National Anthropological Archives

Colonel Alexis B. McMullen photograph and postcard collection relating to West Africa, circa 1943-1944

Summary

Collection ID:
NAA.PhotoLot.90-14
Creators:
McMullen, Alexis B. (collector and photographer)
Dates:
circa 1943-1944
Languages:
Undetermined
.
Physical Description:
70 Postcards
70 photographic postcards
silver gelatin
86 Photographic prints
silver gelatin
Repository:

Scope and Contents note

Scope and Contents note
Photographs made and collected by Alexis B. McMullen documenting peoples and culture in West Africa. The images created by McMullen and Captain D. B. McCloskey depict ceremonies at Kibib honoring Ofori Atta, a chief in the Central Province of the Gold Coast; a dance to the god of the sea at Teshi; and fishing boats and equipment. Additionally, the collection contains photographic postcards collected by McMullen and made by Casimir Zagourski, Leopoldville, and Methodist Book Depots, Cape Coast. These show African "types," a Bwake female circumcision ceremony (please note contains graphic images of circumcision), scarification (cicatrization), African animals (including giraffes, elephants, and a hippopotamus), agriculture, dances, and musical instruments. Depicted West African peoples include the Ashanti, Bangala, Banziri, Hausa, Kuba, Kumu, Mangbetu, Mputu and Tutsi.

Biographical/Historical note

Biographical/Historical note
Colonel Alexis B. McMullen participated in American aviation activities for about 50 years. During World War II, he was the commanding officer of a United States Air Corps Air Transport Command (ATC) base in Accra, Ghana (then the Gold Coast).

Administration

Author
Sarah Ganderup
Custodial History note
Donated by Sara Anne Lindsey, Colonel McMullen's daughter, 1990.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access note
The collection is open for research.
Access to the collection requires an appointment.
Conditions Governing Use note
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Preferred Citation note
Photo Lot 90-14, Colonel Alexis B. McMullen photograph and postcard collection relating to West Africa, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution

Location of Other Archival Materials

Location of Other Archival Materials
The National Air and Space Museum Archives Division holds the Colonel Alexis B. McMullen Collection, 1915-1983, documenting McMullen's aviation career and interests.
Location of Other Archival Materials
Additional Zagourski photographs can be found in the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives in EEPA 1987-0024 and the EEPA Postcard Collection.

More Information

Local Call Number(s)

Local Call Number(s)
NAA Photo Lot 90-14

Other Finding Aids note

Other Finding Aids note
Inventory available in repository.


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Rwanda Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Congo (Democratic Republic) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mputu (African people) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Komo (Congolese (Democratic Republic) people) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
West Africans Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mangbetu (African people) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tutsi (African people) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kuba (African people) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hausa (African people) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ashanti (African people) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ngala (African people) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Musical instruments Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scarification (Body marking) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kenya Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ghanaians Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Postcards Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Banziri (African people) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ngbaka (African people) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ghana Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Africa, West Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cacao Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cooking Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fishing Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
female circumcision Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dance Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Boats and boating Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Zagourski, Casimir Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Anthropological Archives
Museum Support Center
4210 Silver Hill Road
Suitland, Maryland 20746
naa@si.edu