Getty Images grant awarded to Jackson State to preserve historic photos

Keisha Rowe, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
·1 min read

Jackson State University has been chosen as one of the first recipients of the Getty Images Photo Archives Grants for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, aimed at preserving the impact and contributions of the institutions nationwide.

University officials said funding from the grant will help with the digitization of 50,000 photos in Jackson State's archives. The illustrations of Tracy Sugarman, as well as the Freedom Summer Photograph Collection and the Gibbs Green Memorial Collection, will be among the rare photos released into the new digital collection.

"Preserving the rich culture and heritage of the African diaspora found at HBCUs is an essential step in ensuring that the stories of our ancestors are accessible to share for generations to come," Jackson State President Thomas K. Hudson said in a statement.

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Three other universities — Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina, and Prairie View A&M in Prairie View, Texas — will share the $500,000 in grants with Jackson State.

Photo digitization is expected to begin by March and will take one year, officials said.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson State University chosen for inaugural Getty Images grant