You Can Now View More Than 10,000 Photos From Jack Mitchell's Alvin Ailey Collection Online
December 6, 2019

From 1961 to 1994, legendary photographer Jack Mitchell captured thousands of moments with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Now, this treasure trove of dance history is available to the public for viewing via the online archives of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The collection includes both color and black-and-white images of Ailey’s repertoire, as well as private photo sessions with company members and Ailey himself. Altogether, the archive tracks the career development of many beloved Ailey dancers, including Masazumi Chaya, Judith Jamison, Sylvia Waters, Donna Wood and Dudley Williams—and even a young Desmond Richardson. And there’s no shortage of photos of iconic pieces like Blues Suite (Ailey’s first piece of choreography), Cry and Revelations.

We couldn’t resist sharing a few of our favorites below. Search the collection for more gems here.


Alvin Ailey in Hermit Songs, 1961

Photography by Jack Mitchell, © Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Inc. and Smithsonian Institution, All rights reserved.





















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