- unitid
-
{"value"=>"531905", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"Sc Photo New York Jazz Museum Collection", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"b12490620", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1960-1979", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1960/1979"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"New York Jazz Museum photographs"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"42 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"14.62 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"Approximately 4,352 photographic prints", "unit"=>"photographic_prints"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"Approximately 311 photographs", "unit"=>"photographs"}, {"name"=>"physfacet", "value"=>"negatives"}]}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division</span>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The New York Jazz Museum was founded in 1972, and operated until 1977, with the goals of preserving jazz as an art form and to educate the public about jazz. The bulk of the New York Jazz Museum photograph collection comprises performance and promotional portraits of musicians. The collection also documents some of the activities of the Museum, including concerts and exhibitions."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"New York Jazz Museum", "type"=>"corpname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>The New York Jazz Museum was founded in 1972 to preserve jazz as an art form and to educate the public about jazz. It developed from the New York Hot Jazz Society, Inc. which was founded in 1967 by Howard E. Fischer who also became the museum's first executive director.</p> <p>The museum documented jazz by collecting records, sheet music, books, periodicals, memorabilia, oral histories and other material, and featured live music, exhibits, films, an audiovisual outline of jazz history called \"Jazz Panorama,\" a touring program, a puppet show, lectures to school children, workshops featuring jazz celebrities, a store, an information center, and a newsletter entitled \"Hot Notes.\" The museum closed in 1977 following financial and other difficulties.</p> <p>In February 1977, the Board of Directors dismissed Howard Fischer, co-founder and director of the museum, when the Board determined that Fischer had misled the Board about the financial affairs of the museum. The Museum faced foreclosure of its mortgage unless five thousand dollars could have been raised by February 14, 1977. To raise the needed funds the Museum held a \"Jamathon\" consisting of sixty hours of live music. The \"Jamathon\" raised thirteen thousand dollars with an additional five thousand dollars donated by the Johnson Wax Foundation, however at this point Fischer sued the Museum for back salary of thirty-two thousand dollars. The court ruled that although Fischer had not done his job well, he was still entitled to his salary. Thus the monies raised from the \"Jamathon\" went to Fischer and, due to the amount needed to pay him, the Museum could not continue to operate.</p> <p>Ann Ruckert, President of the Board of Directors, decided to operate the Museum on a voluntary basis. When Fischer did not receive the total amount owed him he attempted to seize the Museum's collections consisting of its administrative records, phonograph records and other recordings, memorabilia, paintings, musical instruments, and books. Museum personnel removed the material from the building over the weekend.</p> <p>For many years Fischer tried to locate the museum's collections, but Ruckert was always one step ahead, moving the collections four separate times. Eventually the collections were moved to the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey. By using the Freedom of Information Act, Fischer learned the collections were out of state, but the New York and New Jersey State Attorneys General defended the position of the Board of Directors.</p> <p>In 1987, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the New York Public Library, agreed to pay the claim against the museum (i.e., the monies owed to Fisher) in return for the assets of the museum being turned over to the Schomburg Center. With the funds received and the collection protected by the Schomburg Center, the financial case was settled. The museum was then dissolved.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The New York Jazz Museum photographs, dating from the 1960s to 1970s, primarily holds portraits of jazz musicians. This includes promotional photographs, images of performances, and programs and activities hosted by the museum.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The New York Jazz Museum photographs are arranged in three series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scp/531905#c1908340'>Series I: People</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>10.54 linear feet (27 boxes)</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The People series contains mainly photographs of performances, as well as promotional photographs issued by record labels. Some of the performance photographs have crop and/or other marks on the surface, indicating prior editorial use.</p> <p>Musicians who are notably well-represented in the collection include Louis Armstrong, Albert Ayler, Count Basie, Marion Brown, Ornette Coleman, John and Alice Coltrane, Larry Coryell, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, B.B. King, and Archie Shepp.</p> <p>Some performance photographs are credited to notable photographers, including Katsuji Abe, Joe Alper, Bert Andrews, Jack Bradley, George Klabin, Fred Seligo, Charles Shabacon, Moneta Sleet, and Charles Stewart.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scp/531905#c1909172'>Series II: Programs and Activities</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1960-1979</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>5.08 linear feet (17 boxes)</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Programs and Activities series depicts programs held by the Museum, including exhibitions and concerts. Some exhibition files hold original board backed prints used in the exhibition.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scp/531905#c1909230'>Series III: Negatives</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1968-1979</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>0.5 linear feet (2 boxes)</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Negatives series holds negatives of people and programs and activities.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>See the Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books Division for the New York Jazz Museum records, Sc MG 346.</p> <p>See the Art and Artifacts Division and Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division for additional separated material.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Photographs and Prints Division staff, circa 1990s-2000s. Additional processing completed by Jack Patterson in 2025. Additions processed and revisions to description by Christopher Arena in 2026.</p>"}
- relatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>New York Jazz Museum records, Sc MG 346, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library</p>"}
- revisiondesc
-
{"value"=>"Updated by Jack Patterson in ", "date"=>"2025."}
{"value"=>"Boxes 33-42 processed by Christopher Arena in", "date"=>"2026."}
- date_start
-
1960
- keydate
-
1960
- date_end
-
1979
- date_inclusive_start
-
1960
- date_inclusive_end
-
1979
- extent_statement
-
14.62 linear feet (42 boxes). Approximately 4,352 photographic prints. Approximately 311 photographs : negatives
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"New York Jazz Museum photographs, Photographs and Prints Division. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library"}