Collection: William P. Gottleib Photographs of Jazz Musicians

This collection features jazz photographs by writer-photographer William P. Gottlieb, taken between 1938 and 1948, during the "Golden Age of Jazz" when swing reached its peak and modern jazz emerged. While working for the Washington Post, Down Beat magazine, and Record Changer, Gottlieb photographed and interviewed jazz pioneers in Washington, D.C., and New York City. A self-taught photographer, he skillfully captured the personalities of jazz musicians in a sensitive, storytelling style. This collection is a key contribution to documenting American culture during jazz's heyday. Gottlieb's images of jazz legends, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, and many others, are among the most widely reproduced of the era.