Finding archival collections related to the subject of your creative work can be tricky! UT has several archives on campus, and Austin is home to additional archives. You might even need to visit archives in other states. Below are some resources for finding archives, and if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask for help!
Use TARO to search archival collections from institutions across the state ofTexas. Be sure to notice where the archive is located (not all of them are in Austin). Let us know if you have questions about access!
The Alexander Architectural Archives is an architectural research center of national importance situated within UT's Architecture and Planning Library, supporting research and education about the history of the built environment by acquiring and preserving research collections and by making them accessible.
The LBJ Presidential Library is one of 14 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. It houses the papers of Lyndon B. Johnson, which form the core of the library's holdings, include the White House files of his presidency (1963-1969), and papers from his service as a U.S. Congressman (1937-1949), U.S. Senator (1949-1961), and Vice President (1961-1963).
The Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection is one of the premier libraries in the world focused on Latin America and Latin@ Studies. The Benson's world-class archival collection includes manuscripts, art, maps, letters and other one-of-a-kind materials.
The Briscoe Center houses a large number of collections on U.S. and Texas history. The center collects, preserves, and makes available documentary and material culture evidence encompassing key themes in Texas and U.S. history.
The Ransom Center is an internationally renowned humanities research center. The HRC's extensive collections provide unique insight into the creative process of some of our finest writers and artists, deepening the understanding and appreciation of literature, photography, film, art, and the performing arts.
The Austin History Center's mission is to procure, preserve, present and provide the historical records that make up Austin's unique story.
The Archives and Information Services Division (ARIS) preserves and documents the shared heritage and culture of Texas by identifying, collecting, and making available the official archival records of Texas government.
ArchiveGrid provides access to detailed archival collection descriptions such as documents, personal papers, family histories, and other archival materials held by thousands of libraries, museums, historical societies, and archives. It also provides contact information for the institutions where these collections are kept.
Use TARO to search archival collections from institutions across the state ofTexas. Be sure to notice where the archive is located (not all of them are in Austin). Let us know if you have questions about access!
These notable archives contain archival material that often requires in person access. Visit the specific archive's website to explore options related to digital access or scanning requests.
Archives of African American Music and Culture - a repository of materials covering a range of African American musical idioms and cultural expressions from the post-World War II era. Collections highlight popular, religious, and classical music, with genres ranging from blues and gospel to R&B and contemporary hip hop. The AAAMC also houses extensive materials related to the documentation of Black radio. Located at Indiana University-Bloomington.
African American History @ Stuart A. Rose Archives - robust primary resource materials covering six principle collecting areas--Civil Rights and Post-Civil Rights Movements, Black print Culture, Blacks and the Left, African American Literature and the Arts, Expatriate Literary and Cultural Figures, and African Americans and Sports. Located at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.
African American Museum & Library at Oakland - holds primary and secondary materials which preserve the history of African Americans in Northern California and the Bay Area. Contains over 160 collections documenting prominent families, pioneers, churches, social and political organizations. Located in Oakland, CA.
Amistad Research Center - collects, preserves, and provides access to original materials that reference the social and cultural importance of America's ethnic and racial history, the African Diaspora, human relations, and civil rights. Located at Tulane University.
Atlanta University Center Archives - includes the archives of Clark Atlanta University, Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse College and Spelman College. Also has many individual, familial, and organizational collections representing the breadth of African American experiences.
Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture - holds nearly 4000 primary and secondary source materials which preserve the history and culture of African Americans in Charleston, the South Carolina Low Country, and South Carolina at large. Located at the College of Charleston.
Black Archives of Mid-America - collects and preserves historical materials and artifacts related to the African American experience in the Midwest with an emphasis on Kansas City, MO region. Located in the historic 18th and Vine District in Kansas City, MO.
The Black Film Center/Archive - collects and preserves films and related materials which have substantial participation by African American writers, actors, producers, directors, musicians, and consultants as well as those which depict some aspect of the black experience. Located at Indiana University-Bloomington.
Fisk University Special Collections and Archives - over 130 primary resource collections of African American scholars, poets, writers, artists, and businessmen including the complete Charles W. Chesnutt Papers. Located in Nashville, TN.
Freedom Archives - The Freedom Archives contains over 12,000 hours of audio and video recordings and thousands of historical documents from the late-1960s to the mid-90s and chronicle the progressive history of the Bay Area, the United States, and international movements. Located in Berkeley, CA.
Henry Hampton Collection @ the Film and Media Archive - most notably known for his Eyes on the Prize documentary series chronicling the Civil Rights Movement. Henry Hampton's filmic legacy--over 58,000 items-- as well as organizational records for the historic Blackside Inc, production company are preserved here. Located at Washington University in St. Louis, MO.
Moorland-Spingarn Research Center - one of the oldest African American archives in the country. Includes the Howard University Archive. Located in Washington, D.C.
National Archive for Black Women's History - only archive solely dedicated to the history of African American women. Core collection includes historic corporate records of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), along with personal papers, and corporate records of organizations mostly associated with the NCNW. Located in Landover, MD.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture - one of the world's leading research facilities devoted to the preservation of materials on the global African and African diasporan experiences. Contains over 11 million items in its non circulating collections. Located in New York City, NY.
Tuskegee University Archives Repository - Notable HBCU founded by Booker T. Washington. Collection includes books (including faculty publications), manuscripts, Tuskegee University periodicals and newspapers, ephemera, photographic images, disc and tape recordings, and other archival items. Located in Tuskegee, AL.
Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection @ Chicago Public Library - Largest African American history and literature collection in the Midwest with a strong focus on the black experience in Chicago. Contains photographs, manuscripts, rare books, and organizational records. Located in Chicago, IL.
The Black Diaspora Archive (BDA) is a collaborative project at UT Austin. Established in 2015 and housed at the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, the BDA collects documentary, audiovisual, digital, and artistic works related to the Black Diaspora of the Americas and Caribbean.
This encompasses historical publications, contemporary records, personal papers, and rare material produced by and/or about people of African descent—including scholars, professionals, community groups, activists, and artists.
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