Woman with Tambourine: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black-and-white photograph by Kenneth Royster of a woman with tambourine. There is a woman on the right side of the image, mostly out of frame. The side of her torso and her hands are visible. She is holding a tambourine in her right hand and hitting the drumhead with her left hand. She is wearing rings, a watch, and a bracelet on her left hand. There are two (2) individuals in the background. The three (3) figures are wearing white. The edge of the negative is partially visible around the image. There is a numerical inscription on the reverse.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1995
• Photograph by: Kenneth Royster, American, born 1944
• Subject of: Unidentified Woman or Women
• Subject of: Unidentified Man or Men
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (image): 15 × 14 15/16 in. (38.1 × 37.9 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (sheet): 20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.6 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (matted): 22 × 28 in. (55.9 × 71.1 cm)
• Place depicted: United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Christianity
• Topic: Communities
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Music
• Topic: Musicians
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Religion
• Object number: 2018.41.11
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kenneth Royster in honor of Prof. Samuel L. Green
• 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: © Kenneth Royster Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.