Arnold de Mille papers, 1942-1996 | Amistad Research Center

Scope and Contents: Photo journalist Arnold de Mille (1908-1996) spent his career capturing the African American experience for the better part of the twentieth century, as well as recording the African experience during a time of volatility and upheaval. His papers and photographs span this storied career with a significant amount of these materials dedicated to beauty culture, the Civil Rights Movement, and his work for the United Nations. Included are issues from the short-lived Newspic, including one issue that featured the musical gifts of a rising star, Helena (Lena) Horne, whose ascension in the entertainment industry de Mille covered for the magazine.  The collection contains a large number of de Mille’s photographs and slides featuring writers and musicians such as Langston Hughes and Duke Ellington, politicians such as Ruth Williams, Adam Clayton Powell, and Nelson Mandela, athletes such as Althea Gibson and Jackie Robinson, as well as color snapshots documenting the March on Washington.  It is comprised of 610 photographs, 6,941 slides, 420 negatives, 142 transparencies, and 24 audio recordings.