New York Jazz Museum photographs

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Collection Data

Description: 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.
Names: New York Jazz Museum (Collector)
Dates / Origin: Date Created: 1960 - 1979 (Approximate)
Library locations: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division; Shelf locator: Sc Photo New York Jazz Museum
Topics: Armstrong, Louis, 1901-1971; Ayler, Albert; Basie, Count, 1904-1984; Brown, Marion; Coleman, Ornette; Coltrane, John, 1926-1967; Coltrane-Turiyasangitananda, A. (Alice); Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974; Gillespie, Dizzy, 1917-1993; King, B. B.; Shepp, Archie; African American jazz musicians; African American musicians; Jazz musicians; Jazz musicians -- photographs; Jazz musicians -- Portraits; Jazz musicians -- United States
Genres: Photographs
Notes: Biographical/historical: 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.; Content: 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.
Physical Description: Extent: 14.62 linear feet (42 boxes). Approximately 4,352 photographic prints. Approximately 311 photographs : negatives
Type of Resource: Still image
Identifiers: Other local Identifier: Sc Photo New York Jazz Museum Collection; Other local Identifier: Sc Photo New York Jazz Museum; NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b12490620; MSS Unit ID: 531905; Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 9365ea60-52fa-013f-db6e-0242ac110002