TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Treatment completed January 2022During our first-year Photograph Conservation Block at the beginning of January 2022, my cohort was tasked with the treatment and preservation of more than 60 photographs from the Tuskegee University Archives. As a group, we worked to examine, document, stabilize, and rehouse the collection of intriguing and powerful photographs from Tuskegee University, while strengthening our photograph preservation knowledge and skills.
DESCRIPTION
The photographic collection in the Tuskegee University Archives documents the history and growth of Tuskegee University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), since its founding in 1881. The Archive's goal is to identify, collect, and preserve records and items relevant to Tuskegee University and document Black life, education, and history in Alabama and across the Southeast. The Archive contains books, Tuskegee University periodicals, ephemera, video and audio recordings, photographic images, and other items. There are around 200,000 photographs in the collection, which makes up a significant portion of the Archive. Our collective efforts will help Tuskegee University Archives prepare for the later digitization of these materials, making these images and their stories available for future research and scholarship.
The photographs selected by Dana Chandler, Tuskegee University's archivist, document life at the University as early as the 1890s and through the 1940s. The photographs display a variety of processes (tintype, albumen, platinum, and silver gelatin DOP) and conservation concerns. The photographs I worked with depicted faculty and staff portraits, men’s choir, scenes around campus, and images of Tuskegee University's expanding campus.
TREATMENT PROJECTS
I was responsible for condition reporting, research, documentation, treatment photography, conservation treatment, and rehousing for five photographs from the archives. Treatments included surface cleaning use dry and wet techniques ranging from soft brushes and cosmetic sponges to 50:50 deionized water/ethanol solutions, as well as tear repair, gelatin binder consolidation, pressure-sensitive tape removal, and reversible inpainting of damaged surfaces using watercolor.
Treatment of silver gelatin print of the Tuskegee Singers
This treatment included overall surface cleaning using microfiber cloth followed with 50:50 ethonal and deionized water. Much grime was removed from the surface of the photograph while returning to a glossy apperance. Cleaned verso with grated erasers. Repaired tears with self-mends using 2% warm solution of gelatin supported with mulberry paper, and consolidation using 2% warm solution of gelatin.
Documentation and treatment of albumen print
︎︎︎ Condition Report
︎︎︎ Treatment Report
WUDPAC documentation project including significant historic research, condition assessment, treatment proposal, and final treatment report. Treatmend included surface cleaning recto using grated erasers and saliva on cotton swabs and surface cleaning recto using eraser crumbs, avoiding pencil marks. Used an eraser block to reduce surface grime on the adhered paper label.
Consolidated delaminating corners using 2% warm gelatin solution under magnification. Set under weights and blotters to dry.
![After Treatment]()
![Before Treatment]()
Treatment of silver gelatin print with pressure sensitive tape
Joint treatment project with Kat Stiller (WUDPAC ‘24). Removed tape using hot air pen, reduced adhesive using acetone under a fume hood, and mended tears using mulberry paper and wheat starch paste applied to the verso. Removed tape with deionized water and brush.
Treatment of silver gelatin print with folded corners and silver mirroring
Relaxed both folds using local humidity applied with DI water on cotton swab, unfolded and set into place under blotters and weights. Surface cleaned recto and verso with grated erasers. Cleaned recto with DI water using cotton swabs. Mended folds on verso with mulberry paper and wheat starch paste. Set photograph under glass plate and weights to minimize overall distortion.
Images by Evan Krape