Willis E. Bell Photographic Archive

FAIN: PW-290463-23

Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI 48824-3407)
Candace Claytor (Project Director: July 2022 to present)

Preserving and making accessible 34,923 photographs by Willis E. Bell, an American photographer who lived in Accra, Ghana from 1957 to 1999.

Michigan State University and Mmofra Foundation have partnered on the Willis E. Bell Photographic Archive, building on a larger NEH-funded project directed by P.I. Dr. Keller at MSU–the Archive of Malian Photography. With NEH HCRR funding, from 9/1/23-8/31/25, this project will stabilize all 34,923 of Bell’s photographic negatives in situ by rehousing them in acid-free envelopes and boxes, create high-resolution digital scans, and develop a catalog of associated metadata. To preserve Ghana’s cultural heritage and raise international awareness of this significant collection by an American photographer in Africa during the mid-20th century, this project ensures that Bell’s archive will be freely accessible online via Kora, an open-source, database-driven digital repository managed by Matrix at MSU, and its public-facing website. Engaging students and scholars, this project will expand Ghana’s capacity in photography conservation and serve as a model for future projects in the region.