Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Battey, C.M.
2. Hansen, Austin, 1910-1996.
3. Johnson, E. R.
4. Smith, Roger.
5. United States. Office of War Information.
6. Maxwell Studios (St. Louis, Mo.)
7. Pan-American Photography Service (New York, N.Y.)
8. Scurlock Studios (Washington, D.C.)

Found in

1. p1bc Walton, Lester. Lester Walton papers, 1905-1977 (CstRLIN)NYPW090000007-A

Description

1. 332 items (1 lin. ft., 4 boxes); 26 x 21 cm. and smaller.

Summary

1. The Lester A. Walton Photograph Collection depicts some aspects of his personal life and his professional career, mainly as United States diplomat to Liberia, during the period from the 1880s to the 1960s.

Subject

1. Roosevelt, Franklin D (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
2. Davis, Benjamin O., 1880-1970
3. Liberia > Foreign relations > United States
4. Photographic postcards > 1900-1929
5. Werner, Ludlow W
6. African Americans > Civil rights
7. Liberia > Social life and customs
8. Snapshots
9. Tubman, William V. S., 1895-1971
10. Barclay, Edwin, 1883-
11. United States > Foreign relations > Liberia
12. Anderson, William
13. Walton, Lester A., 1882-1965
14. Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972
15. Payne, Alberta
16. Wagner, Robert F (Robert Ferdinand), 1910-
17. Portrait photographs > 1880-1969
18. Ambassadors > United States
19. Walton, Gladys Odile
20. Walton, Marjorie
21. Negatives > 1940-1949
22. Group portraits > 1880-1969
23. Dye coupler prints > 1940-1949
24. Television stills
25. Tintype
26. Stettinius, Edward R (Edward Reilly), 1900-1949
27. United Nations Conference on International Organization (1945 : San Francisco, Calif.)
28. Walker, Walter S
29. Diplomatic and consular service, American > Liberia
30. Johnson, Mordecai W (Mordecai Wyatt), 1890-1976
31. Bolivar, William C
32. Lescot, Elie, 1883-1974
33. Hull, Cordell, 1871-1955
34. Walton, Gladys
35. Photomechanical prints
36. Proofs > 1930-1939
37. New York (N.Y.) > City Commission on Intergroup Relations
38. Gelatin silver prints > 1880-1969
39. Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
40. African American diplomats

Genre/Form

1. Portrait photographs – 1880-1969.
2. Group portraits – 1880-1969.
3. Snapshots.
4. Photographic postcards – 1900-1929.
5. Television stills.
6. Gelatin silver prints – 1880-1969.
7. Dye coupler prints – 1940-1949.
8. Photomechanical prints.
9. Proofs – 1930-1939.
10. Negatives – 1940-1949.
11. Tintype.

Call number

1. Sc Photo Lester A. Walton Collection

Note

1. Some photographs have either photographer's or photography studio's handstamp on verso; some items bear news agency or military censor handstamps on verso. Some photographs have photographer's or photography studio's blind stamp on recto; some items, which are matted or mounted, have photographer's or photography studio's name printed on recto.
2. Some photographs have handwritten notations on either verso or recto; some items bear printed descriptive information on verso; many photographs have press releases attached to verso. Some items bear inscriptions; negatives have typewritten captions on protective sleeves.
3. Some photographs bear cropping marks; some items have damaged edges; three photographs are ripped in half; some items are duplicates.
4. Collection contains work by Scurlock, C.M. Battey, E.R. Johnson, George D. Cowdery, Austin Hansen, M. Smith, E. White, Roger Smith, and Maxwell Studios, among others.

Terms of use (note)

1. Some items are restricted; permission of photographer or copyright holder required for duplication.

Biography (note)

1. Lester Aglar Walton, journalist, entertainment figure and diplomat, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1882.

Linking entry (note)

1. Forms part of the Lester A. Walton Papers, 1905-1977.

Author

1. Walton, Lester A., 1882-1965.

Title

1. Lester A. Walton photograph collection [graphic].

Imprint

1. [188-?-196-?]

Terms of use

1. Some items are restricted; permission of photographer or copyright holder required for duplication.

Biography

1. Lester Aglar Walton, journalist, entertainment figure and diplomat, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1882. As a journalist, he was a reporter and editor for both black and mainstream newspapers in St. Louis (1902-1907) and New York (1908-1930s), as well as labor arbitrator in a dispute between the Newspaper Guild of New York and the New York Amsterdam News (1957-1959). He also led a 1913 movement for the capitalization of "N" in the spelling of Negro by daily papers and magazines. His contributions to entertainment included managing the Lafayette Theatre in Harlem (1914-1916, 1919-1921); serving as vice president of the Negro Actors Guild; chairing the Coordinating Council for Negro Performers to promote African-Americans in every field of entertainment (1950s); and writing songs throughout his career, including "Jim Crow Has Got to Go."
2. Walton's political career included serving as publicity director of the Colored Division of the Democratic National Campaign Committee (1924, 1928 and 1932). In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Walton United States Ambassador to Liberia, a position he held until 1946 in which he negotiated and concluded treaties between the United States and Liberia (late 1930s) and agreements for establishing a U.S. Army base and a Navy port in Liberia (early 1940s). He would later serve as adviser to the Liberian delegation to the United Nations (late 1940s), and was one of the original members of the New York City Commission on Intergroup Relations (later renamed the City Commission on Human Rights) in 1955. Walton retired from this post in 1964, and died in New York City in 1965.

Linking entry

1. Forms part of the Lester A. Walton Papers, 1905-1977.

Local note

1. Sc MG 183

Connect to:

1. Request Appointment
2. NYPL Digital Collections

Added author

1. Battey, C.M. Photographer
2. Hansen, Austin, 1910-1996. Photographer
3. Johnson, E. R. Photographer
4. Smith, Roger. Photographer
5. United States. Office of War Information.
6. Maxwell Studios (St. Louis, Mo.)
7. Pan-American Photography Service (New York, N.Y.)
8. Scurlock Studios (Washington, D.C.)

Found in:

1. p1bc Walton, Lester. Lester Walton papers, 1905-1977 (CstRLIN)NYPW090000007-A

Research call number

1. Sc Photo Lester A. Walton Collection