Jack Mitchell (1925- 2013) was an acclaimed photographer who began chronicling the work of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1961. Alvin Ailey (1931- 1989), one of the most influential African American choreographers of modern dance, dedicated himself and his dance company to creating ballets that not only accelerated the careers of young African American dancers, but also stole the attention of national and international audiences in displaying the racial perspective of dance in the African American experience. This collection serves as Mitchell's documentation of the dance company's evolution while capturing the true idiosyncrasies and physicality of movement through still images. Through Alvin Ailey and Jack Mitchell's partnership, they were able to collaborate and produce a unique production of art, fusing the meaning and movements of dance and the techniques of photography.

The Kendall Productions records date from 1952-2006 with the bulk of material dating from 1997-2004 and measure 4.42 cubic feet. The records consist of material documenting the Kendall Productions documentary Dance Party: The Teenarama Story which first aired on Howard University's PBS affiliate WHUT in 2006. The records are comprised of research and production notes, government records, newspaper articles, questionnaires, photographs, letters, and scripts, accompanied by a significant amount of original media in the following formats: VHS and Beta videocassettes, audiocassettes, and audio compact discs.

These records primarily document the planning for University of the Air (after 1988 Smithsonian Project Discovery) and The Buried Mirror. Many of the records were created by Elizabeth S. Brownstein, media project development specialist, Office of Telecommunications (OTC). Also included are files of Adrian Malone, production chairman, and Edwar...

This accession consists of original audiotape recordings, on 2 inch reels, documenting the production of Folk Masters at the Barns of Wolf Trap: a concert series that presented diverse, traditional music and musicians from across the Americas in a major concert venue. The series was hosted and artistically directed by Nicholas R. Spitzer, ...

This accession consists of audio recordings documenting two similar radio series collectively known as "Folk Masters." "Folk Masters: Traditional Music in the Americas" was produced in 1991 in conjunction and features virtuosos of folk music in concert at Carnegie Hall. "Folk Masters from the Barns of Wolf Trap" was produced from 1992 to ...

These records consist of film, video, and audio elements which document the production of several documentary films that supplemented the National Museum of American History exhibition, "American Encounters." "American Encounters" is a permanent exhibition commemorating the Columbus Quincentenary that chronicles the experiences, struggles, ...

This record unit consists of master audio tapes for Smithsonian Galaxy editions 77-125, 1981-1983, and Radio Smithsonian programs 534-574, 1980; and scripts of Radio Smithsonian programs 1-400.

George Sidney (1916-2002) was a film director during the Golden Age of Hollywood filmmaking (1927-1954). He spent the longest period of his career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) until the 1950s. He later produced and directed films for Columbia Pictures and Paramount Pictures. He was a president of the Directors Guild of America and an avid photographer. He was the recipient of three awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscar). The collection consists of photographs, photographic negatives, personal and business materials, and film. The collection also contains material created by George Sidney's uncle, George Sidney, vaudevillian and motion picture actor.

The Smithsonian Institution Festival of American Folklife, held annually since 1967 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was renamed the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 1998. The materials collected here document the planning, production, and execution of the annual Festival, produced by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (1999-present) and its predecessor offices (1967-1999). An overview of the entire Festival records group is available here: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records.

This accession consists of audio elements created during the production of the radio program, "Sounds Like New York." It was part of the weekly "Radio Smithsonian" series, and focused on the sounds heard in multicultural New York, N.Y. The Office of Telecommunications won the Silver Award from the Public Radio Conference for this special ...