Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Hugh Samson Letters Relating to Augusta Savage, 1989, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.samshugh
Creators:
Samson, Hugh
Dates:
1989
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
3 Items
Repository:
Three letters from Hugh Samson to Clyde Hart regarding sculptor Augusta Savage, written in response to Hart's query in the New York Times for information for a proposed biography on Savage (never realized). Samson recalls his friendship with Savage in New York in the late 1930s; her experiences as a Black woman artist and the racism she encountered; her studio in Harlem; and her eventual decline into obscurity.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Three letters from Hugh Samson to Clyde Hart regarding sculptor Augusta Savage, written in response to Hart's query in the New York Times for information for a proposed biography on Savage (never realized). Samson recalls his friendship with Savage in New York in the late 1930s; her experiences as a Black woman artist and the racism she encountered; her studio in Harlem; and her eventual decline into obscurity.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Hugh Samson (d. circa 1990) was a friend of African American sculptor Augusta Savage (1892-1962), known for her association with the Harlem Renaissance. Samson lived in San Francisco, California.

Administration

Author
Jayna M. Josefson
Sponsor
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated 1996 by Lawson Rosenberg, Hugh Samson's longtime roommate.
Reproduction Note
Items are photocopies.
Processing Information
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2021.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Preferred Citation
Hugh Samson letters relating to Augusta Savage, 1989. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art patrons -- California -- San Francisco Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
African American artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sculpture -- New York (State) -- New York Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women sculptors Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Savage, Augusta, 1892-1962 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hart, Clyde Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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