Aaron Levin Photograph Collection, 1964-1968, 1990

The photographic materials were in the main created by Aaron Levin during his time at Oberlin College, 1964 to 1968. The bulk of the collection comprises negatives created for publication in the college yearbook, the Hi-O-Hi in 1965 and 1966. Levin was the yearbook photography editor in 1966. Other photographers are represented in a smaller number of negatives, presumably also taken for the yearbook. All of the photographic work is in black and white; nearly all of the negatives are 35 mm, with only a few in 120 mm. It appears that only one negative was taken outside of Oberlin; that one is of the Washington Memorial, probably taken during a campus-sponsored field trip.

The slides, which are copies of photographs taken during protests at the college in the late 1960s and in 1970, were prepared by Levin for the Vietnam Era Reunion at Oberlin College in November 1990.

The collection is arranged into three series.

Series 1. Photographic Prints, ca. 1964-68  (one folder)

These comprise only three 8 x 10-inch photographs. Two depict Tappan Square scenes. The other appears to be a copy of a newspaper image of the Carpenters for Christmas project in Mississippi in 1964. Oberlin and other students and community members worked to rebuild a black church that was burned to the ground. The church had hosted civil rights speakers and voter registration efforts that fall.

Series 2. Copy Slides for the Vietnam Era Reunion, Oberlin College, ca. 1967-70, 1990  (one folder)

            Levin prepared seventy-six copy slides in 35 mm for the Vietnam Era Reunion at Oberlin College, November 3-5, 1990. The original photographs from which the slides were made depict protest events at the college between roughly 1967 and 1970. Some of the originals may have been taken by Levin during his last two years before graduation. Some of the original photographs from which the slides were made can be found in the Oberlin College Archives.

Series 3. Negatives and Contact Sheets, ca. 1965-66  (0.6 l.f. less 2 folders)

            Subseries 1. By Aaron Levin

            The negatives in this subseries were taken by Levin, the rolls and contact sheets numbered by him. Some numbered negatives are missing in the subseries. Negatives and corresponding contact sheets are foldered together. Ten sets of Levin negatives do not have corresponding contact sheets, as noted on the folders. Subjects include student life, athletics, Conservatory instruction and performance, theater and opera performances, student recreation and dormitories, speakers on campus, buildings, faculty, and yearbook staff. One set of negatives was identified as associated with the 1965 student film Fantasticheria, depicting students in the snack bar.

            Subseries 2. By Other Photographers

            Negatives in this grouping were bundled and marked by Levin as having been taken by other photographers. These were likely submitted for publication in the yearbook, the Hi-O-Hi, as he was the photography editor in 1966. Only a few of the negatives have identifying information on the original sleeves. All negatives in original sleeves with more than one negative strip are together in their own negative pages, and are listed first. The last grouping consists of single negatives strips re-sleeved with others. There are no contact sheets in this subseries.