Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles, and other cultural institutions will now have access to an archive of more than 4 million photographs from Ebony and Jet magazines. This purchase, with the support of the Ford, Andrew W. Mellon, and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundations and the J. Paul Getty Trust, will allow scholars, researchers, and the public access to important journalism and history.

According to Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, “The archive is a national treasure and one of tremendous importance to the telling of black history in America.”

The museums hope to preserve and recognize these publications and rich stories by making content accessible to the public and future generations. In addition, they hope to showcase a panorama of the African American experience through photographs of political, social, and artistic leadership including Muhammad Ali, Aretha Franklin, and Martin Luther King Jr.