Smithsonian Institution Archives

Lantern Slides from the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition, circa 1909-1910, 1989

Summary

(Electronic Resource)

Hand-colored Glass Lantern Slides #89-8581 and #89-8582

Collection ID:: SIA.FA06-093
Creators:: Smithsonian African Expedition (1909-1910)
Dates:: circa 1909-1910, 1989
Languages:: English
Physical Description:: 0.5 cu. ft. (1 document box)
Repository:: Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of eight hand-colored glass lantern slides from the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition. It is unclear as to who the photographer was. Also included are black-and-white prints made of the lantern slides by Smithsonian Photographic Services (SPS) in 1989.

Historical Note

On June 20, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt wrote to Charles D. Walcott, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution concerning Roosevelt's proposed trip to Africa. Roosevelt offered to take two naturalist-taxidermists selected by the United States National Museum for the purpose of caring for specimens that might be acquired. The offer was accepted and eventually three naturalists were chosen to accompany the expedition. Edgar Alexander Mearns was selected as head naturalist and bird-collector, Edmund Heller was to care for the large mammals and John Alden Loring was to have charge of the small mammal collecting.

The party left New York on March 23, 1909 and sailed for British East Africa, arriving on April 21. From there, the expedition traveled by the Uganda Railway to Kapiti Plains where their safari awaited them. The party followed a route that took them to Nairobi, the vicinity of Mt. Kenja, the Loita Plains, Lake Victoria, Lake Albert and up the Nile to Khartoum. The expedition broke up there on March 14, 1910.

The official photographer for the expedition was Roosevelt's son Kermit Roosevelt, although other members of the party also took a number of photographs, especially Edmund Heller.

Administration

Author

Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 06-093, Smithsonian African Expedition (1909-1910), Lantern Slides from the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition

More Information

Notes

SI Records

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms	Keyword Types
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919	Personal Name	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Mearns, Edgar Alexander, 1856-1916	Personal Name	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Heller, Edmund, 1875-1939	Personal Name	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Loring, J. Alden (John Alden), 1872-1947	Personal Name	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Roosevelt, Kermit, 1889-1943	Personal Name	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian African Expedition (1909-1910)	Corporate Name	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Scientific expeditions	Topic	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Safaris	Topic	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Naturalists	Topic	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Taxidermists	Topic	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Africa	Place	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Lantern slides	Genre/Form	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid
Black-and-white photographs	Genre/Form	Search Smithsonian Collections	Search ArchiveGrid

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