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James Edward Jordan photographs

 Collection
Collection number: ahc.VIS44

Scope and Content

The collection contains portrait prints all presumably taken by James Edward Jordan. The images include portraits of unidentified children, men, and women, predominently posed in a studio setting with painted decorative backgrounds. Of note is one strip of custom postage stamps of an unidentified man.

Dates

  • approximately 1947-1970

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.

Administrative/Biographical History

James Edward Jordan (1888-1977) was born in Wrightsville, Georgia, and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1919. His career as an African American businessman in Atlanta included beauty and barber-supply sales, tailoring, clothing sales, real estate, photography, and motion picture production. He owned and ran the Jordan Shop of Quality, maintained a tailor shop in the Odds Fellow Building and purchased the Pioneer Mercantile Company. In 1947, Jordan opened a photography studio at 268 Auburn Avenue, which he operated until the late 1960s. During much of this period, Auburn Avenue, known as "Sweet Auburn", was the central business and cultural street for Atlanta's African American community. His real estate holdings included several homes in Atlanta; he also owned properties in New York City. Jordan's businesses were family operated enterprises.

Administrative/Biographical History

Jordan married Anna Hobbs in Wrightsville, Georgia, and the couple had seven children: James, Narvie, Harvey, Edward, Anna Pearl, Robert, and Juanita. Each worked for some point in the Jordan businesses. Jordan also placed a great deal of emphasis on education, funding several scholarships for students to attend Booker T. Washington High School in the early 1930s.

Extent

32 photographic print(s) (31 color and black and white photographs, 1 postage stamp)

Language

English

System of Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically according to titles supplied by staff.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift, 1985

Related Archival Materials

James Edward Jordon Papers, MSS 565, Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center

Description Control

This collection was re-processed in 2016.

Title
James Edward Jordan photographs
Author
Felicia Render
Date
March 2016
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository

Contact:
130 West Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta GA 30305
404-814-4040