The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Dawoud Bey


Overview of the Item
	Repository:	The HistoryMakers
		1900 S. Michigan Avenue
		Chicago, Illinois 60616
		(312) 674-1900
		info@thehistorymakers.com
		http://www.thehistorymakers.com
	Interviewer:	Julieanna Richardson
	Videographer:	Scott Stearns
	Title:	Video Oral History Interview with Dawoud Bey
	Dates:	January 12, 2001
	Abstract:	(ABSTRACT)
	Quantity:	6 Betacam SP videocassettes, 1 half-Hollinger box containing (NUMBER) folders of accompanying materials.
	Identification:	A2001.003
	Language:	The interviews and records are in English

Biographical Note

At the age of fifteen, Dawoud Bey (then David Edward Smickle) was given his first 35-millimeter camera. However, his prestigious career as a photographer did not begin until 1975. Inspired by the intimate portrayal of African Americans in the 1969 photography exhibition "Harlem on My Mind," Bey began experimenting with documentary-style photographic techniques. The resulting series of black-and-white photographs, Bey's "Harlem, USA" collection, chronicled urban life in the famous African American community and was later exhibited at the Studio Museum in Harlem in 1979.

Bey has experimented with many innovative approaches and photographic traditions. Whatever his technique, he uses his artwork as a platform to challenge stereotypical images of African Americans and other historically marginalized groups. Since 1992, Bey has completed a number of collaborative projects, working with young people, museums and cultural institutions to broaden the participation of various communities whose voices have often been absent in these institutions

He has had numerous exhibitions worldwide, at such institutions as the Art Institute of Chicago; the National Portrait Gallery in London; the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, where his works were also recently included in the 2000 Whitney Biennial. The Walker Art Center organized a mid-career survey of his work in 1995 that traveled to institutions throughout the United States and Europe. Bey's works are included in the permanent collections of numerous museums around the world. He is currently a professor of photography at Columbia College in Chicago.

Biographical Note by The HistoryMakers®

Scope and Contents

This life oral history interview with Dawoud Bey was conducted by Julieanna Richardson on 2001-01-12 in Chicago, Illinois and is recorded on 6 30-minute Betacam SP videocassettes. Access copies exist on Betacam SP, VHS, DVD and MPEG-1. The interview contains information on (COMPLETE ONE SENTENCE DESCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW). Accompanying materials in the collection include Dawoud Bey's correspondence with The HistoryMakers® related to the interview; a copy of the signed release form and the production report; the biographical information used by the interviewer to prepare for the interview (DETAILS); paper copies of the interview transcripts, 3 1/2" floppy disks with electronic copies of the transcripts; selected quotes for video clips; photocopies of photographs captured on video; XML files with metadata created in editing and cataloguing the interview for The HistoryMakers Digital Video Library; and paper copies of these XML files.

Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Access to paper records is restricted. Other restrictions may be applied on a case-by-case basis.

Restrictions on Use

All use of materials must be pre-approved by The HistoryMakers® and appropriate credit must be given. All use credits must be pre-approved by The HistoryMakers®. Copyright is held by The HistoryMakers®.


Index Terms
	This record series is indexed under the following controlled access terms.
	Contributors:
		Bey, Dawoud
		Richardson, Julieanna
		Stearns, Scott
	Persons:
		(PERSONS)
	Corporate Bodies:
		(CORPORATE BODIES)
	Family Names:
		Bey
	Places:
		(PLACES)
	Subjects:
		(SUBJECTS)
	Document Types:
		Video oral history interview
	Titles:
		The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Dawoud Bey

Related Material

Accompanying materials: Accompanying materials are filed in (NUMBER) folders in a half-Hollinger box and shelved at The HistoryMakers® Archives and Collection Library by accession number, separately from the videos.

Administrative Information

Location of Originals

Betacam, VHS, DVD and MPEG-1 access copies are held for in-house use at The HistoryMakers®; Betacam SP, VHS and DVD playback hardware is provided for in-house viewing of the access copies; MPEG-1 copies are searchable and viewable via a digital video database.

Preferred Citation

The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Dawoud Bey, January 12, 2001. The HistoryMakers® African American Video Oral History Collection, 1900 S. Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois.

Detailed Description/Tape Listings

Video Oral History Interview with Dawoud Bey, Tape 1, January 12, 2001, TRT: 00:30:07.

Dawoud Bey shares his family history and background in the opening segments. He continues with the various hardships his parents faced in the 1920s and 1930s and their courtship. Bey describes his childhood in Jamaica, Queens and the rapid acceleration of 'white flight' in his neighborhood. A bright and calm place in this storm of change was his second grade teacher, Hortense Jones. Her kind manner and encouraging philosophy played a major role in Bey's life.

Video Oral History Interview with Dawoud Bey, Tape 2, January 12, 2001, TRT: 00:30:33.

Dawoud Bey recalls his contentious secondary school years where busing and integration had a decided impact on his worldview. The encouragement he found with his second grade teacher was supplanted by suspicion and accusations of white teachers who questioned young Bey's intellectual ability. Bey recalls a serendipitous bequest from his late godfather of a camera turned his life around. He also notes the pivotal influence of the controversial Metropolitan Museum exhibit, Harlem on My Mind, on his philosophy and photography.

Video Oral History Interview with Dawoud Bey, Tape 3, January 12, 2001, TRT: 00:31:11.

Dawoud Bey charts his movement from a musician to a professional phtographer. After attending the Queensbourough Community College, Bey decided to invest in his education and attend the School of Visual Arts in New York City. After 2 years, his professors encouraged him to make the leap into a professional career. Several small exhibits later, Bey landed a plum solo exhibition at the Studio Museum of Harlem with his works entitled, 'Harlem, USA'. The Studio Museum plays a pivotal role in Bey's artistic growth and career he explains.As a new artist, Bey details the influence of noted photographers like James VanDerZee or Walker Evans on his work.

Video Oral History Interview with Dawoud Bey, Tape 4, January 12, 2001, TRT: 00:29:46.

Dawoud Bey shares insider details of life as an artist and photographer in New York in the late 1970s and early 1980s. HE describes the influence of noted photographer, Roy DeCarava and Gordon Parks on his work. In particular, he credits DeCarava's blunt style and critiques of Bey's photography in sharpening his work. Bey also speaks at length about the strong ties forged among other black artists in New York in the 1970s and 1980s. He found no line of demarcation between painters, sculptors and photographers. Rather, the fertile creative soil helped bonds of friendship grow. Bey remembers his first major solo exhibit, 'Harlem, USA' and the creative process behind his work.

Video Oral History Interview with Dawoud Bey, Tape 5, January 12, 2001, TRT: 00:29:33.

Dawoud Bey gives great detail on his creative process and the forces which motivate his photography. From his travels to the work of other artists and photographers, Bey draws inspiration. He also recalls his courtship and marriage to painter, Candida Alvarez.

Video Oral History Interview with Dawoud Bey, Tape 6, January 12, 2001, TRT: 00:31:09.

Dawoud Bey gives a great deal of insight into his creative process and philosophy of art. Although he was a successful artist in the early 1990s, Bey decided to attend Yale for a graduate degree in photography. Not long after, he moved to Chicago, Illinois to accept a position as a professor of photography after his wife landed a position at the School of the Art Institute. Bey continues to offer his assessment of the future of black artists and the influence of politics on art. He describes the impact of the Studio Museum of Harlem on black artists and on his career as well. He isn't ready to contemplate his legacy; Bey says there are a few more chapters left to write. The segment closes with several photos.