1 Binder (contact sheets and prints, black and white)
1 Boxe (35 mm negatives, black and white, 8.5"x10.75"x2.5")
0.44 Cubic feet (2 boxes contain the extent details for this collection, Box 1 is 0.24 cubic feet and Box 2 is 0.2 cubic feet)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Binders
Photographic prints
Correspondence
Contact sheets
Black-and-white negatives
Place:
Chicago (Ill.)
New York (N.Y.)
Date:
1957 - 1961
Summary:
Original photographs and negatives taken by Robert C. Malone.
Scope and Contents:
The Robert C. Malone photographs document the performances of folk singers. The collection dates from 1957 to circa 1961. Photographic materials include 16 rolls of negatives, contact sheets made from the negatives, and 14 prints. The collection features photographs of the Weavers and Cisco Houston. The collection also includes a small amount of correspondence, including two letters from Robert C. Malone to the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage concerning the donation of the collection, and two letters from Lee Hays to Robert C. Malone. A handful of Malone's prints are housed with the Lee Hays papers in the Rinzler Archives and are not included in the finding aid.
Arrangement note:
Arranged in 6 series: (1) University of Chicago; (2) Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, Ill.; (3) One Sheridan Square, N.Y.; (4) Cisco Houston's Last Performance; (5) Miscellaneous People; (6) Correspondence and Miscellaneous. Contact sheets and prints arranged in 1 binder; negatives are stored in a separate binder. Series VI, Correspondence and Miscellaneous, is filed separately. Materials are arranged chronologically.
Biographical/Historical note:
Robert C. Malone is currently retired and lives in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Between 1957-1961, Robert C. Malone moved between Chicago and New York photographing folk singers such as the Weavers and Cisco Houston.
Through contact with Robert Koppelman, a scholar working with the Lee Hays Papers in the Rinzler Archives, Robert C. Malone heard about the Archives and wrote to offer his photos to the Archives collections.
Shared Stewardship of Collections:
The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage acknowledges and respects the right of artists, performers, Folklife Festival participants, community-based scholars, and knowledge-keepers to collaboratively steward representations of themselves and their intangible cultural heritage in media produced, curated, and distributed by the Center. Making this collection accessible to the public is an ongoing process grounded in the Center's commitment to connecting living people and cultures to the materials this collection represents. To view the Center's full shared stewardship policy, which defines our protocols for addressing collections-related inquiries and concerns, please visit https://doi.org/10.25573/data.21771155.
Provenance:
The Smithsonian Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections acquired the Robert C. Malone Photograph Collection in 1998. In a letter dated 19 January 1999, Mr. Malone gave full discretion to the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage to grant permission for both internal and external use of his photographs with the request that his work be credited.
Restrictions:
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
