James Van der Zee was born in 1886 and migrated to Harlem from from Lenox Massachusetts in 1906. A gifted youth, he took an early interest in music and photography building a dark room in his parents home to develop the many photographs of the residents of Harlem.

As a young man he began to earn a living in Harlem as a professional photographer particularly during the years of the Harlem renaissance. From famous American actors like Paul Robeson to religious leaders like Adam Clayton Powell Sr. to the beauty of the Harlem debutante and socialite, Van der Zee captured the essence of Harlem’s most culturally refined era.
His works, featured in the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian, reflect over 70 years of cultural artistry.