Jeff Donaldson papers, 1918-2005, bulk 1960s-2005

Collection Information

Size: 12.5 Linear feet; 0.003 Gigabytes

Summary: The papers of African American artist and educator Jeff Donaldson measure 12.5 linear feet and 0.003 GB and date from 1918 to 2005, with the bulk of the records dating from the 1960s to 2005. The collection documents Donaldson's work as a professional artist, his academic career at Howard University, and his leadership role in the Black Arts Movement through biographical material, a small amount of professional and personal correspondence, personal business records, writings by Donaldson and others, research files, artist files, sound recordings of interviews Donaldson conducted with over 40 artists, teaching files, exhibition files, printed and digital material, and photographs. Also found are detailed records of his professional activities and leadership roles in AfriCOBRA, CONFABA, FESTAC, and the Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC), including documentation on the Wall of Respect mural.

Biographical/Historical Note

Jeff Donaldson (1932-2004) was an African American artist and educator who worked in Chicago and Washington, D.C. He was a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s and promoted the "TransAfrican" aesthetic. Read More

Provenance

Donated 2015 by Jameela Donaldson, Jeff Donaldson's daughter.

Language Note

English .

Digitization Note

This site provides access to the papers of Jeff Donaldson in the Archives of American Art that were digitized in 2019, and total 18,712 images.

Funding Note

Funding for the digitization of the Jeff Donaldson papers was provided by the Walton Family Foundation.