- unitid
-
{"value"=>"186317", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"Sc Photo Alexis De Veaux Collection", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"b23601515", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1946-2020", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1946/2020"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Alexis De Veaux photographs"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"7 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"3.69 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"1267 photographic prints", "unit"=>"photographic_prints"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"649 photographic slides", "unit"=>"photographic_slides"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"62 photographs", "unit"=>"photographs"}, {"name"=>"physfacet", "value"=>": contact sheets"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"92 photographs", "unit"=>"photographs"}, {"name"=>"physfacet", "value"=>": negatives (rolls of film)"}]}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division</span>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"Alexis De Veaux (born 1948) is a writer, poet, and playwright. Her photographs, which date from 1946 to 2020, reflect her personal life and professional career. The Alexis De Veaux photographs includes studio portraits of De Veaux and others, formal documentation of performances and events, candid snapshots, travel pictures, and images De Veaux used for research purposes."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"De Veaux, Alexis, 1948-", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>This biographical note, originally written for the Alexis De Veaux papers by Steven G. Fullwood and Nora Soto in 2008 and 2016, was revised by Allison Hughes in 2023 and Heather Halliday in 2025.</p> <p>Alexis De Veaux (born 1948, New York City) is a writer, poet, and playwright. Born to parents Richard Hill and Mae Gould De Veaux, Alexis was the second of eight siblings, growing up in Harlem and the South Bronx. She attended Cornell University from 1967 to 1969, then finished her bachelor's degree at the State University of New York (SUNY), Empire State College in 1976.</p> <p>De Veaux's career as a writer began in the early 1970s, when she joined a writer's workshop run by Fred Hudson at the Frederick Douglass Creative Arts Center in Harlem. Her first published story, \"Remember Him an Outlaw,\" appeared in the Fall 1972 issue of <span class=\"title\">Black Creation</span>. The following year, she published her first books: <span class=\"title\">Na-Ni</span>, a children's story, and <span class=\"title\">Spirits in the Street</span>, a fictionalized poetic memoir about growing up in Harlem. Her other published works include another children's book, <span class=\"title\">An Enchanted Hair Tale</span> (1987); poetry volumes, <span class=\"title\">Blue Heat</span> (1985) and <span class=\"title\">Spirit Talk</span> (1997); biographies, <span class=\"title\">Don't Explain: A Song of Billie Holiday</span> (1980) and <span class=\"title\">Warrior Poet: A Biography of Audre Lorde</span> (2004); and the experimental fiction works <span class=\"title\">Yabo</span> (2014) and <span class=\"title\">JesusDevil</span> (2023). Her work has also appeared in various collections of Black lesbian writing, including <span class=\"title\">Afrekete</span> (1995) and <span class=\"title\">Does Your Mama Know?</span> (1997).</p> <p>From the late 1970s to the 1990s, De Veaux was an editor at <span class=\"title\">Essence</span> magazine, to which she contributed a number of articles, ranging from personal essays to journalistic pieces, including an interview with Nelson Mandela upon his release from prison in 1990.</p> <p>De Veaux is the author of multiple plays produced Off Broadway and in regional theaters. In 1976, filmed versions of her plays <span class=\"title\">The Tapestry</span> and <span class=\"title\">Circles</span>, both directed by Maya Angelou, were produced by KCET in Los Angeles and aired nationally on the Public Broadcast Service (PBS) television show <span class=\"title\">Visions</span>. In 1977, she co-founded the Flamboyant Ladies Theater Company with her partner at the time, actress Gwendolyn Hardwick. In 1980, she started the Gap Tooth Girlfriends, a writing workshop for women of color. The group, which included Jewelle Gomez, Lorraine Bethel, and Sapphire, published two anthologies, in 1981 and 1986.</p> <p>Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, De Veaux taught literature and creative writing at various colleges, including Sarah Lawrence College, Vermont College, Norwich University, and Wabash College. In 1990, she enrolled at SUNY Buffalo, earning an MA (1991) and a PhD (1992) in American studies. She was a professor in American and women's studies at SUNY Buffalo from 1992 until her retirement in 2012.</p> <p>De Veaux had a longtime partner, Loyce Stewart, who died in 2005. As of 2023, she is married to visual artist Sokari Ekine.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Alexis De Veaux photographs, which date from 1946 to 2020, reflect her personal life and professional career. Photographs in the collection depict De Veaux throughout her life, alone or with friends and family, as well as portraits and candid images of family members and friends.</p> <p>The collection comprises a variety of images that range from casual snapshots to formal studio portraits, including photographs De Veaux took herself, as well as images shot by others. Some prints bear the credit information of professional photographers. Notably, the work of Sharon C. Farmer, who later became the first Black female White House photographer, is included. A file of candid photos of De Veaux posing with prominent people, such as Muhammed Ali, Danny Glover, Nelson Mandela, Nina Simone, and Denzel Washington can be found in the Alexis De Veaux with Others section.</p> <p>Theatrical performances that De Veaux wrote or performed in, literary festivals, and poetry readings are well-represented in the Performances and Events section of the collection. De Veaux travelled widely and photographed the places she visited, especially in the Caribbean and Africa. Included in the Research and Miscellaneous section are some images De Veaux reproduced in her books or used for research purposes and a small quantity of cards, postcards, and other printed ephemera.</p>"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Alexis De Veaux photographs are arranged topically as follows: Alexis De Veaux Alone; Alexis De Veaux with Others; Friends; Family; Performances and Events; Travel; Snapshots; and Research and Miscellaneous.</p>"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Alexis De Veaux in 2008, 2012, and 2021.</p>"}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>See the Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books Division for the Alexis De Veaux papers, Sc MG 802.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by <span class=\"name\">Heather Halliday</span> in <span class=\"date\">2025</span>.</p>"}
- date_start
-
1946
- keydate
-
1946
- date_end
-
2020
- date_inclusive_start
-
1946
- date_inclusive_end
-
2020
- extent_statement
-
3.69 linear feet (7 boxes). 1267 photographic prints. 649 photographic slides. 62 photographs : : contact sheets. 92 photographs : : negatives (rolls of film)
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"Alexis De Veaux photographs, Photographs and Prints Division. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library"}