Miami News Photograph Collection - 1896-1988

Identity elements

Reference code

HMA0015

Name and location of repository

Level of description

Collection

Title

Miami News Photograph Collection - 1896-1988

Date(s)

  • 1896-1988 (predominant: 1940-1988) (Creation)

Extent

187.00 Linear Feet

Name of creator

Administrative history

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

The Miami News photographs document events, places, and people in Dade County and, to a less extent, Monroe County, Broward County, Cuba, the Bahamas, and the West Indies. Images that record the corporate history of the Miami News are also included.

System of arrangement

The Miami News Collection contains three series: photographic prints, negatives, and other materials.

Series 1, photographic prints, contains three subseries:  (1) topical, (2) biographical, and (3) the Jay Spencer collection. Photographic prints in the topical and biographic subseries are organized in folders using headings created by the Miami News; the folders are arranged alphabetically.

Series 2, negatives, are mostly arranged by size, photographer and date, and retain their original order. Each envelope contains one photo shoot/assignment, and may contain one to 100 items.

They are then arranged in three subseries:  (1) 35mm negatives, 1973-1980; (2) 35mm negatives, 1978-1988; and (3) Our Sunday Portrait, various subjects and World War II in Miami area, 1941-1965.

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

The collection is open for research.

Physical access

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

Permission from HistoriyMiami Archives staff required prior to reproduction of photographs in a publication. Please contact archives staff for more information.

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

    Language and script notes

    Finding aids

    Acquisition and appraisal elements

    Custodial history

    Immediate source of acquisition

    During the 1980s, the Miami News donated a number of negatives and prints to the Historical Museum of Southern Florida. In 1989, after the Miami News had ceased publication, Cox Enterprises, the Miami News’ parent company, disposed of the paper’s assets. Through the efforts of Howard Kleinberg and David Kraslow, Cox Enterprises gave the historically important materials to the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, Several smaller groups of photographic prints from the Miami News morgue have been donated by photographers and a historian who had borrowed them from the paper prior to 1989.

    Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

    HASF staff selected the most significant photographic print files, about 25,000 out of 200,000 images. Selection criteria included: 1) images pertaining to Dade and Monroe counties, Bahamas, and the Caribbean; 2) preference for images by Miami News photographers, rather than wire service photos; and 3) files predating 1974 (images later than 1973 are in the negatives). Biographical files were selected using lists from several biographical directories as well as archivists’ knowledge of state and local history. A number of historically significant biographical files were probably missed, as time for selection of files was limited. After HASF’s initial selection of photographic prints, the Palm Beach Post library added a number of images to their paper’s files. HASF staff then selected another group of prints, and integrated them into the collection. The remainder were then destroyed.

    Accruals

    Related materials elements

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related archival materials

    Related artifacts are in HistoryMiami's objects collection.

    Additional photographic prints from the Miami News are in the Palm Beach Post library, West Palm Beach, Florida.

    Related descriptions

    Notes element

    General note

    Other Information

    Accessions:

    1989-011

    1995-277

    1994-370

    Specialized notes

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Description control element

    Rules or conventions

    Sources used

    Archivist's note

    Finding Aid Authors: Rebecca A. Smith and archives staff.

    Archivist's note

    © Copyright 2019 HistoryMiami Archives & Research Center. All rights reserved.

    Access points

    Subject access points

    Place access points

    Name access points

    Genre access points

    Accession area