[Masks], circa 1960s

The J. Eugene Grigsby Jr. Papers consist primarily of 35mm slides showing Grigsby’s life and work as a Black artist and educator in the United States. Topics documented include Grigsby’s research into African, African-American, and Indigenous art and artists; his career as an art instructor at the high school and college levels; his service as advisor to Arizona State University’s Give a Damn Art Teachers (GDAT); his involvement in the artistic community at the local, state, and national levels; his participation in numerous community and gallery art events; and his family and friends.

Series I: Research houses primarily slides, photographs, and other materials documenting Grigsby’s research on African, African-American, and Indigenous art and artists. Sub-Series A: African, African-American, and Indigenous Art consists primarily of 35mm slides that Grigsby created during his 1972-1973 sabbatical depicting art and artistic styles originating in such African countries as Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zaire. Many of these images show masks, which were one of Grigsby’s primary research interests. Also included are examples of Indigenous art and artistic styles from Brazil, Australia, the Caribbean, and North America. Sub-Series B: Artists houses 35mm slides, negatives, and photographic prints depicting artists and their works organized alphabetically by the artist’s last name. Many of the individuals documented are Black artists active in the United States during the 20th century and especially between the 1950s through the 1990s; artists from numerous African countries and such old masters as Vincent van Gogh are also included. Sub-Series C: Other houses 35mm slides showing such subjects as murals and works held in museums that Grigsby visited.

Series II: Teaching consists primarily of 35mm slides showing Grigsby’s work as a teacher and professor at the high school and university levels. Sub-Series A: High School documents Grigsby’s time at Carver High School (1946-1954) and Phoenix Union High School (1954-1966) in addition to his work with numerous other high schools in the greater Phoenix area. It is suspected that Grigsby undertook some of this work in his capacity as faculty advisor for the Give A Damn Art Teachers at Arizona State University, but this connection remains theoretical. Sub-Series B: Arizona State University shows Grigsby’s time as a professor at ASU (1966-1988). Many of the slides in this section document Grigsby’s design and presentation of Art 480, which was usually offered under the title Art in the High School. Other classes represented include Art 420: Crafts for the Elementary School Teacher, Art 114: Life Drawing, and Art 404: African Art. It is suspected that the slides organized under Techniques were used to teach some or all of these courses. Also included are slides documenting Grigsby’s work with the Give a Damn Art Teachers and their outreach efforts. Sub-Series C: Other Teaching shows Grigsby’s teaching outside of the high school and college environments, including his work with experimental teaching. It is believed that the slides classified as Outreach represent his work with the Give a Damn Art Teachers, but this connection remains theoretical.

Series III: Professional Organizations and Conferences contains 35mm slides and photographic prints documenting Grigsby’s involvement with the professional community at the local and national levels. Among the organizations represented are the Consortium of Black Artists and Others for the Arts (COBA), which Grigsby helped to found and administer; the Arizona Art Education Association (AAEA); Artists of the Black Community/Arizona (ABC/Az); the National Art Education Association (NAEA) and its Committee on Multiethnic Concerns (COMC); and the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC), for which Grigsby served as Co-Director of the Southwest region of the North American zone.

Series IV: Exhibits, Art Events, and Publications consists primarily of 35mm slides documenting art events that Grigsby helped to organize or that Grigsby’s work was included in. Some of these events were coordinated by such organizations as Artists of the Black Community/Arizona (ABC/Az), the Urban League, and the Phoenix Art Museum.

Series V: Family and Friends consists primarily of 35mm slides depicting J. Eugene Grisgby, Jr., Thomasina Grigsby, Marshall C. Grigsby, J. Eugene Grigsby III, and J. Eugene Grigsby IV. Other images depict family reunions, family homes, and friends. Of particular interest are J. Eugene and Thomasina Grigsby’s Christmas cards, which include an original print by J. Eugene Grigsby in addition to a brief summary of the family’s activities and accomplishments during the preceding year.

Series VI: Subject Files houses 35mm slides organized by subject. Many of these slides represent locations in the western United States. Other subjects include landscapes, animals, architecture, airplanes and airports, trains, plants, and architecture.

Series VII: Other Materials houses images of events not related to art, unidentified images, and images whose subjects do not fit in the previous series.