Researching African American Photographers

David Bustill Bowser (1820-1900) was an African American artist who painted portraits and Civil War banners. Special Collections has a selection of carte de visite photographs of his work.

Photographs of David Bowser's Paintings 

Cary Beth Cryor (1947-1997) was a photographer who worked at Coppin State College, as well as an archivist at the Afro American Newspaper.

Cryor's Photography at UMBC

Roland Freeman (b. 1936)  is a  photographer from Baltimore, MD. He photographs Southern and African-American folk culture. The Roland Freeman portfolio located in Special Collections contains over 20 of his photographs.

Roland Freeman photographs

Roland L. Freeman, "Street Arabers," c. 1970. Gelatin silver print, 11 x 14 in. Photography collections, P79-42-001.

Brian V. Jones (1952-) has been a documentary photographer of the Washington D.C. metropolitan area and a professor of photography since the 1980s. He is known for his photographs of African American churches and Connecticut Avenue in D.C., which are housed in Special Collections, as well as the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library.

Finding Aid for Brian V. Jones photographs

Brian V. Jones photographs

Brian V. Jones, "Crowd at DuPont Circle fountain," c. 1980-1981. Gelatin silver print. Brian V. Jones photographs, Collection 135, P2010-25-019.

Stephen Marc (b. 1954) combines his photographs of contemporary landscapes and communities with historical images to create digital montages of African American culture.

Stephen Marc photographs

UMBC has one print from Baltimore-born photographer Devin N. Morris (b. 1986) in the Photography Collection: "Barrington & Thurmon working together," 2017. Edition 1/10, signed by artist. (view catalog record)

I. Henry Phillips Sr. (1920-1993) was a photographer that captured the African American community in Baltimore. UMBC Special Collections holds seven of I. Henry Phillips Sr.'s photographs.

I. Henry Phillips Sr. Photographs

I. Henry Photo Project

This project aims to identify the people photographed by Phillips, but also contains links to articles, videos, and other information regarding Phillips's work. 

Addison Scurlock (1883- 1964) was a portrait photographer who captured images of the African American community in Washington D.C. in the early twentieth century.

Addison Scurlock photographs

James Van der Zee (1886-1983) was an African American photographer who captured images of New Yorkers during the Harlem Renaissance.

James Van der Zee photographs

James Van Der Zee, "Atlantic City, 1930" 1930. Gelatin silver print, 12.5 x 15 in. The Photography Collections, P75-59-014.

William Earle Williams (b. 1950) is known for his photographs of Civil War sites. He also documented Philadelphia society at various parties in the 1970s. Special Collections has photographs from his "Party Pictures" series.

William Earle Williams photographs