Harry Adams photographs

Photographic prints created and collected by Harry Adams, 1943-1985, that chiefly document events, activities, and individuals related to the African American community in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of California captured in his work for African American newspapers including the California Eagle and Los Angeles Sentinel.

Photographs that document events and activities include annual concerts of the Cavalcade of Jazz at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, 1953-1958, discrete Freedom Rallies at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on June 18, 1961, and at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles on May 26, 1963, and a Conference of the Unemployed held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles on May 21, 1964. A few photographs document a raid by the Los Angeles Police Department on the Black Panther Party office on December 8, 1969. There are also photographs of banquets and ceremonies related to groups including National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and United Civil Rights Committee as well as informal portraits related to Grammy Awards ceremonies.

Many of the photographs and informal portraits document local and national civic leaders and politicians as well as entertainers, celebrities, and athletes. There are also photographs related to the California Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball teams as well as the football teams of California State University, Long Beach, Grambling State University, and University of Southern California.

Portraits of others include members of the Adams family, including Katherleen Norris Adams King, Marjorie Harris Adams, and Robbie Lee Evans Adams. The collection also includes many photographs collected by Harry Adams of him with others.

Photographic prints in the collection predominantly measure 8 inches by 10 inches (21.4 centimeters by 28.3 centimeters) with scattered examples with smaller dimensions.