Smithsonian Institution Archives

Records, circa 1964-1984

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU0634
Creators:
National Museum of African Art. Office of the Director
Dates:
circa 1964-1984
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
15 cu. ft. (15 record storage boxes)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
These records consist mostly of the correspondence of Warren H. Robbins, which documents activities of the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) since its inception. Also included are some correspondence and memoranda of Jean M. Salan, John E. Reinhardt, and David L. Stratmon, a previous Associate Director of MAA (Museum of African Art). The correspondence is with government officials of African nations, African art dealers, agencies of the United States government, individual benefactors of NMAfA, African American artists, university professors, and others; and concerns donations, specimen acquisition and loans, planning of exhibitions, conservation of permanent collections, grants, scholarly research, and publications.

Historical Note

Historical Note
In 1964 a privately-funded Museum of African Art (MAA) was established by Warren M. Robbins, a former American foreign service officer, at the Frederick Douglass house in Washington, D.C. Robbins served as first Director of MAA, which mounted exhibitions of traditional African artwork and developed educational programs to foster public insight and appreciation of the cultures and artistic achievements of Africa. When MAA became a bureau of the Smithsonian Institution on August 13, 1979, its collections included some eight thousand objects of African sculpture, costumes, textiles, musical instruments, and jewelry; numerous books on African culture and history; early maps of Africa; educational materials; and photographs, slides, and film segments on African art, society, and environment bequeathed to the Museum by world-renowned photographer Eliot Elisofon.
In 1981 MAA was renamed the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA). The following year Robbins became Founding Director Emeritus and John E. Reinhardt assumed responsibility as Acting Director. Sylvia H. Williams was appointed Director of NMAfA in 1983.
Staff of NMAfA has included Warren M. Robbins, Director, 1964-1981, and Founding Director Emeritus, 1982- ; John E. Reinhardt, Acting Director, 1981-1982; Sylvia H. Williams, Director, 1983- ; Jean M. Salan, Assistant Director for Administration, 1979-1980, Assistant Deputy Director, 1981-1982, and Assistant Director, 1983- ; Lydia Puccinelli, Curator of Collections, 1979- ; Roy Sieber, Associate Director for Collections and Research, 1983- ; Roslyn A. Walker, Research Curator, 1981- ; and Edward Lifschitz, Academic Coordinator, 1979-1982, and Curator of Education, 1983- .

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 634, National Museum of African Art. Office of the Director, Records

More Information

Notes

SI Records


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Robbins, Warren M. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Salan, Jean M. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Reinhardt, John E. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Stratmon, David L. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Elisofon, Eliot Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Williams, Sylvia H. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Puccinelli, Lydia Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sieber, Roy, 1923-2001 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Walker, Roslyn A. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lifschitz, Edward, 1945- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Frederick Douglass House (Washington, D.C.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum of African Art (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Frederick Douglass Museum of African Art Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museum directors Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art dealers Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museums Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art, African Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
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