Industry News
Getty’s Newest Collection Opens Access to Iconic Images of Black History
July 14, 2022
Getty’s newest collection—Black History & Culture Collection (BHCC)—aims to help tell the untold stories of African and Black Diaspora culture in the U.S. and U.K. The collection is available for free for non-commercial users, including educators, academics, researchers, and content creators.
The collection includes images from as far back as the 1800s. But, the collection is far from exclusively historic, including images of Black Lives Matter Rallies and athletes in the 2021 Olympics. The BHCC covers a wide range of topics, from scientists to artists to war heroes. The collection currently lists a total of 29,065 assets.
[Read: ‘Black Women Photographers’ Aims to Fill Industry Hiring Gap]
The collection comes from Getty’s vast library of images. The company says that the images were selected by a team of recognized researchers, historians, and educators. The list includes Dr. Deborah Willis, NYU School of the Arts; Dr. Tukufu Zuberi, University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Mark Sealy MBE and Renée Mussai, Autograph.
“Getty Images visual archive can provide a unique look into the past and bring untold stories to the present,” says Ken Mainardis, SVP of Content at Getty Images. “With the launch of the Black History & Culture Collection, we are so proud to be able to unearth and open-up access to content previously unavailable or hard to find, facilitating the better telling and understanding of Black history through our visual content.”
[Read: These Social Platforms Make Diverse Photographers More Visible]
Getty says that many organizations, including Ohio State University, Black Archives, Radiate Festival, and Black History Walks have already utilized the collection.
While the collection is free for non-commercial use, potential users have to request access to the collection. Getty indicates that a response can take up to two weeks.
Getty’s newest collection comes one year after Getty launched the Getty Images Photo Archive Grants for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.