The S.S. United States

Shortly before noon on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, the luxury superliner S.S. United States began its final voyage. With news helicopters hovering overhead and escorted by five tugs, the largest passenger ship ever built in America slowly departed its berth in Philadelphia, bound for Florida’s panhandle. Its last journey will end 180 feet beneath the sea where the great liner will become the world’s largest artificial reef. News media marked the solemn occasion: “The S.S. United States Is Going Down for Good,” read the front-page headline in The New York Times on Friday, February 21, 2025.

The S.S. United States and the S.S. America, New York harbor, April 7, 1963. Department of Marine and Aviation Collection. NYC Municipal Archives.

In a striking contrast, more than seventy years ago, the S. S. United States made the front page of the Times on a decidedly happier occasion: “Six Hour Welcome Greets New Liner on First Trip Here.” (June 24, 1952.)  The New York Daily News story that day trumpeted “The Queenly U.S. Gets N.Y.’s Bow.” In their coverage of the event, another of New York’s numerous newspapers, the Daily Mirror, described the scene: “The nation’s new queen of the seas, the superliner United States, yesterday gingerly threaded her way through a harbor clogged with hundreds of shrilling small craft and, under a canopy of helicopters, blimps and planes, majestically eased her white-and-ebony bulk up against her pier after the most tremendous welcome ever accorded a vessel here.”

Menu cover for luncheon aboard the S.S. United States, Pier 86, New York City, August 20, 1952, in honor of the Mayor’s Reception Committee, to commemorate its outstanding performance on the occasion of the arrival of the S.S. United States, in New York Harbor, July 15, 1952. Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

1952 Sailing Schedule, S.S. United States, Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

The Daily News story reported that the ship’s Captain, Commodore Harry Manning, speculated that on her upcoming first transatlantic voyage, his new command might make a bid for the transatlantic speed record. As it happened, Manning’s prediction proved exactly correct. On its return from Southampton, England to New York, the giant superliner did indeed break the speed record, and on July 18, 1952, New York City went all-out to celebrate the achievement with a ticker-tape parade.

To research the story of the American superliner and the City’s welcoming event, researchers can turn to Municipal Archives collections. The Mayor Impellitteri records, and the files of the Mayor’s Reception Committee, then under the direction of City Greeter Grover Whelan, are an especially rich resource. In addition, the Department of Ports and Trades photograph collection provides unique visual documentation.

Spectators awaiting arrival of the S. S. United States, Pier 86, United States Line, Hudson River, June 23, 1952. Department of Marine and Aviation photograph collection. NYC Municipal Archives.

By the early 1950s, Whalen had perfected the art of staging a ticker-tape parade. He organized thirty-three parades in just three years from 1949 through 1952. Researchers reviewing collection contents will quickly see that no detail was too small for Whalen and his staff as they planned for the ticker-tape parade, City Hall reception, and luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria Starlight Roof.

S. S. United States docking at Pier 86, Hudson River, July 15, 1952. U. S. Army photograph, Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

Pier 86, United States Line, Hudson River, June 23, 1952. Department of Marine and Aviation photograph collection. NYC Municipal Archives.

Although less voluminous, the subject file for the reception in Mayor Impellitteri’s records also contains informative items. Among them are a transcript of the Mayor’s remarks at the City Hall reception. Printed in a giant font, suitable to be read from a lectern, Impellitteri’s speech praised Commodore Harry Manning, Captain of the ship: “That the United States [ship] deserves all the praise and admiration she has received—both here and abroad—goes without saying. But I submit that there is a human factor within the greatness of the ship which is equally deserving of tribute. A ship, after all, no matter how perfect in mechanical detail is nothing without her caption and crew. It is in recognition of that fact that we gather here today to honor Commodore Harry Manning, Captain of the S.S. United States, and through him, the 1,000-man team which make up his crew.”

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The Habitual Hero

Time magazine cover, June 23, 1952. Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

Mayor Impellitteri continued on to say that this was not Captain Manning’s first time in a ticker-tape parade. Grover Whalen’s very capable assistant Gertrude Lyons prepared a memo with biographical information about Manning for the Mayor’s speech-writers. Her memo detailed an incident in 1929 when Manning, then the first officer on the ship “America,” came upon an Italian freighter sinking in the Atlantic. Manning volunteered to take a lifeboat with seven men across a quarter-mile of raging sea to rescue the half-frozen Italian crewmen. Manning’s action saved 32 men, and upon his return to New York, the City gave him a hero’s welcome with a ticker-tape parade. As Ms. Lyons wrote, “This is but one instance which led to Commodore Manning being referred to as the ‘habitual hero’.”

Commodore Harry Manning and Chief Engineer William Kaiser, S. S. United States, ticker-tape parade, Broadway, July 18, 1952. Mayor’s Reception Committee Photograph, Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

Menu, luncheon in honor of the Master, Officers and Crew of the S. S. United States, Waldorf Astoria Hotel, July 18, 1952. Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

The Mayor included the rescue story in his speech, but omitted another significant event detailed in Lyons’ memo. She explained how in 1937 Manning had been on leave from his ship to serve as navigator for Amelia Earhart on her proposed around the world flight. “In Honolulu, the plane skidded on a take-off and cracked up. No one was hurt, but Manning had to return to his ship before the plane could be repaired and the flight resumed without him. This was the flight on which Amelia Earhart lost her life.”

The Reception Committee folders also include copies of two short documents with “Suggested Remarks for Commodore Manning at City Hall” scrawled on the top. “Just a few thoughts for consideration,” Whalen wrote. No detail too small!

Mayor Vincent Impellitteri presents Proclamation to Commander Harry Manning, Captain, S. S. United States, City Hall, July 18, 1952, Mayor’s Reception Committee Photograph, Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

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Sleek as a Shark

Reading Manning’s biography, it is perhaps not surprising that Time magazine featured him on the cover of their June 23, 1952, issue; a copy is in the Whalen collection. In ten lavishly illustrated pages the news magazine told the full story of America’s new “Luxury Liner.” As described in the article, “The superliner is the dreamboat of William Francis Gibbs, 65, crack naval architect and famed designer of World War II’s Liberty ships. Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. made it come true.”

The story explained how Congress appropriated $42 million of the total $79 million cost of the ship not only to enhance the country’s prestige, but also to bolster its military readiness. During wartime, the ship’s 241,000-horse-power steam engines could move 14,000 troops, with equipment, halfway around the world, nonstop, without refueling. “For all her size, the hull is sleek as a shark to help her outrun submarines.”

Brochure cover, S.S. United States, July 1952, Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

Brochure interior, S.S. United States, July 1952, Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

Brochure interior, S.S. United States, July 1952, Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

During peacetime, the ship could transport 2,000 passengers and 1,000 crew in air-conditioned comfort, the first ocean liner with that amenity. Federal requirements necessary for the potential naval use of the vessel created challenges for interior designers Dorothy Marckwald and Anne Urquart. Using 100% fireproof materials, their interiors were hailed as a masterpiece of what is now called “mid-century modern.”

The S.S. United States went on to cross the Atlantic 800 times, but the 1952 Time story correctly foresaw the downward trajectory of transatlantic travel by ocean liner. “All liners are waging a losing battle against the airlines. Five years ago, only 30% of transatlantic travel was by air. This year it will reach about 40%.”

S.S. United States, New York Harbor, July 15, 1952. The liner’s remarkable speed during the transatlantic journey peeled the paint from its hull. Mayor’s Reception Committee Photograph, Grover Whalen Papers, NYC Municipal Archives.

In 1969, the United States Lines took their flagship vessel out of service and moored it in Norfolk, Virginia. It later berthed at Philadelphia until its final voyage that began last week. The  S.S. United States Conservancy, a non-profit, bought the vessel in 2011. The Conservancy is headed by Susan Gibbs, granddaughter of the ship’s designer William Francis Gibbs. Having failed to find a permanent home for the liner, the Conservancy agreed to the planned sinking of the ship to serve as a coral reef. The Conservancy is now planning a land-based S.S. United States museum.

It is unlikely that any of the thousands of spectators at the parade for Commodore Manning and the crew of the S.S. United States in 1952 gave much thought to the fate of the great liner when it reached the end of its useful life. But if they had, perhaps they would like the idea of its new role as habitat for sea creatures.

The 1890 Police Census–Digitized

The Municipal Archives recently completed digitizing the 1890 Police Census. Supported by a generous grant from the Peck-Stackpoole Foundation, project staff reformatted all 894 extant volumes of the collection to provide access (113 volumes are missing from the collection). They re-housed the volumes in custom-made archival containers to ensure their long-term preservation. Long prized by family historians, the census provides unique documentation of approximately 1.5 million inhabitants of New York City. To further enhance access to the valuable information in this series, the Municipal Archives has invited anyone with an interest to participate in a transcription project.

42nd Street, looking east to 6th Avenue Elevated, ca. 1890. DeGregario Family Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Provenance of the Census

“It is the right of the people of New York to be counted accurately and to have representation in Congress and in the Electoral College proportionate to their population. In their name, I demand as their right, that the federal authorities make an accurate enumeration of all the inhabitants of the City of New York.”  Mayor Hugh Grant, October 16, 1890.

As it had done every ten years since 1790, federal census takers conducted an enumeration of the City in 1890. The count took place between May and June. New York City Mayor Hugh Grant and other city officials believed the federal census significantly undercounted inhabitants. To support their claim, Grant ordered the Police Department to conduct another census. It took place between September 29, and October 14, 1890. The new count showed a gain of 200,000 people in the population, compared to the federal number.

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“Not Allowed”

Based on the results of his “police” census, Mayor Grant submitted a letter to the Superintendent of the Census in the Department of the Interior requesting a re-count. The Federal office refused. Grant submitted a second request; also denied. The Municipal Archives mayoral records from the Hugh Grant administration includes the lengthy correspondence from the Department of the Interior detailing their reasons for not conducting another census of the City. In his cover letter to Mayor Grant dated October 27, 1890, Interior Secretary John W. Noble concluded, “There is sent you herewith an opinion answering your demand for a renumeration of the inhabitants of your city, which, for reasons therein set forth, is not allowed.” Noble attached a fifteen-page document listing the reasons for declining to conduct another census.

Noble’s analysis included the statement that part of the difference can be attributed to the “...matter of common observation that many thousands of people of the City of New York give up their abodes in June of each year for vacation or recreation abroad or in the surrounding country, and many thousands more go to service with them...” Noble also observed “There is also a natural increase of population in one fourth of a year.” At that time, the arrival of new immigrants, many thousands per month, could account for the greater population recorded by the City in October, compared to the federal count in June. Mayor Grant’s second request resulted in another denial with a similar eight-page attachment.

Lower East Side street, ca. 1890. Department of Sanitation Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

It is important for researchers to note that Mayor Grant’s outgoing correspondence in this matter will be found in the “letterpress” volumes. Maintained as a separate series, outgoing correspondence from mayoral offices during the latter part of the nineteenth century is in the form of carbon copies on thin onion-skin paper bound into volumes. There are approximately 160 volumes in the series; each volume is generally indexed by the name of the correspondent, or subject. Collection Guides provides further information and an inventory of the series.

The whereabouts of Mayor Grant’s “police” census within New York City government offices after 1890 is not known. Likewise, there is no documentation of when the Municipal Archives received the census volumes, but it has been part of the collection since at least the early 1970s. There is also no information about the 113 missing volumes.

The fate of the federal 1890 census is known, however. In 1921, a fire in the basement of the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C. damaged hundreds of thousands of pages. Although the charred pages were salvaged, in December 1932, the Chief Clerk of the Bureau of the Census submitted a record disposal application to the Librarian of Congress that included what remained of the 1890 census record. On February 21, 1933, Congress authorized destruction. [1]

High view looking north from 23rd Street up Broadway, ca. 1890. William T. Colbron, photographer. DeGregario Family Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

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The Digitization Project

In 2022, the Peck Stackpoole Foundation awarded the Municipal Archives a grant to determine the feasibility of digitizing the census collection. Based on productivity achieved during the pilot, the Foundation awarded a second grant in 2024 to complete digitization.

The Municipal Archives employed a digitization technician, Marie Cyprien, to complete the task. In accordance with Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative (FADGI) recommendations, Ms. Cyprien captured the images using an overhead camera. She converted the raw images to other formats via batch processing. She created preservation format TIFF files and applied file-naming standards according to Municipal Archives standards.

Completed in December 2024, digitization of the 894 ledgers in the 1890 New York City Police Census collection resulted in 77,844 images. Ms. Cyprien also completed the necessary collection rehousing into 39 custom boxes, barcoding, and labeling the volumes.

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The 1890 Police Census

239 East 114th Street, home of the “Marks” family, with children “Leo and Adolph,” better known as Chico and Harpo, of the Marx Brothers. Julius, aka “Groucho” Marx, was just missed in the census as he was born at this address on October 2, 1890. 1890 census, NYC Municipal Archives.

The 1890 New York City Police Census produced 1008 volumes; 894 volumes are still extant. Each volume lists the population of one election district in New York County. A map of the election district boundary can be found on the last page of each volume. Prior to the consolidation of New York City in 1898, the boundary of New York County was contiguous with the island of Manhattan, plus annexed districts of what is now the Bronx. The 1890 census includes the western portion of the Bronx that was annexed in 1874, but not the eastern portion annexed in 1895. As Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island would not be boroughs of the city until 1898, they are not included in the census.

New York City police officers conducted the census. The handwritten entries record election district, assembly district, police precinct, name of the police officer/enumerator, and the address, name, gender, and age of each resident. There is no indication of the relationship of one person to another, occupations, or other demographic information.

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Significance of the collection

Loss of the federal 1890 census makes the City’s version uniquely valuable in bridging the gap in demographic information between 1880 and 1900. Immigration to the United States surged during that period; in 1890, newcomers comprised 42 percent of New York City’s total population. The census is particularly useful in documenting children. Due to language barriers and differing cultural traditions, many families failed to report the births of their children to the City’s Health Department. The 1890 police census can be used to identify the names and approximate date of birth for the estimated 15-20 percent of children without civil birth records.

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Next Steps

The Municipal Archives Collection Guides describes the census record and provides a link to the digital images. Interested persons are invited to visit From The Page  for information about the recently launched project to transcribe and index the1890 census. Look for future For the Record articles that will describe how to use this essential research resource.

1. Manhattan Mistabulation: The Story of the 1890 New York City Police Census, By Andy Mccarthy, Librarian II, New York Public Library, May 10, 2019.

It’s Presidents Day

Federal Hall, Inauguration of General Washington, the First President of the United States, on the 30th of April 1789. H.R. Robinson for D.T. Valentine’s Manual, 1849. NYC Municipal Library.

New York City government offices, including the Municipal Archives, close on the third Monday in February for Presidents Day. Banks, schools, the United States Post Office, and the New York Stock Exchange also observe the holiday.

Archives collections document some presidential moments in the City’s history, highlighted in For the Record articles.

In 2024, For the Record traced the residences of President George Washington in George Washington in New York: The First Presidential Mansion.

In 1968, President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Uniform Holiday Bill that set specific Mondays to celebrate Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day as well as establishing Columbus Day as a Federal Holiday, effective in 1971. The goal was to establish a minimum of five three-day weekends for federal workers. As Johnson stated in his approval message, “The bill that we sign today will help Americans to enjoy more fully the country that is their magnificent heritage. It will also aid the work of Government and bring new efficiency to our economy.”

President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, February 12, was never a national holiday but was a State holiday in many places, including New York. In 2018, the For the Record article Bodies in Transit displayed an entry about the assassinated President Lincoln as an example.

Presidents Day officially celebrates Washington’s birth, which was made a federal holiday in 1885, and is still named Washington’s birthday for federal workers. As noted above, some states and municipalities mark both births, closing government offices on Lincoln’s Birthday, February 12, and Presidents Day on the third Monday. Conversely, it is business-as-usual in ten states that do not mark Presidents Day as a holiday. Clever marketers coined the term Presidents Day in the 1980s to combine the commemorations.

Another recent blog described President Jimmy Carter’s history with the City: New York and President Jimmy Carter.

Mayor Edward Koch, President Jimmy Carter, New York Governor Hugh Carey, on the steps of City Hall following approval of Federal loan guarantees for New York City, August 8, 1978. Mayor Edward Koch Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

The Presidents featured in these For the Record posts made significant contributions to the nation. Let us honor their work during this holiday weekend.

Digitizing the David N. Dinkins Mayoral Photograph Collection

Over the past year, the Municipal Archives has been busy working on the photograph collection of the Mayor David N. Dinkins administration that will be available on our digital platform, Preservica. As the archivist leading this project, I’ve been processing and digitizing both black-and-white and color 35mm photographic negatives and photographic prints. Shooting and scanning various mediums is standard practice and at this point, almost second nature. However, this particular collection is unique in the sense that I am also processing while simultaneously digitizing.

Mayor David N. Dinkins speaks at ribbon cutting ceremony for new low income HPD [Housing Preservation and Development] Housing Cooperative Apartments, March 3, 1992. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Contrary to typical archival workflows in which records are digitized after a collection has been processed, this project combines multiple roles into one: creating an inventory, rehousing material, shooting and editing images, collecting and remediating metadata, and preparing content for publishing. There are various benefits to this method of archiving that I will describe in more detail below. But first, let’s take a quick look at former Mayor David N. Dinkins.

Headshot of Mayor David N. Dinkins taken at press conference: New Tenant for 7 World Trade Center, March 8, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

David Dinkins was New York City’s first Black mayor, serving in that office from 1990 to 1993. While this in itself is a noteworthy accomplishment, he had a long career in public service and achieved many firsts.

Born on July 10, 1927 in Trenton, New Jersey, Dinkins was one of the first Black members of the United States Marine Corps. He graduated from Howard University and then from Brooklyn Law School. Before his time as mayor, he served in the New York State Assembly and then was appointed as the City Clerk, when, notably, Dinkins transferred the City’s records of New Amsterdam to the Municipal Archives. He then served as the Manhattan Borough President from 1986 to 1989. Dinkins was a founding member of the Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus of New York State, the Council of Black Elected Democrats of New York State, and One Hundred Black Men. He passed away on November 23, 2020.

Press Conference: Mondello Verdict, May 18, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Mayor David N. Dinkins meets with a group of high school students participating in Operation Understanding, August 2, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Some of David Dinkins’ most notable policies include changing the composition of the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) to be fully independent of the NYPD (which contributed to a Police Benevolent Association-backed riot of 4,000 off-duty cops on September 16, 1992), obtaining funding to increase the size of the NYPD and begin the decades-long reduction in crime rates, signing a long-term lease with the United States Tennis Association National Tennis Center to host the U.S. Open (one of the city’s top revenue sources), revitalizing neglected housing in Harlem, South Bronx, and Brooklyn, and creating a housing program for New Yorkers experiencing houselessness. Many identify Dinkins’ controversial response to the 1991 Crown Heights Uprisings as a primary reason for his reelection defeat by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Mayor David N. Dinkins speaks at 17th Annual Foster Grandparents Recognition Program with Mrs. Joyce Dinkins, May 31, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Mayor David N. Dinkins speaks at Bill Signing Ceremony with Governor Mario M. Cuomo, Battery Park, May 22, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

How does the Municipal Archives capture and preserve this particular mayor and time in New York City’s history?

Mayor David N. Dinkins plays Tennis With Jennifer Capriati, August 21, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Standard archival practice typically involves multiple but distinct steps carried out by different archivists at different times. After a collection is accepted and added into the archives (a process called accession and appraisal), an archivist will process the collection. This involves conducting an inventory of the records, organizing items based on the creator’s original order, and rehousing anything that may need new folders or boxes. When this activity is complete, an archivist will digitize selected images. From there, a digital archivist will remediate all the textual information (metadata like names, dates, and locations), create digital filenames, and upload everything into a preservation software or collections management system for long-term storage.

Mayor David N. Dinkins speaks at groundbreaking ceremony for P.S. [Public School] / I.S. [Intermediate School] 217, The Roosevelt Island School, to be built by The New York City School Construction Authority, April 30, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Photograph of the Dinkins Collection in the stacks at 31 Chambers Street.

But that is not what we decided to do for this collection. Rather, we chose to combine the aforementioned steps so that one person (yours truly) is performing them all at once, with the guidance and input of colleagues in Digital Programs, Conservation, Collections Management, Reference, and Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The benefit to this method includes maintaining consistency throughout the entire process so that everything from the camera set-up to the filenames is standardized and ready to go.

Before taking you through my workflow, I’ll shed some light on the scope and content of this soon-to-be-published collection, which contains 139 ½ cubic foot boxes. Each box contains labeled folders filled with photographic negatives, photographic prints, corresponding paperwork, and sometimes (though rarely) ephemera, which all relate to a specific event from the Dinkins administration. Some examples include Dinkins’ swearing-in ceremony, Nelson and Winnie Mandela’s visit to New York City, the Puerto Rican Day Parade, and of course numerous courtesy calls and press conferences.

Mayor David N. Dinkins and Joyce Dinkins at the swearing-in ceremony, January 1, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Nelson and Winnie Mandela at City Hall, June 20, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Students and staff at Medgar Evars College greet Nelson and Winnie Mandela, June 20, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Nelson Mandela takes photograph with boxers Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson; June 22, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Mayor David N. Dinkins hosts a reception in honor of Asian American business leaders, July 24, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Mayor David N. Dinkins marches in the Puerto Rican Day Parade, June 10, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

The materials arrived at the archives with some descriptive information attached, which makes processing a whole lot easier than when you have little or no context. We received a spreadsheet inventory filled out by members of Dinkins’ office, identifying events, dates, times, notable persons, locations, and other relevant information about each folder.

What happens between receiving the collection and getting the photographs up and viewable onto our website? Quite a lot actually.

Photograph of an open ½ cubic foot box.

First, I take a quick look at each box (working with five at a time), ensuring the folders are in order by date and time. Some boxes are overstuffed which can damage the materials by bending or warping them. Others are under-stuffed, which can also lead to damage by causing items to fold over themselves. In these instances, I either add or remove folders so that they are snug but not too tight in each box. After this, I update the pre-existing inventory with new folder and box numbers.

Photograph of a negative contact sheet.

Photograph of a negative sleeve.

Photograph of the author shooting a film strip in the darkroom at 31 Chambers Street.

After I have completed processing five boxes, I begin to shoot them using a DT Atom camera, a lightbox, a negative carrier, and Capture One photo-editing software. The negatives come in sleeves with contact sheets attached. Most of the time, someone from the mayor’s office already chose which images to be printed by marking a frame with a red wax pencil. This of course makes my job easier as I simply follow their guidance. However, many times contact sheets are unmarked, so the decision is left to me. This requires a surprising amount of time, as I try to be intentional and thoughtful about which images are important to have online.

To streamline this process, I created a list of criteria. This includes:

• Clarity/quality: Is the frame out of focus? Is the negative strip damaged? Are people’s eyes closed? etc.

• Content: Frames that show multiple and new people not yet captured.

• DEI concerns: Ensuring a wide diversity of individuals captured.

• Historical context: Any visible text, signage, architecture, etc.

• Format: A combination of candid and portraits/color and black-and-white.

Mayor David N. Dinkins demonstrates the accessibility of the city’s subways for people with disabilities, June 29, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Aerial view of Manhattan skyline, April 9, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

After shooting each sleeve, I change the image names to the official filenames that will appear on our storage server and in Preservica (a seemingly miniscule yet critical task that ensures the longevity, consistency, and user accessibility of our digital materials). The filenames include information about the collection number, series number, box number, and item number. For example, the filename REC0037_13_001_001_01_01 tells us that the collection is REC0037, that the series is 13 (which identifies that it’s photographs), that the box number is 1, that the negative sheet is 1 (there are usually more than one per folder), and that the frame is 1.

Next, comes editing and exporting the images. The Municipal Archives adheres to the Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative (FADGI), so editing is fairly basic, as too much can interfere with these standards. Most importantly, I straighten and crop each shot so that there is only one image per frame. Some negatives are damaged by environmental factors like time and improper handling. In these cases, I may adjust levels or exposure to ensure clarity. This is particularly true for color images.

Screenshot of Capture One photo-editing software

After editing, I export the files into TIFF images. TIFFS are the highest resolution files (unlike JPGS or PNGS which are lower resolution) and therefore used for preservation-quality master copies. This only takes several minutes, but moving the files onto our storage server can take up to an hour due to their size and volume.

When the photographs are ready, I begin to enter the metadata from the original inventory as well as additional information I’ve collected into a Dublin Core spreadsheet. Dublin Core is the archival standard that we use for all collections (aside from audiovisual and moving image collections which require unique standards). Dublin Core is used to ensure the format of each information field, like title, date, and location, is consistent and ready for our digital preservation archivists to ingest into Preservica.

Mayor David N. Dinkins accompanies the tenant patrol of the New York Housing Authority’s Brevoort House on its evening rounds, September 24, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Mayor David N. Dinkins hosts a lawn party in honor of the children of New York City, June 8, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Announcing the ASCAP [American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers] Foundation's Louis Armstrong Fund with Cab Calloway, August 18, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Although most of the metadata has already been collected by members of the Dinkins Photo staff at the time of creation, some information may need editing. This includes adding the first names of women (who are often described as Mrs. [insert husband’s name]), problematic and archaic terminology (the archives intentionally keeps original language and we contextualize and update wording within [brackets]), spelling out acronyms, and editing grammatical and spelling errors.

There are a lot of people captured in these images whose names are not in the documentation and who we can’t easily identify. To tackle this issue, we have created a pilot project to crowd-source information from members of former Mayor Dinkins administration. Who better to name and describe the individuals featured than the individuals themselves! We will report on this part of the project in a future blog.

Mayor David N. Dinkins testifies before House Subcommittee on bills to expand Medicaid coverage for HIV III [Human Immunodeficiency Virus] and to provide residential drug treatment for pregnant women, September 10, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work required in an archival digitization project. With the overwhelming amount of online media to which many of us are now accustomed, this might be surprising. But, but hopefully this blog can shed light on why “digitizing everything” is simply unrealistic. After all, these projects involve a high cost of labor, time, and funding. All that being said, while this work can be meticulous, repetitive, and invisible, there is definitely fun to be had. Below I’ve included some of my favorite images. We’re still in the beginning part of this project, having digitized 25 boxes with about 120 boxes remaining.

Winnie Mandela and Dinkins at a private luncheon at United States Coast Guard Building, June 20, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Audience watches Nelson Mandela receive a key to the City Of New York, June 20, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Mayor David N. Dinkins speaks at a rally of 400 junior and senior high school students, June 18, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Lawn party in honor of the children of New York City, June 8, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

ASCAP [American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers] Foundation's Louis Armstrong Fund with Cab Calloway, August 18, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Joyce Dinkins hosts a party for children enrolled in New York City's Early Childhood Program with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Goofy, July 6, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

Mayor David N. Dinkins greets school children at Bill Signing Ceremony, Battery Park, May 22, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.

David and Joyce Dinkins at the private swearing in, January 1, 1990. Joan Vitale Strong, photographer. Mayor Dinkins Photograph Collection, NYC Municipal Archives.