Walter and Florence Lewisohn researched and partly lived in the Caribbean for nearly a quarter century. In the 1950s many Caribbean islands successfully campaigned to attract the new post-war wealth of American, Canadian, and Europeans with new hotels and pristine beaches. The Lewisohns spent their winters in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, beginning in 1957, due to the promise of the climate’s health benefits. Throughout the next twenty four years the documentarians filmed and recorded the cultural heritage of the islands and amassed a sizable personal collection of regional art and crafts. The Virgin Islands Council on the Arts, having recognized the importance of their work, sponsored Lewisohns’ research and collecting efforts.
In 1981, the Lewisohns donated their collection of arts and crafts to the Center for the Study of Southern Culture in support of the National Endowment for the Humanities Library Challenge Grant program. Their collection was then transferred to the University of Mississippi Museum that same year and has been available for study, display, and research ever since. Also included in the Lewisohn Collection is a small collection of 20th century American art and Native American artifacts. Several personal books and records can also be found at the J.D. Williams Library. Credit for facilitating the Lewisohn gift is due to photographer and University of Mississippi professor Maude Wahlman, who left Yale to teach in the Southern Studies department. Wahlman’s relationship with the Lewisohns, and knowledge of their desire to gift to an academic institution, allowed her to suggest the university as beneficiaries.
The Lewisohn Collection, which emphasizes many aspects of the unique blending of cultures in the West Indies, has served as invaluable teaching material. The Lewisohns’ interest in collecting and preserving folk-art led them to publish books and films that represent the culturally diverse populations of the West Indies. The Lewisohn collection highlights the craftsmanship and artistry from around twenty-five Caribbean islands. The couple was interested in demonstrating the whimsical nature of folk art from the West Indies, and they enjoyed collecting art that is functional and emphasizes a connection to the land. The objects on display represent a vast group of people whose art highlights the amalgamated cultures born from African, European, and indigenous Taino cultures.
