Cleve Overton papers
name: label: Creator
content: Overton, Cleve
label: Names
content: Andreasen, Jude
topic: label: Occupation
content: Mixed-media artists -- Washington (D.C).
label: Occupation
content: Mixed-media artists -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: African American artists
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Cleve Overton papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in 2022 by Jude Andreasen, Cleve Overton's wife.
creator: label: Creator
content: Overton, Cleve
setName: label: See more items in
content: Cleve Overton papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of Washington, D.C.-based mixed media artist Cleve Overton measure 3.8 linear feet and date from circa 1928-2022, bulk 1948-2020. Included are biographical materials; correspondence including letters from Overton to his wife Jude Andreasen while she was in various countries in Africa; writings, exhibition files, project files, printed materials, subject files, and photographs and photograph albums of Cleve, family, events, artwork, events and exhibitions.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Cleve Overton (1928-2020) was an African American mixed media artist based in Washington, D.C. Overton was born in Staten Island, New York on September 17, 1928.
 
From 1945 to 1948, Overton served in the military in an All-Black army unit, the 76th/933rd AAA battalion in Japan. He studied art at the New School and other New York schools. He also ran his studio, the Potter's Wheel, where he offered pottery classes, and later he founded and managed his business, Earthworks. He was a skilled welder. He also taught as an adjunct professor of art at Baruch College and the College of Staten Island, CUNY.

Overton collaborated on many projects with his wife, Jude Andreasen. They moved to Washington, D.C. in 1989. Overton traveled extensively and lived in many countries in Europe and Africa. His time in Senegal led to the creation of a photographic series which were exhibited in IFAN National Museum in Dakar and later became a book The Doors of Senegal that he published with Andreasen. The couple published a second book of photography together, and Overton wrote three other books of his own: a memoir, a book of essays, and a novel.

Overton exhibited widely and often. His mixed media art often reflected his profound commitment to environmental, social, and racial justice. He passed away in 2020.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 3.8 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1928-2022
label: Date
content: bulk 1948-2020
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.overclev
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Video recordings
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 7 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1928-2020 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1948-2021 (0.8 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1969-circa 2020 (0.3 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1992-2015 (0.6 linear feet; Boxes 2, 5)

Series 5: Project Files, 1987-2018 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 2-3, OV 6)

Series 6: Printed Material and Subject Files, 1948-2022 (Boxes 3, 5)

Series 7: Photographic Material, circa 1935-2020 (Boxes 3-5)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, prepared for digitization, and described in a finding aid by Rihoko Ueno in 2023.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: The bulk of the collection was digitized in 2023 and is available on the Archives of American Art website.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Video recordings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of Washington, D.C.-based mixed media artist Cleve Overton measure 3.8 linear feet and date from circa 1928-2022, bulk 1948-2020. Included are biographical materials; correspondence including letters from Overton to his wife Jude Andreasen while she was in various countries in Africa; writings, exhibition files, project files, printed materials, subject files, and photographs and photograph albums of Cleve, family, events, artwork, events and exhibitions.

Biographical material includes award certificates, biographical profiles, family history, travel documents, memorial records and obituaries, and an audiovisual recording from Cleve Overton's 80th birthday celebration. Also included is a disbound binder of biographical material compiled by Overton.

Correspondence mostly consists of Cleve Overton's letters to his wife Jude Andreasen while she lived in several countries in Africa as well as some letters he wrote to "Dear Ones," presumably friends and family. There are some letters from various correspondents addressed to Cleve Overton and there is one folder of condolence letters.

Writings include articles, essays, notes, and letters to the editor written by Cleve Overton. There is also one binder of book production records that was compiled by Overton and his wife Jude Andreasen about books they collaborated on and published.

Exhibition files consist of catalogs and announcements, clippings, photographs, artist statements, price lists, video recordings of receptions, and guestbooks of group and solo exhibitions of Cleve Overton's artwork.

Project files include correspondence, printed material, photographs, and other documentation related to Overton's art projects.

Printed material is mostly comprised of clippings, magazines, and books about Cleve Overton and his artwork, whereas subject files include a mixture of printed material, photographs and documents that were compiled by Overton on topics and artists that interested him. 

Photographs are of Cleve Overton, his artwork, friends and family, exhibitions (images are of the opening receptions as well as the art), military service in Japan, and various protests and marches he participated in. Most of the series is comprised of snapshots but there are also some slides and digital photographs.