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The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History Acquires Christopher Little's Archive

November 16, 2021 Karen Gaines

Elton John and Ann-Margret, Studio 54, New York City © Christopher Little

CHRISTOPHER LITTLE: ESTABLISHING A NEW FUTURE 

Photographer Christopher Little, the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History (est. 1991), and a 21st-century non-profit 

Santa Fe, NM, November, 2021–The non-profit Photography Collections Preservation Project (PCPP) is proud to announce that the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History has acquired a significant collection of work by Connecticut-based photographer Christopher Little. The collection consists of photographs, negatives, transparencies, contact sheets, ephemera items, and digital materials that spans over 39 years (1972-2011) of Little’s career as an esteemed photojournalist. 

Placing such exceptional bodies of work is PCPP’s reason for being. Founded in 2016, it set out to preserve the endangered life’s work of some of the greatest photographers of the 20th century, the last generation to work in film. Such collections tend to resist acquisition because they are massive, unorganized, and complicated by issues of archiving, digital storage, physical preservation, and rights management. Very few bodies of work avoid this fate. 

PCPP’s mission is to seek out such imperiled cultural, historical, and educational assets, to organize them for accession, and to match the work with the best possible institutional stewards. PCPP acts as a good-faith advisor to all parties, but our first allegiance is to the work, and our highest priority is to ensure that it is preserved and made accessible to scholars, the public, and future generations. 

Christopher Little’s body of work is a wonderful example. Mr. Little worked with PCPP to organize his collection of photography and ephemera, including prints, contact sheets, postcards and correspondence related to his expansive photographic portfolio of public figures and international subjects. During his career, Little spent 21 years photographing for People magazine (1980-2001) and three years traveling across 23 countries while serving as Official Photographer to His Highness the Aga Khan (1980-1983). Little owes part of his success to the legendary picture editors he has had the privilege of working with, including People’s M.C. Marden, whose photo department assigned Little more than 350 stories and positioned Little to make captivating portraits of countless American politicians, celebrities, and so-called “ordinary” people. From current President–then Senator–Joe Biden and former Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton to television and film megastars Oprah and Katharine Hepburn to world famous American musicians like Johnny Cash, Cher, and the rock band, Blondie, Little has shot it all. 

Christopher Little’s lifelong dedication to image-making and his reputation for forming intimate, meaningful connections with his subjects is what makes this acquisition by the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History that much more historic. 

“Thanks to the hard work of my friends at PCPP, my collection of almost half-a-million negatives, transparencies, and prints will be heading to The Briscoe Center for American History this summer,” Mr. Little announced. “I am thrilled and honored that my lifetime's work has been selected to reside—be cared for and made available—at Briscoe, the foremost national repository for the work of photojournalists.”

See Christopher Little’s project page for more information about his work as well as PCPP and Little’s partnership. Click here to read the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History’s press release. PCPP is grateful to the support of its staff, interns, board, and donors as well as the staff of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History for making this acquisition possible.

 President George H.W. Bush and the photographer. The White House. 1989. © Christopher Little

President George H.W. Bush and the photographer. The White House. 1989. © Christopher Little

 Katharine Hepburn on the rooftop of her house, Turtle Bay, New York City © Christopher Little

Katharine Hepburn on the rooftop of her house, Turtle Bay, New York City © Christopher Little

 Carol Channing with 40th U.S. President Ronald Reagan and New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller backstage at the opening of “Hello Dolly.” © Christopher Little

Carol Channing with 40th U.S. President Ronald Reagan and New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller backstage at the opening of “Hello Dolly.” © Christopher Little

 Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee, Regent Park “walk-about,” 1979 © Christopher Little

Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee, Regent Park “walk-about,” 1979 © Christopher Little

 Oprah Winfrey, Chicago © Christopher Little

Oprah Winfrey, Chicago © Christopher Little

 President George H.W. Bush and the photographer. The White House. 1989. © Christopher Little  Katharine Hepburn on the rooftop of her house, Turtle Bay, New York City © Christopher Little  Carol Channing with 40th U.S. President Ronald Reagan and New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller backstage at the opening of “Hello Dolly.” © Christopher Little  Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee, Regent Park “walk-about,” 1979 © Christopher Little  Oprah Winfrey, Chicago © Christopher Little

Karen Gaines Executive Director, PCPP  Phone: 202-320-2209   Email: karen@photographypreservation.org

Tags Christopher Little, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, Archive, Acquisition
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