New York City Morgue photographs for 1868 to 1966
Description
The accession consists of photographs, indexes, and a small group of expense vouchers. The majority of the materials are black-and-white photographs mounted on 4 x 6 inch cards showing the faces of people who died from criminal violence, died while unattended by a doctor, or otherwise died in an irregular manner. There are a small number of color photos from the 1960s. Description accompanying the photos varies over time but can include: morgue number; date/time body was brought to the morgue; where body was found; race (ethnicity); gender; age, height; hair color and description; eye color; description of clothing; if the person was identified and by whom; date buried and location (cemetery); and coroner's name. Arrangement is by a number that appears to be assigned on a chronological basis. Between 1915 to 1929, two photos were taken and mounted on the same card. Inventories exist from 1934 on and arranged by number or approximate chronological order, by borough, or citywide. Prior to 1934, names were often absent. The photos have been reboxed into acid free material.
Extent
38 cubic feet
Dates
1868-1966
Record Groups
Names
External Documents
Source
- National Museum of Health and Medicine (U.S.) (Organization)
Creator
- New York (N.Y.). Coroner (Organization)
- New York (N.Y.). Office of Chief Medical Examiner (Organization)
Access to Unprocessed Archival Collections
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