Edith I. (Irene) Thompson Martin Papers

Object Details

Creator

Martin, Edith I. (Irene) (1920-2008)

Names

Smithsonian American Art Museum. Renwick Gallery

Anderson, Ron, 1946-

Andrews, Benny, 1930-2006

Artis, William Ellisworth, 1914-1977

Auld, Rose (1948)

Barthé, Richmond, 1901-1989

Bearden, Romare, 1911-1988

Brown, Sterling A., 1901-1989

Bullock, Barbara Jane (1938)

Chase-Riboud, Barbara

Eutemey, Karen

Evans, Minnie, 1892-1987

Freeman, Gloria

Gilliam, Sam, Jr. (1933-2022)

Honeywood, Varnette P. (Varnette Patricia) (1950-12-27-2010-09-12)

Johnson, Joshua, active 1796-1824

Johnson-Calloway, Marie (1920-2018)

Jones, Lois Mailou (1905-1998)

Kennedy, Harriet Forte, 1931-1994

Lawrence, Jacob, 1917-2000

Lee-Smith, Hughie (1915-1999)

Lloyd, Tom, 1929-

McClarrin, Justine

Meo, Yvonne Cole (1923)

Paige, Joe

Pippin, Horace, 1888-1946

Powell, Georgette Seabrooke (1916-2011)

Powell, Judson

Purifoy, Noah, 1917-

Saar, Betye (1926)

Sills, Thomas, 1914-

Snowden, Sylvia (1942)

Stewart, George

Sun Ra (1914-1993)

Tanner, Henry Ossawa, 1859-1937

Thomas, Alma (1891-1978)

Thompson, Bob, 1937-1966

Wells, James Lesesne (1902-1993)

Topic

African American women artists

African American artists

Women artists

Nonprofit organizations

Women, Black

Museum exhibits

Provenance

The Edith I. Martin papers were donated to the Anacostia Community Museum in 2006 by Edith . Martin.

Creator

Martin, Edith I. (Irene) (1920-2008)

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Edith I. (Irene) Thompson Martin Papers

Summary

The collection, which dates from 1961 to 2004 and measures 11.16 linear feet, documents the career of artist, curator, and museum technician Edith T. Martin. The papers in the collection include education documents, professional correspondence, sketches, promotional material, news clippings, newsletters, catalogues/magazines from exhibits and arts organizations, and exhibit photographs and slides.

Biographical/Historical note

Edith Irene Martin (née Thompson) (1920-2008), an internationally recognized painter, was born in Caroline County, Virginia, on March 28, 1920. In 1948, she married Albert Martin. She later moved to Washington, D.C., where she joined the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, serving as a museum professional until her retirement. Martin earned her degree in Fine Arts from American University in Washington, D.C. and furthered her education at Georgetown University. Throughout her career, Martin was affiliated with numerous organizations, including the District of Columbia Art Association, the Smithsonian Institution's Women's Council, the National Conference of Artists, and the Washington Women's Art Center. As an accomplished artist, her work is featured in several permanent collections nationwide. She participated in and curated numerous exhibitions, including those at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum, Smith-Mason Gallery, and American Art League. Dedicated to promoting the talents and achievements of African American artists, particularly black women artists, Martin collaborated with various organizations to advance the creative contributions of her peers through active community engagement. She passed away in Washington, D.C., on December 7, 2008.

Function

Nonprofit organizations

Extent

11.16 Linear feet (9 boxes)

Date

1961-2004

Archival Repository

Anacostia Community Museum Archives

Identifier

ACMA.06-050

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Citation

Edith I. Martin papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Edith I. Martin.

Arrangement note

The collection is arranged into six main categories: Series 1: Biographical Series 2: Memberships Series 3: Correspondence Series 4: Exhibit Files Series 5: Printed Materials Series 6: Artist Files

Processing Information note

This collection was originally processed by Tonijala D. Penn, October 2007 then again by Britney Crawford in July 2024.

Rights

Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.

Scope and Contents note

The collection encompasses various series detailing the career and contributions of Edith I. Martin, primarily through biographical documents such as curriculum vitae, artist statements, writings, and materials related to her ongoing education at the Smithsonian American Art Museum Renwick Gallery. Box 2 features oversized sketches and photographs. It also includes records from her memberships in multiple organizations spanning the 1970s to 2004, as well as a chronological correspondence series from 1997 to 2004, highlighting her interactions regarding exhibitions and visual arts organizations. The exhibitions series documents the art shows Martin participated in or organized, including those associated with the Association for the Study of American Life and History and the National Conference of Artists. Additionally, the printed material series, organized by type, contains an array of newspapers, newsletters, bulletins, magazines, and articles collected throughout her career. Finally, the artist files, arranged alphabetically from A to Y, consist of resumes, biographies, and artist statements, along with correspondence related to exhibitions and a collection of slides and photographs of her art.

Restrictions

Edith I. Martin Papers is the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. This collection of records contains sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII) that has been redacted to protect individuals' privacy. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.

Record ID

ebl-1503511501993-1503511502009-0

Metadata Usage

CC0

GUID

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa72563a039-3852-4932-aecb-71ab0eb2b95e