Photographs belonging to the fiancée of Mr. A.E. Ball, a missionary with the Church Missionary Society in Bida, Nigeria (Nupe). While she was waiting for him in England, he sent numerous photographs with penciled explanations to her, which she kept even after the engagement had ended. Many of the images appear to be the work of A.W. Banfield, a Canadian missionary and a contemporary of A.E. Ball, whose photographs are now in the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. Identical images are found in Banfield's book, Life Among the Nupe Tribe, (1905). Twenty-five of the images are portraits of African men and women in the style and size of cartes de visite. Many more of the images include group photographs of Africans and Europeans. A third subject found among the images is architecture. These images include Nupe buildings in Bida, a cathedral in the Canary Islands, a mosque and the High Commissioner's bungalow in Zumgeru.

Photographs of people and architecture taken by Sujatha Pelletier in Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Morocco and Mali from June of 1992 through June of 1995.

Photographs taken by an unknown photographer in Ethiopia in 1973.

The album was compiled by Eugene Brusseaux, a French colonial, very likely a merchant, who lived, worked and traveled in the Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic (then Afrique Equatoriale Francaise), and in northern Cameroon (then German colony of Kamerun). The images may well have been taken by Brusseaux himself. Mr. de Strycker acquired the album, which previously belonged to Professor Verneau of the Musee de L'Homme, Paris, in a sale from Professor Verneau of the Musee de l'Homme, Paris. The album shows the classic arrangement of many similar colonial albums, depicting Brusseaux's voyage from France to Libreville in Gabon, and Matadi on the mouth of the Congo River. From there Brusseaux took the railroad to Leopoldville (Kinshasa) and traveled on the Brazzaville. He continued on the Congo River to Balobo and Kounda, then over land towards the Sangha River, through Bonga and Loboko to M'Bako on the Sangha River and to Ouesso, now on the border of the Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic. From Ouesso, he continued on to Nola, Carnot and Baboua. He then visited Kounde, and crossed into German territory, moving on the Ngaoundere. This is where the album ends. The photographs depict some of the Belgian and French colonial cities. There are excellent images of transportation in Matadi. Brazzaville is the topic of many good architectural photographs. A very interesting set shows the Catholic Mission of Brazzaville in 1901 and 1904 with a unique interior shot of the cathedral. Further inland, the photographs of colonial settlements focus on trading posts, such as Bonga, Kadei, Carnot and Baboma. Many photographs show Africans, indigenous architecture, and celebrations. They focus on the Pomo, the Pande, the Baya (Baja in German writing), and Hausa and Fulbe. Images from Baboma, Kounde and Ngaoundere show indigenous Fulbe architecture, including a series of the Lamido's palace at Ngaoundere, and Fulbe kings, retainers and women. One set depicts women with Fulbe style coiffures of extraordinary complexity (wigs).

Photographs taken by Klara Farkas in Ethiopia in 1971.

Photographs taken by Amina Dickerson in 1982 during her travels in Niger, Nigeria and Senegal. Images are mostly of the Hausa, Yoruba and Tuareg peoples.

Photographs taken by Augustus Browning of Hausa and Fulani peoples in Nigeria between 1982 and 1985.

Collection dates from 1966 to 1976 and includes 1,817 black and white negatives, 1,519 35mm color slides, several hundred prints, and manuscript materials. Locations include Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Israel, Mali, and Niger and depict agriculture, architecture, especially mosques, landscapes, marketplaces, masquerade and musical performances, sculptures, and textiles. Peoples depicted include the Bambara, Bella, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Gao, Mandingo, San, Songhai, and Tuarag peoples.

Photographs taken by French Missionary Frank Christol during his stay in the Cameroon Grassfields, during the 1920s. The photographs document the peoples of the Cameroon Grassfields, particularly the Bamileke. Activities depicted include dancing and playing musical instruments. Objects include figures, masks, textiles and vessels. There are images of chiefs' palaces and architectural details such as carved doors and house posts. Portraits, often with people in groups with objects, document dress, hairstyles, jewelry and scarification. People portrayed include carvers with their work and chiefs in their palaces.