Photograph of Louis Armstrong and Velma Middleton: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of Louis Armstrong and Velma Middleton standing on stage behind a microphone. They are standing side-by-side, looking towards the left side of the image, with their arms around each other’s backs. Armstrong hold his proper right arm up with his fingers curled and he holds his trumpet in his proper left hand behind Middleton’s back. Middleton holds her proper left hand up in a wave. Armstrong is depicted wearing a medium toned jacket and light pants. He has a comical expression on his face. Middleton is depicted wearing a long, belted dress with short sleeves and floral jewelry. An inscription in black ink in the lower right corner reads, [To Our Boy / With Love & / Kisses & Success / Always To / Willie / Sincerely / Velma & Pops]. On the back of the image is a stamp in black ink that reads, [PLEASE CREDIT ARSENE STUDIO / STRAND THEATRE BLDG., N. Y. C., N. Y.].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1946
• Photograph by: Arsene Studio, American
• Subject of: Velma Middleton, American, 1917 - 1961
• Subject of: Louis Armstrong, American, 1901 - 1971
• Subject of: Strand Theatre, American, 1914 - 1987
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Type: portraits
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 9 1/2 × 7 9/16 in. (24.1 × 19.2 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 9 15/16 × 8 1/16 in. (25.3 × 20.4 cm)
• Place made: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Nightlife
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Topic: Theatre
• Object number: 2013.46.25.87
• 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.