About This Collection

This collection of photographs represents the early history of Gallaudet University and its campus in Washington, DC. The collection includes photographs of buildings and grounds, athletic events, student life, and student societies. More photographs will be added eventually as time permits. Examples of some of the images in this collection include: schools for the deaf in the United States; deaf organizations such as National Association of the Deaf and American Athletic Association of the Deaf; as well as a few images showing international deaf schools and organizations. The earliest photograph we have in our collection is circa 1847; the bulk dates are between 1867 and 1990s. There are approximately 10,000 images in our holdings. Some of the earliest photographs were produced between the 1880s and 1890s by a deaf photographer, Ranald Douglas. Some years later some images were taken by students. In this collection there are a few early photographs of the campus taken by two famous Civil War photographers, Mathew Brady and Alexander Gardner.

For more information please contact Gallaudet University Archives by email at archives@gallaudet.edu.