Evangeline J. Montgomery (photo courtesy of The Getty)

The Getty Research Institute has acquired the archive of Evangeline J. Montgomery. As a curator, cultur­al worker and arts administrator, Montgomery used her positions within and outside the government to advocate for representation of African American artists through national and international exhibi­tions and institutional program­ming.

“Montgomery worked tirelessly behind the scenes for a more equi­table, and truer, version of American art and art history,” said LeRonn P. Brooks, associate cura­tor for modern and contemporary collections. “Montgomery’s archive moves underrecognized histories of African American art exhibitions, organizations, artists, lectures and meetings to the foreground during an era of their widespread exclusion from the mainstream artworld.”

“Montgomery’s archive is a sig­nificant contribution to the GRI’s growing collections of African American art texts and other research materials, specifically within the context of lesser-known and understudied African American art exhibitions, organizations and cultural events from the late 1960s through the 1980s,” said Mary Miller, director of the Getty Research Institute. “Much of this material, in the form of rare publi­cations, ephemera and correspon­dence, has rarely been saved and cannot be found through traditional means.”

Dating from the 1970s, her archive and library reflect her wide-ranging contacts and inter­ests, containing approximately 220 linear feet of valuable documenta­tion. The collection encompasses nearly 600 books, as well as cata­logues, correspondence, leaflets and other forms of ephemera, such as slides, audio recordings, video cassettes and documentary photog­raphy.

For information about the Getty Research Institute, visit getty.edu. The Getty is located at 1200 Getty Center Drive.