Written and maintained by the Louis Armstrong Fellows.
The photos of a group of people generally tell their storied lives, and they live on in photo albums. Much of the photographs in the Louis Armstrong House Museum archives are of the man himself, but an additional amount of photographs are of his extended family and friends. These photos, like any other documentary practice,... Continue Reading →
Seventy five years ago, on March 3, 1943, Lucille put the down payment on the $8,000 home that stands at 34-56 107th St. Upon closing the deal, she moved her mother into the house, yet she kept the purchase a secret from Louis for over 8 months. It is evident that Lucille had no intent of... Continue Reading →
During undergrad, unsure of how I’d make a name on my college campus, I began writing reviews and columns about our neighboring art museum at Spelman College. After Spelman College Museum of Fine Art mounted the exhibit Maren Hassinger . . . Dreaming, which looked at the artist’s 40-year art career, I took the chance and... Continue Reading →
The Negro Motorist Green Book was a guidebook for black travelers during times of discrimination and adversity. Published by Victor Hugo Green, the book circulated from 1936 until 1966, prominent during the Jim Crow era. There were many dangers black members of society would face, as they traveled to unfamiliar territories across the roads of... Continue Reading →
Often times in my curatorial practice, I’m regularly reminded that I’m a product of my own environment. Generally, the work I respond and listen to centers on questions of culture and identity, but also conceptual and visual activism. More than often, I engage the work of these artists to reimagine, ignite and shifts conversations merely... Continue Reading →
It's no secret that Louis left behind countless resources that we can easily access, contributing to the preservation of his legacy. The Louis Armstrong House Museum Archives boasts over 700 of his personal tape recordings, that he created in the den of his modest home. We have thousands of photographs that can be readily obtained... Continue Reading →
In Little Rock, Ark., nine black students were due to desegregate Central High School in 1957, national guards lined the entrance of the school barring the Black students any hope for entry. White members of the Little Rock community openly opposed integration, blatantly harassed the nine Black students, and would chant and recite racial slurs... Continue Reading →
Working at The Louis Armstrong House Museum you never know who you are going to run into. I encounter a wide variety of visitors from across the globe from places such as Kenya, Australia, and even the United Kingdom. Students, educators, musicians, playwrights, and actors all see Louis's home as a haven to gain knowledge... Continue Reading →
Earlier this month, I traveled to Bentonville, Arkansas with a group of emerging curators and students from the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUC), which comprises of students from Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse College. Traveling along, President Dr. Mary Schmidt-Campbell of Spelman College, joined the group considering her instrumental work as the executive... Continue Reading →
