These papers offer an extensive look at Bernard Bragg’s career, particularly from the mime years of the late 1950s to his last performances in the 2000s. This includes photos, program books and flyers, posters, scripts, newspaper articles and reviews, and in many cases videos of him performing. While many of the videos are in obsolete formats and may be difficult to access, there are still many videos in newer formats that should still be readable.

Besides Bragg’s own work, these papers should also be of interest to those researching the history of the National Theater of the Deaf, since Bragg preserved his original correspondence with David Hays about the founding of the NTD, as well as several folders of press clippings from NTD tours and some videos of NTD performances, particularly My Third Eye and Tyger! Tyger! And Other Burnings. There is also some material on deaf theater in general, particularly in Russia and Hong Kong.

Bragg was also a friend and collector of the deaf artist Morris Broderson, and these papers include a large collection of slides of Broderson’s artwork, as well as programs from some of his exhibits and his memorial. It also includes some material created by Bragg’s parents, mostly home movies and photographs.

Besides this collection and the related material in the Gallaudet University Archives, the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) in Rochester also has a collection of Bragg’s papers that may be of interest to researchers.