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.

Scrapbook compiled by Lee, documenting her time as a student at the Fairmont Seminary in Washington, D.C. in the 1910s. The scrapbook mostly documents the social lives of Lee and other students at the school, especially the dances, sporting events, graduations and other activities at the U.S. Naval Academy. The contents of the scrapbook include a h...

The papers of painter, printmaker and sculptor Agnes Mills measure 1.1 linear feet and date from 1948 to 1999, with the bulk of the material from 1974 to 1993. Her enduring interest in dance theatre is demonstrated in the papers. Reminiscences of her time in the WPA, artist statements, sketchbooks, and a bound compilation of publicity, biographical notes, and images of artwork provide an overview of her professional accomplishments. The collection also includes curricula vitae; correspondence; writings by and about the artist; price lists and inventories; articles, news clippings, press releases and exhibition announcements; original artwork; and photographs of both the artist and her work.

Photographs depicting Bureau of Indian Affairs employees and their families, Agency and Reservation buildings, and Navajo students at the Tuba City Indian School. The collection also includes an image of Theodore Roosevelt in Tuba City and images of Apache Indians, Moencopi Hopi village, and Hopi dances, including the Butterfly, Corn, and Snake Da...

Sam DeVincent loved music and art and began collecting sheet music with lithographs at an early age. Series 18, Dance contains approximately 3,330 pieces of sheet music and other materials documenting the development of and popular attitudes towards dance in the United States. An overview to the entire DeVincent collection is available here: Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music.

Unbound pages from an album documenting Silas William Thompson's participation in the United States Navy during World War II, with particular focus on the Battles of Peleliu and Angaur and his time at Base 20 Hospital. The collection includes a group portrait of Company B-8 of the Naval Hospital Corps School, views of Base 20, the invasion of Pele...

More than 300 reels of 16mm black and white and color film, silent and sound, fiction and documentary motion picture film documenting jazz and related musical performances, social and popular dance styles and performances, jazz musicians, performance locales, and documentation of African-American popular culture. A list of featured performers in the collection is shown below. The films are frequently compilations produced by Smith for lectures.

The records of the DC Cowboys Dance Company, an all-male, gay, non-profit dance company based in Washington, DC. that was active from 1994-2012. They peformed nationally and internationally live and on television, "celebrating diversity through dance."

An exhibition on the history of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The show was organized by the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and exhibited at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum from March 1993 to June 1993. These records document the planning, organizing, execution, and promotion of the exhibition. Materials include correspondence, exhibit scripts, administrative records, brochures, and floor plans.

Bound volume of preprinted US Army forms for recording results of target practice, subsequently filled with drawings of courting, hunting, warfare, Saynday stories, and scenes from the Kiowa Sun Dance by Silver Horn and other Kiowa artists, probably all Army scouts. The book also contains a 30- page pictorial diary by Silver Horn, spanning the peri...