In 2019, a philanthropic group comprised of Getty Trust/MacArthur Foundation/Andrew W. Mellon Foundation/Smithsonian institution acquired JET and EBONY magazine photos auctioned for $30Million USD. Last week, it was announced that approximately 4Million+ photos (prints and negatives) will be digitized and housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).
The collection is currently housed in Chicago, where the Johnson Publishing Company is headquartered. JET (Nov. 1951) and EBONY (Nov. 1945) have been staples in the black community for decades, providing an authentic depicted view of black stories in celebrity news, fashion, civil rights and more. In years to come, the goal is to have the catalogue presented at the NMAAHC where the public can access this priceless piece of history for free. While there has not been an estimated time frame given, the process for sure has began.
My parents have countless copies of both mags from past to present all throughout the house. I look forward to continuing the trip down memory lane once it hits the museum.
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