Ella Fitzgerald, often called the "First Lady of Song," was one of the 20th century's most important musical performers. The collection reflects her career and personal life through photographs, audio recordings, and manuscript materials.

The record of the Anthropological Society of Washington concern its organization, membership, and management of its business affairs. Records of its early meetings include not only minutes but also summaries--and at times almost complete papers--of its talks and discussions. Often these are manuscripts written by the speakers. There are also small quantities of documents concerning many of the national and local developments in which the society was involved. In addition, documents of the 1950s and 1960s concern the society's special publications and special programs that often involved appearances by outstanding anthropologists from outside Washington.

The Head Papers, 1926-1991, consist of correspondence, calendars, notes, company records (Head Ski Company and Prince Manufacturing Inc.), drawings, sketches, advertisements, product information, photographs, and slides documenting the development and design of both the Head ski and Prince oversized tennis racket. The collection is arranged into ei...

This accession consists of the records of Fitzroy Thomas. Materials include Duke Ellington Collection budget information; Thomas' correspondence and memoranda; meeting minutes; information documenting the Duke Ellington Collection program; Oral History Project information; articles on Ellington and those associated with him; and photographs.

The papers of New York art collector Chester Dale measure 8.4 linear feet and date from circa 1883-2003. Dale amassed one of the world's most complete collections of nineteenth and twentieth century French art, was a collector of eighteenth century American portraitists, and a patron and collector of twentieth American artists including George Bellows and Mary Cassatt. The bulk of the collection dates from 1920 to 1970 and documents Dale's activities through biographical material, correspondence, memoirs and other writings, purchase, sales and estate records, printed material, scrapbooks, and photographs.

The collection documents the technology of lighting and various business aspects of the General Electric Lighting Division throughout the 20th century and consists of correspondence, bulletins, price lists, business record books, stock certificates, sales and advertising materials, scrapbooks, photographs, and lantern slides.

Collection consists of original cassettes, open-reel master, and reference cassette audiotapes of two oral history interviews about the life and career of Duke Ellington. Leonard Feather's oral history interview has a transcript. In separate interviews jazz critic Leonard Feather and Sam Woodyard discuss their relationships with and knowledge of Ellington and his music.

The records of Printed Matter, Inc., a non-profit artists' book publisher and distributor in New York, measure 24.9 linear feet and date from 1970 to 1990. Documentation on this organization includes artist, distributor, and client files; inventory records; legal and administrative records; general correspondence; ledgers, invoices, and other financial records; files arranged by subject; and architectural drawings of the interior office space. The administrative correspondence scattered across the various series shows Printed Matter's philosophy, operations, and relationships to artists. Many early notes and minutes are in Sol LeWitt's handwriting. Among the names to be found in the files are former staff members Edith deAk, Mike Glier, Nancy Linn, Ingrid Sischy, and Nancy Princenthal; founders Sol LeWitt and Lucy Lippard; and contracted artists, such as Douglas Davis, Heidi Fasnacht, Jenny Holzer, Douglas Huebler, Louise Lawler, Richard Nonas, Martha Rosler, Ed Ruscha, Art Spiegelman, Michelle Stuart, Athena Tacha, and Lawrence Weiner.

The collection, which dates from 1943 to 1951 and measures .03 linear feet, documents the inner workings of the Institute on Race Relations. The collection is comprised of newsletters, meeting minutes, advertisements and professional correspondence.

The papers of painter and arts advocate Katherine Schmidt measure 0.2 linear feet and date from circa 1921 to 1971. Scattered correspondence, speeches, proposals, meeting minutes, and notes focus primarily on Schmidt's advocacy for federal and state government support of the arts. Printed materials includes exhibition catalogs, clippings, press releases documenting Schmidt's painting career and arts advocacy work. Photographs include portrait photos of Schmidt and photographs of Schmidt's drawings. There are two photographs taken by her first husband Yasuo Kuniyoshi of Schmidt with friends at a party.