The I. P. Stanback Museum & Planetarium collections and temporarily exhibited works include significant holdings in historic photographic images, paintings, prints, sculpture and cultural artifacts stemming from the African diaspora and contemporary art collections. Examples of objects within the collections held in the Museum’s trust include: traditional paintings, prints, and drawings by American artists of African descent including Lois Jones, Jacob Lawrence, Hale Woodruff, and Romare Bearden; extensive holdings of traditional African sculpture and artifacts from the Western-sub-Saharan, Central, and East African regions in several gift collections; an extensive collection of photographic works documenting the African American experience spanning the period from the late 19th century through the late 20th century.
Harlem on My Mind: 1900-1939 exhibition artifacts were donated to the I.P. Stanback Museum by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Long before Harlem became one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the red-hot real estate market of Manhattan, it was a metaphor for African American culture at its richest. Harlem on My Mind is the classic record of Harlem life during some of the most exciting and turbulent years of its history, a beautiful and poignant reminder of a powerful moment in African American history. Including the work of some of Harlem’s most treasured photographers, there are photographs of Harlem’s literary lights, its politicians and its musicians. The exhibit also includes photographs of the everyday folk who gave life to this legendary community.