Photographs 1940s-1960s

ArchivalResource

The American Lutheran Church (1961-1987) Eskimo Missions Committee. Photographs 1940s-1960s

Photographs 1940s-1960s

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/123418344

This series comprises approximately 283 black and white and color photographs depicting the different locations of the Eskimo missions in Alaska by the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) and The American Lutheran Church during the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Also included in this series are 18 postcards of Alaskan towns and buildings, 34 negatives of individual members of various missions, and 83 of the black and white photos on contact sheets. The folders are separated primarily into the individual missions located throughout Alaska during this time. Any picture that cannot be properly identified is separated into generic folders such as "people" or "locations". The missions included are at Anchorage, Brevig, Fairbanks, Homer, Igloo, Juneau, Nome, Seward, Shishmaref and Teller. Depicted in these photographs are interior and exterior shots of some of the mission homes, Eskimo homes and congregational buildings. The mission home at Brevig was photographed in great detail. The housing situation at the Teller mission was also depicted in photographs as well as a typed report supplementing the pictures. Also seen in this series are candid photographs of members of the congregations, church leaders and everyday life of Eskimos. Some interesting photos are those of the daily life, including a boy catching a seal, goldminers bagging their treasure, an old woman untangling a fish net, a boy tanning leather and a few photos of missionary Helen Frost. Very few of the photographs were dated, so the exact time of the pictures are somewhat difficult to know for certain.

1 box (.2 cubic ft.)

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library, ELCA Library