POSE: Black Dance Photography from the mid-20th Century, Preserved at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

Featuring: Dance photography from several collections in the Schomburg Center’s Photographs & Prints Division

Pioneers in American dance, including Pearl Primus, Geoffrey Holder, Carmen De Lavallade, and Joe Nash, illustrate a soaring legacy of expressive movement and expert technique in this curated selection of mid-20th-century photographs. From African and Caribbean dance traditions to ballet, tap, and social dance styles, the Schomburg Center’s Photographs & Prints Division preserves many views of diasporic dance history and bodies in motion.

While this exhibition represents a very small fraction of Black dance photography preserved at the Schomburg Center, all you need is a New York Public Library card and a research appointment to view more of these materials. Visit www.SchomburgCenter.org to learn about how to access our dance photography archives.

Organizations

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, one of The New York Public Library’s renowned research libraries, is a world-leading cultural institution devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences.
NYC Parks

NYC Parks is the steward of more than 30,000 acres of land — 14 percent of New York City — including more than 5,000 individual properties ranging from Coney Island Beach and Central Park to community gardens and Greenstreets. We operate more than 800 athletic fields and nearly 1,000 playgrounds, 1,800 basketball courts, 550 tennis courts, 65 public pools, 51 recreational facilities, 15 nature centers, 14 golf courses, and 14 miles of beaches. We care for 1,200 monuments and 23 historic house museums. We look after 600,000 street trees, and two million more in parks. We are New York City’s principal providers of recreational and athletic facilities and programs. We are home to free concerts, world-class sports events, and cultural festivals.