Descriptive Entry

DESCRIPTIVE ENTRY

These records document the development of the Archives of American Art (AAA), chiefly the period since acquisition of AAA by the Smithsonian in 1970, though some records from its earlier history in Detroit and New York are also included.

These records contain minutes, files, and correspondence of the Board of Trustees and the Advisory Committee; and correspondence of Edgar P. Richardson and William E. Woolfenden, the first two directors. For the post-1970 period records and correspondence document the Archives' acquisition by the Smithsonian; correspondence of Garnett McCoy, Deputy Director; field office correspondence of Robert Brown, director of the New England office, 1975-1986; field office correspondence of Paul J. Karlstrom, director of the west coast office, 1974-1975; field office correspondence of Susan Hamilton, director of the New York office, 1981-1987; records of the AAA's automated cataloging project, 1986-1989; records of AAA's project to create a central source for information on New Deal art projects, 1963-1965; and editorial files of the Archives of American Art Journal.

POLICY AND PROGRAMS

Boxes 1-5 of 56

• Office of the Director, General and Professional Correspondence, 1954-1981
  Consists of correspondence from former directors Edgar P. Richardson and William E. Woolfenden; general correspondence of Secretary Paul Grigaut; notes, lectures, and reports by Richardson; reports by Woolfenden; correspondence with area offices; report on publication of Joseph Cornell articles; draft of an article by Garnett McCoy; non-AAA brochures; and requisitions. Correspondence with area centers concerns renovation of the Washington office; space criteria and associated concerns; exhibitions; support group for California committees and other west coast activities; and the Detroit Historic Preservation Committee.

Boxes 6-7 of 56

• Director's Correspondence with Area Centers, 1956-1979
  Documents project proposals for Arizona, Rome, and Texas; auctions with the Detroit office; survey of materials relating to the arts in New York; black artists interviewed for New York Council on the Arts; openings of regional offices; and exhibitions. Included are branch office memoranda; correspondence with Rome office and American artists concerning collecting artists' papers in Rome; acquisition and quarterly reports from New York office; early records between Woolfenden and Paul Mills at Oakland Art Museum and other individuals concerning the west coast offices and requisitions.

Boxes 8-10 of 56

• Staff Files
  Records consist of job applications, travel vouchers, personnel files, staff meetings minutes and reports, staff lists, retirement plans, and position descriptions.

Boxes 11-12 of 56

• Fund Raising--Projects and Solicitations, circa 1961-1962
  Consists of general correspondence, and files on grants, endowments, and individual contributions.
• Detroit Events
  Records document garage sales and auctions to raise funds.

Boxes 13-14 of 56

• Trustees
  Files on individual trustees.
• Executive Committee and Trustees Meetings, 1957-1981
  Consists of minutes of Executive Committee meetings, correspondence, and Trustees and Executive Committee files.

Boxes 15-16 of 56

• Financial Records, 1967-1983
  Consists of monthly operating statements, bank balance statements, deposit slips, accounts reconciliation records, invoices, check stubs, petty cash reports, and budget reports.

Boxes 17-18 of 56

• Projects

Boxes 18-19 of 56

• Public Relation Correspondence and Clippings, 1958-1968
  Consists of general correspondence and press clippings.
• Equipment Files, 1960-1978
  Correspondence concerning office equipment and exhibition materials.
• Membership, 1964-1977
  Consists of correspondence and letters of acknowledgement.
• Advisory Committee, 1954
  Consists of correspondence.
• Smithsonian Institution Information
  Consists of general correspondence concerning regulations, Smithsonian operations, and projects.
• Curatorial Correspondence and Statistics, 1955-1975
  Consists of correspondence concerning acquisitions, statistical data, and reports.

Box 20 of 56

• Deputy Director/Senior Curator's Office, 1963-1982
  Read files for Garnett McCoy and Richard Nicastro.
• Curatorial Office--Checklist, 1975-1977
• Curatorial Office--Cataloging Exhibition Catalogs

Box 21 of 56

• Area Centers--Detroit/Midwest Area Center, 1961-1970's
  Publications containing articles about the AAA.
• Area Centers--New York Area Center, 1956-1980
  Consists of correspondence concerning collecting activities and area center business.

Box 22 of 56

• Area Centers--Washington, DC, Center, 1967-1983
  Correspondence, memoranda, and articles concerning the AAA and its exhibitions.

Boxes 22-24 of 56

• Area Centers--West Coast Center, 1960-1982
  Records consist of general files including reader registration forms, membership correspondence and mailing lists, publicity material, Journal reports, inter-office correspondence, visitors and guest books, inter-library loan records, travel records, and microfilm call slips. Some records document 25th anniversary/reception of AAA.

Boxes 24-32 of 56

• Archives of American Art Journal--Editor's File and Files, 1960-1983
  Consist of editors' correspondence, reports, survey of art historians with master and doctorate degrees, copies of the Journal, drafts of manuscripts, galleys, and published photographs.

Box 33 of 56

• Public Relations, 1955-1976
  Consists of correspondence of Peter Pollack and Emily Nathan.

Boxes 33-34 of 56

• Publicity and Publication Citations, 1958-1983
  Consists of clippings and press releases, files on tours of other institutions, and Publications citing the AAA.

Box 34 of 56

• Advisory Committee Records
• Acquisition Records
• Oral History Records
  Consists of budget and fiscal records, progress reports, and advisory committee contract with the Smithsonian.

SUPPORT

Boxes 35-37 of 56

• Organizational and Trustees' Records, 1956-1977
  Consist of by-laws; statement of purpose; organizational committee minutes; individual trustee files; trustees' minutes, reports, and agendas; and files on Detroit Society of Contributors.

Boxes 37-38 of 56

• Membership Financial Records, 1954-1979

Boxes 38-39 of 56

• Membership Correspondence, 1965-1976 (sampled)

Box 39 of 56

• Membership Reports, 1960-1971

Box 40 of 56

• Membership Projects and Handbooks, 1968-1975
• Committees, 1980-
  Consist of files of the Washington, DC support committees and document meetings and events.

BASIC OPERATIONS

• Administrative Officer Correspondence and Request for Publications 1959-

Boxes 41-42 of 56

• Project Files, 1959-
  Files document various regional projects.

Box 42 of 56

• Personnel (sampled)

Boxes 42-54 of 56

• Financial Records, circa 1954-1983
  Records consist of ledgers of accounts, fiscal reports, budget files, invoices, statements, legal documents on tax status and bank negotiations, canceled checks, petty cash vouchers, and equipment contracts. Similar records exist for both federal and trust fund accounts.

MISCELLANY

Box 54 of 56

• Newsletter 1958-1974
• Special Projects--Movie, "For the Record"
  Film, proposal, and script.

Box 55 of 56

• Ford Foundation Project, 1961-1962
  Consists of preliminary surveys, interviews, program outlines, correspondence, proceedings transcripts, copies of papers presented, and bound copies from Conferences II-IV.

Box 56 of 56

• Museum Archives Seminar, 1979
• Advisory Committee Meetings, 1967-1972
  Consists of reports from the committee.

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Revised: August 1, 2002