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Catalog Data

Collector:
Kovan, Florice Whyte  Search this
Author:
Whyte, Virgil (bandleader)  Search this
Names:
United Service Organizations (U.S.)  Search this
Virgil Whyte's "All-Girl" Band  Search this
Extent:
3 Cubic feet (11 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Postage stamps
Videotapes
Audiotapes
Postcards
Soap
Labels
Letterheads
Announcements
Clippings
Photomechanical prints
Photographs
Packages
Diaries
Place:
Racine (Wis.) -- 1940-1950
Date:
1942-1948, 1991-1993
Scope and Contents:
Includes 7 VHS videotapes and 1 audio tape produced by Florice Whyte Kovan, containing interviews and recollections by some band members. Studio portraits and snapshot photographs in 3 scrapbooks, which also contain display advertisements and newspaper clippings from about the band, 1940s. Snapshots include documentation of the band's travels and leisure activities while on the road, including swimming, horseback riding, etc. Packaged hotel soap bars collected by Betty Hansen during the bands' touring documents their itinerary, as do picture postcards written by Alice Smaus Jacoby.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into seven series. Series 1: Unmounted snapshots Series 2: Scrapbooks Series 3: Alice Smaus Jacoby's postcards Series 4: Packaged soap samples Series 5: Audiovisual Materials Series 6: Framed Portrait Photoprints Series 7: Oversized Photoprints The scrapbook pages are arranged in original order, apparently partly chronological, but series 1 snapshots are in topical order.
Biographical / Historical:
Founded 1942 in Racine, Wis., by Virgil Whyte, his "all-girl" band was composed of young Racine women. Whyte was instructor, manager, and the initial leader on drums; later his sister Alice took over as drummer. After initial success in Racine and elsewhere in Wisconsin, the band began to accept engagements in other parts of the country, eventually touring the U.S. The band's success drew other acts and performers, including Jill Fontaine and the Wilford Mae Trio, Sam Hearn (known as "Schlepperman"), the Woodson Sisters, and Paul La Verre and Bro. They did U.S.O. tours, entertaining servicemen. The principal donor, a free-lance researcher and writer, is the daughter of Virgil Whyte.
Provenance:
Collection donated by Florice Kovan, 1993.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Occupation:
Tap dancers -- 1940-1950  Search this
Topic:
Travel photography -- 1940-1950 -- U.S.  Search this
Barracks -- 1940-1950  Search this
Railroad passenger cars  Search this
Horseback riding -- 1940-1950  Search this
Singers -- 1940-1950  Search this
Comedians -- 1940-1950  Search this
Jazz musicians -- 1940-1950  Search this
Band music -- 1940-1950  Search this
World War, 1939-1945 -- Musicians  Search this
Horses -- 1940-1950  Search this
Women musicians -- 1930-1950  Search this
Beaches -- 1940-1950  Search this
Swimming pools -- 1940-1950  Search this
Swimming -- 1940-1950  Search this
Jazz -- 1940-1950  Search this
Portraits -- Women  Search this
Genre/Form:
Postage stamps
Videotapes
Audiotapes
Postcards
Soap -- Packaged
Labels
Letterheads
Announcements
Clippings
Photomechanical prints
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin -- 1940-1950
Packages
Diaries
Citation:
Virgil Whyte's "All-Girl" Band Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0503
See more items in:
Virgil Whyte "All-Girl" Band Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep862348874-be31-467f-81fb-a872a712966b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0503