Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Blake Robinson photographs and postcards, EEPA 1997-012, 1961

Summary

Collection ID:
EEPA.1997-012
Dates:
1961
Languages:
Undetermined
.
Physical Description:
12 Negatives (photographic)
dupe negs
black & white
4 x 5 in.
115 Postcards
1 volume
12 Photographic prints
(1 album)
black & white
13 x 18 cm. or smaller.
12 Photographic prints
dupe prints (1 v.)
black & white
8 x 10 in.
Repository:
Container:
12
1
1
Photographic album purchased by Blake Robinson in 1961 from the Charlejean Studio in Brazzaville, Congo. These images are of great interest as the images were most likely taken by an African photographer. Images include three of rivers scenes, two of funeral ceremonies, one each of a President and a press conference, three of modern house interiors and one aerial of Monumama. 42 postcards are from the city and surrounding countryside of Mogadishu, Somalia and depict architecture and wildlife. Evidence of Italian and Islamic influences appear in the urban scenes of Mogadishu's schools, banks, burial grounds, places of worship and legislative building. People pictured in the background are seen in mostly European clothing. A few scenes of the countryside include Somali herders in their traditional garments. Postcards of wildlife illustrate elephants, wart hogs, lions, buffalo, antelope and a leopard. 73 postcards depict scenes of urban and rural living in Chad, Nigeria, Liberia, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire, Congo and Morocco. Images include market places, aerial views of Goree and Liberian basket weavers.

Arrangement note

Arrangement note
Images indexed by negative number.

Biographical/Historical note

Biographical/Historical note
Blake Robinson, b. 1932, worked for the U.S. Information Agency in the Philippines, Somalia (then U.N. Trusteeship Territory of Somalia), Senegal, Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia), Democratic Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville), the United States, Vietnam, Italy and France and for the U.S. Educational and Cultural Foundation in Liberia. He received a B.A. from Harvard in 1953 and an M.A. in 1957. After retiring, he translated French and Italian literary works.

Administration

Author
Christraud Geary
Custodial History note
Donated by Blake Robinson, 1997. Conserved through a preservation grant funded by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee, 2006.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Conditions Governing Access note
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Mogadishu (Somalia) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Liberia Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Postcards Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographic prints Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Nigeria Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brazzaville (Congo) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Africa Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Senegal Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Congo River Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Congo (Democratic Republic) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gorée (Senegal) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Côte d'Ivoire Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Monumama (Congo) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Robinson, Blake Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
National Museum of African Art
P.O. Box 37012
MRC 708
Washington, DC 20013-7012
elisofonarchives@si.edu