Joseph Albers with Black Mountain College student, Robert De Niro Sr. 

Courtesy of Western Regional Archives, a branch of the North Carolina State Archives

Josef Albers (1888-1976) served as Rector of Black Mountain College from 1941 to 1949. During this time, the College moved to the Lake Eden property.  This section includes documents and photographs about the growth of visual arts, pottery, weaving, and architectural innovations at the College, led by artists Joseph and Anni Albers, M.C. Richards, and Buckminster Fuller, among others.  In 1944, the College enrolled its first African-American student, Alma Stone, for the eleven-week summer session.