie among the participants; the art centers that developed in the regions, and some of the people involved with them; the development of the Index of American Design in the regions; the issue of government control when government subsidizes the arts; the effect of the coming of World War II on the Project; the ending of the Project. She recalls Forbes Watson.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Mildred Baker (1905-1998) was an art administrator in New York, New York. Baker was assistant to the director, Holger Cahill, on the Federal Art Project. Prior to that appointment, she worked for College Art Association and a gallery on 57th Street. Baker's early role in FAP was to scout directors for regional programs in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa. She later was involved in exhibitions and Community Art Centers.
Administration
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Digital Content
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
More Information
General
General
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 44 min.
Keywords
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-7950
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions