Paul J. Smith Photographs of New York City Parades and Events
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Abstract
This collection consists of 358 color photographs taken by arts administrator, curator and artist Paul J. Smith (1931-2020). The photos document various parades and events that took place in New York City between 1996 and 2016.
Biographical / Historical
Paul J. Smith (September 8, 1931 – April 26, 2020) was an arts administrator, curator, artist, and photographer based in New York City. Born in Batavia, NY, in 1931, Smith worked in the art, craft, and design fields from the early 1950s onward. He was closely associated with the 20th century studio craft movement in the United States. Smith joined the staff of the American Craftsmen's Council (ACC, now the American Craft Council) in 1957, and in 1963 was appointed Director of the Museum of Contemporary Crafts in NYC, a position he held for the next 25 years. (The museum was later renamed the American Craft Museum, and it is now known as the Museum of Arts and Design.) In September 1987, Smith assumed the title of director emeritus at the museum and continued to work as an independent curator and consultant for museums, arts organizations, and collectors. Smith died in 2020 in New York City.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by subject into 12 series. Subject titles and dates are taken from information provided by the donor. Item numbers were assigned to photographs during processing. Included ephemera is not numbered.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of 358 color photographs taken by arts administrator, curator, and artist Paul J. Smith (1931-2020). The photos document various parades and events that took place in New York City between 1996 and 2016. Included are images of the Easter Parade on Fifth Avenue, the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island, the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn, and the Halloween Dog Parade in Tompkins Square Park. There are also photos of Wigstock, the Howl! Festival, a Save Our Gardens event, the Gates art installation in Central Park, and Santa Con, as well as photos of tattoos and art in Coney Island. A small amount of ephemera can be found in the collection, including printouts of websites.
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Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New York Historical, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org.
Preferred Citation
The collection should be cited as: Paul J. Smith Photographs of New York City Parades and Events, PR 484, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, The New York Historical.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the Estate of Paul J. Smith, 2023.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Archivist Marybeth Kavanagh processed this collection in July 2026.