James Van Der Zee Establishes Himself as Harlem's Principal Photographer

By the early 1920s, James Van Der Zee had established himself as the principal photographer of Black Harlem life, operating a portrait studio and photographing families, funerals, churches, clubs, and cabarets. His formal, dignified portraits allowed African Americans to see themselves with dignity and pride. His archive is the primary visual record of Black New York during the Harlem Renaissance.