Photograph of Leroy Broomfield and the Ubangi Club dancers: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of Leroy Broomfield and the Ubangi Club dancers. The nine (9) are depicted standing, kneeling, and seated in three rows. In the top row, from left to right, is Margie Hubbard, Marion Edgbert, Leroy Broomfield, Ethel Moses, and Dolly McCormack. Hubbard is wearing overalls over a black blouse. Edgbert is wearing a medium toned, satiny button down top with three (3) white button down the center and white lapels. There is satin flower pinned to her proper right shoulder. Broomfield is wearing a dark toned three-piece suit and a white collared shirt, with the top button undone. Ethel Moses is wearing a one piece, bathing suit costume. The top of the suit has a halter neck and a diagonally striped top. The bottom of the suit is dark with a striped belt that matches the top of the suit. On the far right is McCormack. She is wearing a black sweater vest over a white blouse with a tie front and black pants. In the middle row, from left to right, is Julia Moses and Selma Sampson. Julia Moses is wearing a medium toned garment with a bow tied at the front. Sampson is wearing a white blouse with the letters [S S] stitched on the front. In the bottom row, from left to right, is Alice Key and Wilhelmina (Tondelayo) Gray. Key is wearing a white, short sleeve blouse with a black skirt. Gray is wearing light toned sailor-style shirt with a bow tied in the front and wide legged, matching pants. On the stage behind them is a set painted with a series of small buildings and houses. There are no inscriptions on the front or back of the photograph.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1937
• Photograph by: Hughey J. Battelle
• Subject of: Leroy Broomfield, American, 1902 - 1971
• Subject of: Margie Hubbard
• Subject of: Marion Edgbert
• Subject of: Ethel Moses, American, 1904 - 1982
• Subject of: Dolly McCormack
• Subject of: Julia Moses, American
• Subject of: Selma Sampson
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Type: portraits
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 4 7/16 × 6 7/16 in. (11.2 × 16.3 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 4 13/16 × 6 7/8 in. (12.3 × 17.4 cm)
• Place captured: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Dance
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Nightlife
• Topic: Photography
• Object number: 2013.46.25.239
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.