The Black History & Culture Collection is a not‑for‑profit initiative created to provide access to historical and cultural images of the African/Black Diaspora in the US and UK, gathered from content owned by Getty Images.
The Black History & Culture Collection was created for non‑commercial use to build on existing educational materials, paving the way for a deeper understanding of Black History. Additionally, the visuals found within the Black History & Culture Collection offer inspiration for educational projects.
The Advisors
The Black History & Culture Collection was created in collaboration with renowned historians, artists, and educators, including Dr. Deborah Willis, Dr. Tukufu Zuberi, Dr. Mark Sealy MBE, Renée Mussai, Jina DuVernay, Kwame Asideu, and Renata Cherlise. Recently, Barbara Walker, MBE RA, and Lavinya Stennett, FRSA, joined the advisory team. The guidance of our advisors ensures that relevant and underrepresented historical imagery is added to the Collection each year.
The Methodology
The collection has been created through a methodology nurtured by educators. Their feedback, expertise and insight has supported the process in formulating the framework and future of the collection. For more information, please see the FAQ section below.
The History
We acknowledge that the historically dominant cultural structures that have built the photography industry and archives have been grounded in white supremacy dating back to the 19th century and beyond. This being the case, the Black experience has been often framed from a white gaze, informed by the ideology of white superiority, and associated structural racism.
Utilize this collection of rarely seen photographs to enhance and highlight untold stories from the past.
Utilize this collection of rarely seen photographs to enhance and highlight untold stories from the past.
The Content
The collection has launched with an initial focus on the histories of the African/Black Diaspora within the US and UK and includes images representing people, places, and events throughout history from the 19th century to the present day.
Do you have a project that requires historical content?
Request access below if you would like to use images from the Black History and Culture Collection in your educational project.
We're proud to be working with these organizations as they develop educational projects using these rarely seen before moments in history.
Why isn’t all of the content relevant to Black history and culture from Getty Images website included in the collection?
Not all content on the Getty Images website is owned by Getty Images. Getty Images represents content on behalf of 300 premium content partners and over 450,000 contributors across the globe.
Because Getty Images is making this content available free of charge for non‑commercial uses, only content owned by Getty Images—as we own the copyright—can be licensed free of charge. We hope some of our content partners join us in this mission in the future.
Because Getty Images is making this content available free of charge for non‑commercial uses, only content owned by Getty Images—as we own the copyright—can be licensed free of charge. We hope some of our content partners join us in this mission in the future.
Why is there missing historical events and people from the collection?
The collection is not a definitive view of Black history, it is comprised of Getty Images’ wholly‑owned content (due to Getty Images owning the copyright and therefore able to license free of charge), and there are identified content gaps in our collection.
Part of the ongoing work of this collection will be to identify and fill those content gaps.
Part of the ongoing work of this collection will be to identify and fill those content gaps.
Why is Getty Images doing this?
Historically, Getty Images and the photography industry have not worked from a foundation of diversity, equity, and inclusion. For too long, the historically dominant cultural structures that have built the photography industry and archives have been grounded in white supremacy dating back to the 19th Century and beyond.
Getty Images is committed to changing that. The Black History & Culture Collection is part of a broader program of activity that addresses the commitments Getty Images has made toward anti‑racism, inclusion, and dismantling discrimination. One of the commitments centers around granting broader access to Getty Images’ content for education and reflection on cultural heritage. For more information, see here.
Getty Images is committed to changing that. The Black History & Culture Collection is part of a broader program of activity that addresses the commitments Getty Images has made toward anti‑racism, inclusion, and dismantling discrimination. One of the commitments centers around granting broader access to Getty Images’ content for education and reflection on cultural heritage. For more information, see here.
Who can request to use this content?
Projects who request donated content from the collection must be non‑commercial and support learning about and reflecting on the histories and cultures of the African/Black Diaspora. Projects must be created and available pro‑bono; i.e., media, creative resources, etc., are all being donated free of charge and are not charging advertising against the finished content.
Examples of its use could include learning materials within education projects. The collection is for projects that take Black history and culture as the central theme to educate audiences and inspire new narratives.
Note: As soon as a project moves into the realm of commercial—i.e., monetization from advertising, fees for broadcast, etc., the content will need to be licensed.
Examples of its use could include learning materials within education projects. The collection is for projects that take Black history and culture as the central theme to educate audiences and inspire new narratives.
Note: As soon as a project moves into the realm of commercial—i.e., monetization from advertising, fees for broadcast, etc., the content will need to be licensed.
How long does it take to receive access to the collection?
Please allow up to two weeks for our internal team to review your request and provide you with next steps.
Why isn’t all of the content relevant to Black history and culture from Getty Images website included in the collection?
Not all content on the Getty Images website is owned by Getty Images. Getty Images represents content on behalf of 300 premium content partners and over 450,000 contributors across the globe.
Because Getty Images is making this content available free of charge for non‑commercial uses, only content owned by Getty Images—as we own the copyright—can be licensed free of charge. We hope some of our content partners join us in this mission in the future.
Because Getty Images is making this content available free of charge for non‑commercial uses, only content owned by Getty Images—as we own the copyright—can be licensed free of charge. We hope some of our content partners join us in this mission in the future.
What happens if my work becomes commercial?
If your work becomes commercial after downloading and using the content, please contact csr@gettyimages.com to set discussing setting up the license for commercial use.
How many images can I download?
You can request up to 500 assets to download for a project. Organizations requesting more assets will be reviewed on a case‑by‑case basis.
How can I put in a request to use this content now?
I am an owner of a selection of Black historical content, how can it be included in this project?
Content partners who wish to offer content donations can do so by contacting csr@gettyimages.com
Who curated this content?
Getty Images’ Archive team curated the Black History & Culture Collection in consultation with Dr. Deborah Willis of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Jina DuVernay of Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library, Dr. Tukufu Zuberi of the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Mark Sealy MBE and Renée Mussai, both of British‑based international, non‑profit‑making, photographic arts agency Autograph.
How was the content curated?
Our expert team of archivists and researchers partnered with a range of historical and archive experts from diverse backgrounds to collectively present this collection. For more information on the curation methodology, please contact csr@gettyimages.com.
Historically, Getty Images and the photography industry have not worked from a foundation of diversity, equity, and inclusion. For too long, the historically dominant cultural structures that have built the photography industry and archives, such as the Hulton Archive, have been grounded in white supremacy dating back to the 19th Century and beyond.
Getty Images is committed to changing that. The Black History & Culture Collection is part of a wider program of activity that addresses the commitments Getty Images has made toward anti‑racism, inclusion, and dismantling discrimination. For more information, visit our Black Lives Matter statement.
Getty Images is committed to changing that. The Black History & Culture Collection is part of a wider program of activity that addresses the commitments Getty Images has made toward anti‑racism, inclusion, and dismantling discrimination. For more information, visit our Black Lives Matter statement.
