The Foundation centers its work around the central main pillars of free public programs; stewardship and activation of archives and collections; creative entrepreneurship and economic development; and direct support to artists.
Stony Island Arts Bank is home to 4 collections— The Frankie Knuckles Vinyl Collection, Ed J. Williams Collection, Glass Lantern Slides, and the Johnson Publishing Library. Each of these collections centers on a particular facet of visual culture and contains thousands of items.
The objects in these collections are from a variety of historical moments, offer a diversity of media, and were intended for multiple publics. Together the collections and their housing at the Arts Bank help to rethink Black archival practices in the context of artist-driven research and public programming. These collections do not remain inactive as objects to be visited or preserved, but in fact they take on energetic activity as they are often featured in artist installations, interactive programming, and educational engagements.
JPC Library
The Johnson Publishing Library contains a special collection of over 12,000 books once housed in the research library and executive offices of the Johnson Publishing Company. This library came out of necessity— writers, page runners, fact checkers needed these books to do the research sufficient to uphold journalistic integrity for these publications. Incomplete and noncomprehensive, JPL is a focused collection based off necessity and therefore not striving towards the kind of breadth one might find in another kind of institutional library.
Frankie Knuckles
With over 4,000 records, the Frankie Knuckles Vinyl Collection offers an intimate glimpse into the Godfather of House Music’s personal anthology of vinyl, showcasing the celebrated DJ’s dynamic sonic source material. Many of these vinyl records feature handwritten notes to Frankie by artists, producers, or fans who wanted to express their admiration, respect, and gratitude for his curation of deeply sacred and liberatory space.
Over 1,000 records represent rare editions, acetates, test pressings, or promo albums, providing an invaluable asset for our collective understanding of groundbreaking artistry, music and social history, and the lives, objects and legacies that artists leave behind. This collection reflects the Knuckles’ precision and range, mobilizing what so many have reflected on as a prolific and unparalleled ability to use the DJ booth as a call to fellowship and spiritual release.
Ed Williams
The Edward J. Williams Collection features approximately 4,000 objects of “negrobilia” that make use of stereotypical images of black people. Williams began collecting these items 30 years ago to remove their offensive imagery from public circulation, and the collection now serves as a reminder of history and a catalyst for ongoing examination. The collection also includes objects of personal meaning, including found photo books, print media, and the like. This collection is particularly challenging as it offers up an act of care even while preserving the very objects intends to reinforce systems of racial violence and harm.
Glass Lantern Slide Collection
The Glass Lantern Slides collection contains over 60,000 glass slides from the University of Chicago’s Department of Art History and Visual Resources Center intended for instructional purposes. Established in 1902, the University of Chicago’s Art History Department and VRC started the collection with purchased box sets which were often sold thematically by subject to university, social clubs, libraries. For their time, glass lantern slides were an unprecedented educational technology as they enabled, for the first time, a large class of students or audience to view and discuss an art reproduction together. During the second half of the 20th century, glass lantern slides were basically phased out, as slide libraries transitioned to about 350,000 35mm slides.
ARCHIVE
& COLLECTION
Stony Island Arts Bank is home to 4 collections— The Frankie Knuckles Vinyl Collection, Ed J. Williams Collection, Glass Lantern Slides, and the Johnson Publishing Library. Each of these collections centers on a particular facet of visual culture and contains thousands of items.
The objects in these collections are from a variety of historical moments, offer a diversity of media, and were intended for multiple publics. Together the collections and their housing at the Arts Bank help to rethink Black archival practices in the context of artist-driven research and public programming. These collections do not remain inactive as objects to be visited or preserved, but in fact they take on energetic activity as they are often featured in artist installations, interactive programming, and educational engagements.
JPC Library
Frankie Knuckles
Ed Williams
Glass Lantern Slide Collection
JPC Library
Frankie Knuckles
Ed Williams
Glass Lantern Slide Collection
About JPC Library
The Johnson Publishing Library contains a special collection of over 12,000 books once housed in the research library and executive offices of the Johnson Publishing Company. This library came out of necessity— writers, page runners, fact checkers needed these books to do the research sufficient to uphold journalistic integrity for these publications. Incomplete and noncomprehensive, JPL is a focused collection based off necessity and therefore not striving towards the kind of breadth one might find in another kind of institutional library.
About Frankie Knuckles
With over 4,000 records, the Frankie Knuckles Vinyl Collection offers an intimate glimpse into the Godfather of House Music’s personal anthology of vinyl, showcasing the celebrated DJ’s dynamic sonic source material. Many of these vinyl records feature handwritten notes to Frankie by artists, producers, or fans who wanted to express their admiration, respect, and gratitude for his curation of deeply sacred and liberatory space.
Over 1,000 records represent rare editions, acetates, test pressings, or promo albums, providing an invaluable asset for our collective understanding of groundbreaking artistry, music and social history, and the lives, objects and legacies that artists leave behind. This collection reflects the Knuckles’ precision and range, mobilizing what so many have reflected on as a prolific and unparalleled ability to use the DJ booth as a call to fellowship and spiritual release.
About Ed Williams
The Edward J. Williams Collection features approximately 4,000 objects of “negrobilia” that make use of stereotypical images of black people. Williams began collecting these items 30 years ago to remove their offensive imagery from public circulation, and the collection now serves as a reminder of history and a catalyst for ongoing examination. The collection also includes objects of personal meaning, including found photo books, print media, and the like. This collection is particularly challenging as it offers up an act of care even while preserving the very objects intends to reinforce systems of racial violence and harm.
About Glass Lantern Slide Collection
The Glass Lantern Slides collection contains over 60,000 glass slides from the University of Chicago’s Department of Art History and Visual Resources Center intended for instructional purposes. Established in 1902, the University of Chicago’s Art History Department and VRC started the collection with purchased box sets which were often sold thematically by subject to university, social clubs, libraries. For their time, glass lantern slides were an unprecedented educational technology as they enabled, for the first time, a large class of students or audience to view and discuss an art reproduction together. During the second half of the 20th century, glass lantern slides were basically phased out, as slide libraries transitioned to about 350,000 35mm slides.
