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AFRICAN CEREMONIES INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 371492356 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A23 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · africanceremonies.com
revenue
$468K
expenses
$479K
net assets
$329K
employees
0
program ratio
67%
mission · from form 990

AFRICAN CEREMONIES INC. IS DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF AFRICAN TRIBAL TRADITIONS THROUGH THE PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION OF CEREMONIES AND CUSTOMS, THEREBY ENSURING THAT THE STRENGTH AND ESSENCE OF AFRICAN CULTURE IS PRESERVED FOR THE HISTORY OF MANKIND AND FOR THE EDUCATION OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.

profile · synthesized from sources

African Ceremonies Inc. is dedicated to preserving African tribal traditions through photographic and film documentation of ceremonies and customs across the continent. Founded by photographers Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher, the organization maintains an extensive archive of 750,000 images and over 1,000 hours of video from 150 cultural groups in 40 African countries. It supports educational outreach, cultural preservation, and community-based aid projects in partnership with the communities it documents.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $21K
    PAYMENTS MADE TO PROVIDE MEDICAL, DROUGHT RELIEF AND EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE IN SCHOOLS AND ELSEWHERE TO THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Africa Online Museum
Digital interactive platform providing free public access to archive materials, designed for educational and research use
African Ceremonies Archive
Comprehensive photographic and film archive documenting 150 cultural groups across 40 African countries, including 750,000 images and 1,000+ hours of video footage
Community Support Projects
Grassroots aid initiatives including drought relief, school construction, medical and educational support, and artisan reinvestment in partner communities
Educational Outreach
Produces short documentary films and educational materials for use in universities and museums to promote understanding of African cultural traditions
Fieldwork Documentation
Ongoing ethnographic fieldwork to document traditional ceremonies and rituals in African countries not yet fully represented in the archive
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Indigenous and Diaspora Cultural Preservation 3 activities
    • Documenting African cultural traditions and ceremonies
      Conducts extensive ethnographic fieldwork across Africa to record and preserve cultural traditions, ceremonies, customs, and art forms, resulting in a comprehensive archive of photographs, video, music, and handwritten journals from over 150 cultural groups across 32–40 African countries over fifty years.
    • Presenting cultural exhibitions globally
      Organizes and presents photographic exhibitions on African ceremonies and cultures in museums and galleries across six continents to promote public education and awareness.
    • Supporting African artisans and reinvesting in communities
      Supports jewelry artisans in Maasailand and Wodaabeland and reinvests profits into their communities to promote cultural preservation and economic sustainability.
  • Cultural Exchange and Mutual Understanding Programs 1 activity
    • Conducting reciprocal cultural projects with African communities
      Engages in reciprocal projects with traditional African societies that have supported its documentation work, including community development and cultural preservation initiatives.
  • Clean Water Infrastructure and Access 1 activity
    • Developing water access infrastructure in the Sahel
      Constructed three 60-meter wells in the Sahel region using traditional water diviners and Hausa well-diggers to support Wodaabe nomads during the dry season.
  • Archival Digitization and Preservation 1 activity
    • Maintaining and providing public access to the African Ceremonies Archive
      Preserves and provides free public access to a digital archive of images, video, music recordings, and research collected over 50 years of fieldwork, including the donation of the African Ceremonies Archive to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art as a promised gift in April 2026.
  • Disaster Relief and Recovery Services 1 activity
    • Providing drought and medical relief to African communities
      Delivers direct humanitarian assistance including medical support, food relief, and veterinary care during droughts, particularly to Wodaabe nomads in the Sahel region, including provision of education and medical kits to sustain zebu herds during a 10-month dry season.
  • General Educational Programming 1 activity
    • Providing educational and professional development support
      Offers educational support to individuals in African communities, contributing to outcomes such as university enrollment and professional employment in media and development sectors.
  • School Infrastructure Development 1 activity
    • Supporting education and infrastructure in African communities
      Finances construction of schoolhouses, provides educational support, and funds community infrastructure projects such as shelters and food gardens in Samburu, Turkana, and Wodaabe communities to support education and resilience during seasonal and pandemic challenges.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Lecturing at major academic and exploratory institutions
      Delivers lectures on African cultures and fieldwork at prominent institutions including the Royal Geographical Society, The Explorers Club, and the National Geographic Society to share research and promote cultural understanding.
    • Publishing research and photographic works on African cultures
      Produces and publishes books and documentary films that document African cultural ceremonies, rites of passage, body art, and changing traditions, including the two-volume "African Ceremonies," "Passages," "Faces of Africa," "Lamu: Kenya’s Enchanted Island," "Painted Bodies," "African Twilight," and "100 Best Photographs," as well as five documentary films such as "Maasai Eunoto" (2024).
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$468K
Contributions & grants$459K98%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$280%
Other revenue$10K
expenses
Total expenses$479K
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead27%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$45K
Grants paid out$21K
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$329K
Cash$59K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$329K
Liquid reserves1.5 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +94.2%
relationships · 12

Who they work with

  • 40 African universities Partner — Partner institutions in the Africa Online Museum project.
  • Angela Fisher Partner — Co-founder of African Ceremonies Foundation and contributor to the photographic archive of African cultures.
  • Carol Beckwith Partner — Co-founder of African Ceremonies Foundation and contributor to the photographic archive of African cultures.
  • George Okello Abungu Partner — Associate Professor of Heritage Studies at the University of Mauritius who has endorsed the African Ceremonies archive as a vital cultural resource.
  • Godfried Agbezudor Partner — Founder of Continent Explorer and specialist on traditional African cultures who has recognized the value of African Ceremonies' photographic documentation.
  • Maasai Orphans Education Fund Partner — Collaborates with or is acknowledged by the Maasai Orphans Education Fund in promoting cultural awareness.
  • National Geographic Society Partner — Long-term collaborator with a 40+ year association, featuring ten articles in National Geographic Magazine, three cover stories, three television films, two lecture tours, two exhibitions, and book publication support.
  • Niger’s Veterinary Service Partner — Collaborated with African Ceremonies Foundation to provide education and medical kits to sustain Wodaabe zebu herds during drought.
  • Royal Geographical Society Network — Honorary Fellows recognized for lifetime contributions to the photographic recording of African ethnography and ritual.
  • Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art Partner — Partnered to house the African Ceremonies Archive as a promised gift in the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives.
  • The Explorers Club Partner — Lectured at The Explorers Club in New York City; recipients of the Lowell Thomas Award for distinction in exploration.
  • Würzburg University Partner — Collaborated on the development of the Africa Online Museum.
strategies · 2

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Cultural Preservation Through Documentation
    methodology: cultural_preservation_through_documentation
    By systematically documenting African tribal ceremonies and customs—especially those at risk of disappearing—through photography and ethnographic fieldwork, the organization preserves cultural heritage for historical and educational purposes, because such documentation serves as a vital record amid social change.
  • Reciprocal Exchange in Community Engagement
    methodology: reciprocal_exchange
    By engaging in grassroots projects that respond to communal and personal needs, the organization upholds the cultural principle of reciprocal exchange, strengthening trust and collaboration with African communities because mutual support is foundational to sustained cultural documentation.