Ebony and Jet Archives Find a New Home

For the second half of the 20th century, Ebony Magazine and Jet Magazine were the sources of news and entertainment for the African American community.

It was in these magazines, put out by the Johnson Publishing Company, where you could find news and images of Black celebrities, writers, artists, and political activists, as well as snapshots of Black life in our own neighborhoods. The Johnson Publishing Company was founded in 1942 by John and Eunice Johnson.

This week, ownership of the Ebony and Jet photo archives was transferred over to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Getty Research Institute. And as a result, millions of images as well as audio and video recordings from the Johnson Publishing archives will be preserved and eventually available to the public.

The Takeaway spoke with Dr. Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress and the first African American and the first woman to hold the post. Dr. Hayden led a board of experts who helped determine where and how to preserve these archives.