Born in the Bronx: Preserving Hip Hop History
Johan Kugelberg at Library Salon, photo by Nessen
On October 6th the Cornell University Library hosted a NYC Salon: Born in the Bronx: Preserving Hip Hop History. The salon, based on a unique hip hop collection at the library, was presented by Johan Kugelberg, collector and author, “Born in the Bronx: A Visual Record of the Early Days of Hip Hop.” Mr. Kugelberg described the process of gathering these rare historical materials, and the importance of preserving hip hop’s history for current and future generations of students.
From the Hip Hop Colleciton; photo by Nessen
The Cornell University Hip Hop Collection link
In 2007 Cornell University Library acquired a significant archive on the history of hip hop culture and rap music, documenting its emergence in the Bronx in the 1970s and early 1980s. The Cornell Hip Hop collection includes more than one thousand sound recordings, the photographic archive of Bronx photographer Joe Conzo, Jr., a collection of more than five hundred original party and club flyers, and more. The collection is now part of a popular class at Cornell taught by the music department, generating alot of interest from scholars and students alike.
This event was sponsored by Bill Gratz ‘53 and Jay Bruno, Martha Coultrap ‘71 and Harvey Bagg, and Cornell University Library.