The collection depicts various church buildings, mainly in Harlem and other parts of New York City, from the late nineteenth century to the early 1960s.The collection consists of exterior views of church facades; some interior views of church naves and altars; reproductions of church architectural drawings; and reproductions of early nineteenth century lithographs and engravings of churches. Also included are views of church buildings, events and group portraits from the Abyssinian Baptist Church, New York (ca. late-1800s-1930s), which also depict the Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. and the 1922 cornerstone laying of the present-day church in Harlem. Other churches represented are Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist, Mt. Olivet Baptist and St. Philip's Episcopal in Harlem; Bethel African Methodist Episcopal in Philadelphia (ca. mid-19th century); and St. Edmund's Episcopal in Chicago. Images of religious events and activities may be found in the "Religion" collection.
Content: Some items bear photographer's or photography studio's handstamp on verso; some items have photographer's name printed on recto. Some items bear handwritten notations on verso; some items have typewritten or printed captions attached to verso; some items have printed captions on recto. Some items are mounted; some items are duplicates.
Content: Collection includes work by Dr. Keeve Brodman, Harold T. Cooper, King Photographers and Cecil Layne, among others.
Physical Description
Extent: 92 items (1 box, .3 lin. ft.)
Extent: 53 photographic prints :silver gelatin, b&w ;36 x 27 cm. and smaller.
Extent: 33 photographic prints :silver gelatin, b&w ;21 x 26 cm. and smaller.
Extent: 1 photographic print :col. ;21 x 26 cm.
Extent: 4 photomechanical prints :b&w, some col. ;22 x 27 cm. and smaller.
