Collected by Roger Steffens-- actor, author, lecturer, editor, archivist, photographer, producer, and founding editor of North America’s leading reggae/world beat magazine "The Beat." The Roger Steffens' Reggae Archives represents 35 years of intense work and devotion to reggae music. The collection is the world's largest repository of Bob Marley material. Select portions have been displayed around the world, including a 6,000 piece exhibit created for the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.
The Roger Steffens'Reggae Archives is the largest and most comprehensive historical archive of Jamaican music and culture in the world. It contains over 300,000 titles on records and tapes, over 2000 hours of video, more than 25,000 pictures, 30,000 flyers and over 120 cubic feet of newspaper clippings. The main archive currently occupies the first floor of Roger Steffen’s Los Angeles home. The archive is in dire need of relocation and digitization and is threatened by moisture, fire hazards, and theft.
These documents are rich stories of reggae’s profound influence on our world’s culture and history. They are statements that celebrate the diversity of our planet and the far-reaching political, spiritual and healing powers of music. You can go anywhere on the planet and mention the name "Bob Marley" and undoubtly you will receive a friendly smile in return. Bob's album "Exodus" has been selected as The Album of the Century by Time Magazine - he is unarguably the most influential artist of the 20th century. Roger Steffen's Reggae archive is the most complete historical account of the life and career of the artist and must be preserved for future generations.