The Melville and Frances Herskovits Collection is one of the most comprehensive ethnographic collections documenting African and African American culture. The collection is comprised of 945 items such as masks, statues, household utensils, tools, weapons, furniture, musical instruments, gold weights, games, costumes, textiles, several maps and paintings etc. Most items are primarily from West Africa and Surinam in South America. There are also some materials from the Caribbean and the United States. The collection is organized by geographical region, culture area and object type. Objects contained in the collection are from the following countries: Nigeria, Zaire, Liberia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Angola, Sierra Leone, African Central Republic, Cameroon, Benin, Mali, Burkina Faso, Kenya and Surinam and Haiti. Ethnic groups represented are the: Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Ijo, Pende, Kuba, Mangbetu, Dan, Ashanti, Akan, Ewe, Senufo, Baule, Chokwe, Mossi, Masaii, Ramileke, and the Bamana.
Donor/Sponsor
Schomburg NEH Automated Access to Special Collections Project.
Sc Art ([Melville J. and Frances S. Herskovits collection)
Note
Field notes separated to Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Book Divisionand are described separately.
Photographs separated to Photographs and Prints Division.
Access (note)
Access to the collection is by appointment only and is restricted to qualified and experienced researchers.
Cite as (note)
From the collection of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, Astor Lenox & Tilden Foundation, Arts & Artifacts Division.
Terms of use (note)
Works from the collection may be borrowed for exhibition purposes. Photography of art or artifacts in the collection is prohibited. In most instances, prints of collection items are available for sale to researchers. Permission for loans and to reproduce prints for publication must be obtained in writing.
Linking entry (note)
Forms part of the African Art and Artifacts Collection.
Author
Herskovits, Melville J. (Melville Jean), 1895-1963.
Title
[Melville J. and Frances S. Herskovits collection] [realia].
Imprint
1920-1986.
Access
Access to the collection is by appointment only and is restricted to qualified and experienced researchers.
Cite as:
From the collection of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, Astor Lenox & Tilden Foundation, Arts & Artifacts Division.
Terms of use
Works from the collection may be borrowed for exhibition purposes. Photography of art or artifacts in the collection is prohibited. In most instances, prints of collection items are available for sale to researchers. Permission for loans and to reproduce prints for publication must be obtained in writing.
Linking entry
Forms part of the African Art and Artifacts Collection.