Polaroid portrait of Kool Herc and Chuck Leonard at Stardust Ballroom: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This is a color Polaroid depicting DJ Kool Herc (left) and Chuck Leonard, WLBS radio announcer, (right) at the Stardust Ballroom in the Bronx, NY. Both men are captured full-length, posed in front of curtains with a gold and red pattern design. Kool Herc is wearing his outfit from Beat Street, an all denim ensemble consisting of a jacket and jeans with brown fringe along the edges and with his thumbs in his pockets complete with a black felt Stetson. He is accessorized with sunglasses and brown shoes. Leonard wears a red-and-white horizontal striped, long-sleeve shirt with black cuffs, black pants, and black shoes. He has on a chain necklace, a watch on his left wrist, and a ring in his left ring finger.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1984
• Photograph by: Unidentified
• Subject of: DJ Kool Herc, Jamaican American, born 1955
• Subject of: Chuck Leonard, American, 1937 - 2004
• Subject of: Stardust Ballroom, American
• Type: group portraits
• Type: instant camera photographs
• Medium: dye and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (image): 3 3/4 × 2 7/8 in. (9.5 × 7.3 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (sheet): 4 1/4 × 3 1/4 in. (10.8 × 8.3 cm)
• Place captured: Bronx, New York City, Bronx County, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: DJs (Musicians)
• Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
• Topic: Nightlife
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Radio
• Object number: 2022.73.4.1
• 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.