Impact Visuals Photograph Collection

Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Watts.
Finding aid encoded by Elizabeth Watts in June 2003.

Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center
405 Babbidge Road, Unit 1205
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1205

© 2003 University of Connecticut


Overview of the Records
Repository:	Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center.
Creator:	Impact Visuals.
Title:	Impact Visuals Photograph Collection.
Dates:	undated, 1964-2000 [bulk 1983-1999].
Extent:	6.5 linear feet.
Identification:	MSS20030047
Language	English.
Abstract:	Photographs, slides and negatives primarily of South Africa and the anti-apartheid movement. Some supporting material on photo cooperatives and the shooting death of Abdul Shariff, one of the photographers represented in the collection.

History

Impact Visuals was a New York City-based cooperative photo agency dedicated to social documentary photography. Founded by Michael Kaufman, Impact Visuals operated for 15 years until shutting down in 2001. Most of the images in this collection were obtained when Impact Visuals acquired defunct South African cooperative Afrapix's material. Afrapix was a collective, self-funded group of freelance photographers in South Africa operating between 1982-1992. A few additional images came from Southlight Photographic Agency.

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Scope and Content

The collection consists of photographs, slides, and negatives, as well as a limited amount of supporting materials and publications. The vast majority of the material relates to South Africa. Other African nations, Holland, Palestine, Yugoslovia, and even New Jersey in the USA are also pictured. South Africa's first interracial elections in April 1994 are particularly well represented in the collection, as are the African National Congress (ANC), Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela, and National Party President F.W. De Klerk. Subjects other than politics include the environment, labor, economics, health, poverty, and cultural life.

Abdul Shariff, one of the photographers who worked for Afrapix and later Impact Visuals, was killed while documenting an ANC event in January 1994. Shariff's curriculum vitae, contract with Impact Visuals, and correspondence with fellow photographer Ansell Horn document the working relationships of a South African photographer.

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Arrangement

Supporting material is located first, then all photographs are separated by photographer. Photographs are arranged chronologically with only general subject listings. The collection is not processed to the item level. Individual photographs have been captioned by the photographer.

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Organization

Series I: Supporting Material, undated and 1994.

Series II: Abdul Shariff, 1990-1994

Series III: Ansell Horn, 1973-1996

Series IV: Eric Miller, 1983-2000

Series V: Rodger Bosch, 1988-1999

Series VI: Other Photographers in Alphabetical Order, 1964-1995

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from both the University of Connecticut Libraries and the owner(s) of the copyright.

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Related Material

The University of Connecticut has an ongoing cooperative relationship with the African National Congress and University of Fort Hare to document the history of the ANC. For detailed information on these collections please contact the curator or ask at the reference desk.

Shaken Roots: The Bushmen of Namibia. Text by Megan Biesele. Photography by Paul Weinberg. EAD Publications: Marshalltown, South Africa, 1990. Dodd A4951

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Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Persons:

Organizations:

Places:

Subjects:

Document Types:

Administrative Records.

Books.

Color slides.

Contracts.

Correspondence.

Newspapers.

Photocopies.

Photographs.

Publications.

Occupations:

Photographer.

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Abbreviations

ANC = African National Congress

AWB = Afrikaner Resistance Movement

Cape = Cape Town

COSATU = Congress of South African Trade Unions

Jo'burg = Johannesburg

MK = Mkhonto weSizwe ("Spear of the Nation"--ANC's armed wing)

NP = National Party

PAC = Pan African Congress

PAGAD = People Against Gangsterism And Drugs

SADTU = South African Democratic Teachers Union

SAF = South Africa

SPLA = Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army

SWAPO = South West African People's Party

TEC = Transitional Executive Council

UN = United Nations

WTC = World Trade Center, NYC

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Item, Folder #], Impact Visuals Photograph Collection. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries.

Acquisition Information

The material in this collection was purchased from the photographers after the dissolution of Impact Visuals in 2001.

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Detailed Description

Series I: Supporting Material, undated, 1964-1994

1:1

Impact Visuals annual reports and labor brochures, 1993-1996

1:2

Southlight Photographic Agency, undated

1:3

Correspondence between Abdul Shariff and Ansell Horn, 1993

1:4

Shariff's work for Impact Visuals, 1991-1994

1:5

Impact Visuals publications on Shariff's death, 1994

1:6

Newspaper clippings on Shariff's death, 1994

1:7

Photographs of Shariff by Rutgers and Ansell Horn, 1993-1994

Series II: Abdul Shariff, 1990-1994

1:8

Positives Color, 1990-1993

1:9

Negatives B&W and Contact Sheets, 1991