Anacostia Community Museum Archives

New Orleans Black Mardi Gras Indians: Exploring a Community Tradition from an Insider's View Exhibition Records

Summary

Collection ID:
ACMA.03-076
Dates:
April 23-August 27, 2006
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1 Video recording
MiniDV
Repository:
An exhibition of New Orleans photographer J. Nash Porter's portraits of the Mardi Gras Indians, capturing them at close range and documenting their "true essence" and "cultural flavor" from an insider's point of view. The exhibit, held at the museum from April 23, 2006 - October 15, 2006, featured more than 40 images documenting the rich tradition of New Orleans' Mardi Gras Indians including the construction of suits (handmade costumes), practices, second liners, and other participants in this urban folk street ritual. On display also were full Mardi Gras Indian suits and beaded patches. For more than 35 years, Porter (1942-2007) documented the masking traditions and community support of the Black Mardi Gras Indians. These records include correspondence and video footage.

Administration

Author
Jennifer Morris

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Preferred Citation
New Orleans Black Mardi Gras Indians: Exploring a Community Tradition from an Insider's View
Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Museum exhibits Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mardi Gras Indians Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
African Americans Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Video recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brochures Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Anacostia Community Museum Archives
1901 Fort Place, SE
Washington, D.C. 20020
ACMArchives@si.edu