This collection is arranged as seven series.
Hale Aspacio Woodruff (1900-1980) was an African American painter, muralist, and arts educator. His most well-known works are the
Woodruff was born in Cairo, Illinois, and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. He studied at the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, and at the Art Institute of Chicago. After winning an award from the Harmon Foundation, he traveled to Paris and attended the Academie Moderne and the Academie Scandinave. He also spent a summer studying mural painting in Mexico with Diego Rivera.
In 1931, Woodruff established one of the earliest art departments at a Black college at Atlanta University – teaching classes at the University's Laboratory High School, Morehouse College, and Spelman College as well. He also established the Atlanta Annuals, one of the earliest national exhibition opportunities for African American artists. In 1946 he moved to New York and taught in the art department at New York University until his retirement in 1968.
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
Some materials in this collection exist only in photocopy form. The location of originals of document photocopies, scrapbook pages, sketches, and photographs of artwork found in this collection is unknown.
The Hale Woodruff papers were lent for microfilming by Woodruff in 1970. Most of the material was subsequently donated in 1978, along with additional material.
Hale Woodruff papers, 1920-1977, bulk 1960s-1970s. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The collection was minimally processed, and a finding aid prepared by Rayna Andrews in 2017 with funding provided by the Luce Foundation.
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Hale Woodruff conducted by Al Murray, November 18, 1968.
The papers of Hale Woodruff measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1920 to 1977, with the bulk of the collection dating from the 1960s to the 1970s. The papers contain biographical material, professional files, writings, printed material, photocopies of a scrapbook, photographs, and photocopies of artwork.
Biographical material includes a resume, awards and honorary degrees, and an interview transcript.
Professional files consist of correspondence, committee files, and materials related to exhibitions and projects.
Writings include an illustrated notebook; drafts and copies of lectures, statements, articles, book reviews, and exhibition text; and notes on note cards, as well as photocopies of notes Woodruff took in Mexico while studying with Diego Rivera.
Printed Material includes exhibition announcements, exhibition catalogs, publications in which Woodruff is featured, clippings, and other assorted printed material.
The scrapbook consists of photocopies of scrapbook pages. The originals do not appear in the collection, but mostly contained clippings and printed material, with some correspondence.
Photographs include black and white photographs with an accompanying piece of correspondence, and photocopies of photographs of artwork.
Artwork includes photocopies of sketches and drawings.
The Archives of American of Art also holds material lent for microfilming (reel 4222), the majority of which was included in subsequent donations. Loaned materials not donated at a later date remain with the lender and are not described in the container listing of this finding aid.
Portions of the collection and material lent for microfilming is available on microfilm reel 4222 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in this finding aid does not reflect the order of the material on microfilm.
Biographical Material includes a copy of Hale Woodruff's resume; materials related to awards, certificates, and honorary degrees; and an interview transcript. Researchers should note that some awards materials only appear as photocopies.
Resume
Awards, certificates, honorary degrees
Carnegie Institute Division of Education, Hale Woodruff Award
Interview transcript
Professional Files consist of correspondence, committee files, and materials related to exhibitions and projects. The correspondence is primarily professional in nature and arranged chronologically.
Correspondence
Committee on Art Education
Black Academy of Arts and Letters
Materials related to exhibitions and projects
Writings include an illustrated notebook from Woodruff's studies at the John Herron Art Institute; photocopies of notes Woodruff took while studying with Diego Rivera; and drafts and copies of lectures, statements, articles, book reviews, and text written for exhibitions. There are also a number of note cards with notes for presentations, lectures, articles, etc.
Photocopies of notes taken by Hale Woodruff as a student of Diego Rivera
Articles and book reviews
Articles for
Preface and foreword - First World Festival of Negro Arts, Dakar
U.S.I.A. review of East African art shows
Published articles - "My meeting with Henry O. Tanner" and "Modern art from Africa"
Lecture at NYU and an evaluation of the Hunter College Masters degree program in studio art
Preface to Romare Bearden's show at Nassau Community College
Introduction to an exhibit of the works of Kofi Antubam
Statements and proposals
Note cards - Outline for a lecture on African art, given at Detroit Institute of Art
Note cards
Note cards
Note cards
Note cards
Printed Material includes exhibition announcements and catalogs, publications in which Woodruff is featured, clippings, and other assorted printed material.
Exhibition announcements and catalogs
Publications
Clippings
Assorted printed material
The scrapbook series consists of a photocopy of one or two scrapbooks. The original materials are not present in the collection. Earlier pages chronicle Woodruff's time in Paris, while later pages show exhibitions. The majority of the materials represented in the scrapbook appear to be clippings and printed material, with some correspondence mixed in.
Photocopy of scrapbook
Photographs include four black and white photographs of the artist and one accompanying piece of correspondence. The bulk of this series is made up of photocopies of photographs, primarily of works of art. The original photographs are not present in the collection.
Photographs
Photocopies of photographs
Artwork consists of photocopies of drawings and sketches. Researchers should note that the originals are not present in the collection.
Photocopies of sketches