Search Results

Creator:

Nesbitt, Saul, 1920-1993  Search this

Names:

Archway Cookies, Inc.  Search this

Borden's Farm Products Co. of Illinois  Search this

Campbell Soup Company  Search this

Cooper-Hewitt Design Archive  Search this

Eastman Kodak Company  Search this

Florists' Telegraph Delivery Association  Search this

Franco American Food Co.  Search this

Lever Brothers and Unilever, ltd.  Search this

National Distillers and Chemical Corporation  Search this

Nesbitt Associates, Ltd.  Search this

P. Ballantine & Sons  Search this

Philip Morris Incorporated  Search this

Revlon, Inc.  Search this

Schick (Firm)  Search this

Scott Paper Company  Search this

Seagram Company  Search this

Collector:

Cooper-Hewitt Design Archive  Search this

Extent:

3.5 Cubic feet (11 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Slides

Sketches

Transparencies

Press releases

Correspondence

Photographs

Media lists

Blueprints

Drawings

Clippings

Client lists

Samples

Date:

1951-1984, undated

Summary:

Collection primarily consists of photographic materials including color slides, color and black & white transparencies, and black & white photographs; press releases, articles, correspondence, press releases, client lists, and surveys documenting the life and work of packaging, industrial, and graphic designer Saul Nesbitt.

Scope and Contents:

Series 1, Background and Biographical Information, 1951-1984

Consists of Nesbitt's resume, an artist/designer statement, list of clients and accomplishments of Nesbitt Associates, Ltd., press releases, articles, and photographs of the designer.,The materials in this collection document Nesbitt's work from 1951 through 1984.

Series 2, Records of the Public Relations Office, 1955-1963

Includes press releases and clippings describing some Nesbitt's products, his theories on consumer motivation, and the results of his surveys, as well as correspondence with members of the press.

Series 3, Correspondence, dates

Contains general office communications

Series 4, Photographic Materials, 1951-1981

Consists of color slides, color and black and white transparencies, and black and white photographs of most of Nesbitt's designs for packaging from 1951-1981.

Series 5, Samples, undated

Includes three samples of fitted presentation boxes designed by Nesbitt, as well as a prototype for a design award for Parsons School of Design in New York, and two "Multiplication" cubes commissioned by the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Oversized materials include books jackets and booklets designed by Nesbitt, as well as some renderings for packaging designs done in color.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into five series:

Series 1, Background and Biographical Information, 1951-1984

Series 2, Records of the Public Relations Office, 1955-1963

Series 3, Correspondence, dates

Series 4, Photographic Materials, 1951-1981

Series 5, Samples, undated

Biographical / Historical:

Saul Nesbitt was a packaging, industrial, and graphic designer born in New York City on August 10, 1920. He was a student of sculptor Chaim Gross and studied art at many New York institutions including: Art Students League; New York University (NYU); Columbia University; Pratt Institute of Art; and the New School.

Nesbitt served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945 where he worked as a cartographer and as the head of the visual aid section in a military intelligence training center. In 1945, he joined the staff of Harper's Bazaar magazine where he was an illustrator assisting art director Alexey Brodovich. In 1946, Nesbitt was hired by the industrial design studio of Raymond Loewy as a handletterer and packaging designer.

Saul Nesbitt worked with Lippincott Industrial Design from 1948 to 1951. He opened his own design studio, Nesbitt Associates, Ltd. in 1951. The firm specialized in package design, trademarks, and corporate identities. Some of his most recognizable designs were for the label for Campbell's Soup and the Florists' Telegraph Delivery (F.T.D.) Winged Mercury 'Interflora' figure, still used today. Nesbitt's other clients included: Franco American; Revlon; Ballantine Beer; Borden; Champion spark plugs; Kodak; Phillip Morris cigarettes; Schick razors; and Archway cookies. In addition, Nesbitt developed the "Karry Kit" for Ballantine Beer which came to be widely used and known as the six pack.

Nesbitt was known for his revealing studies and surveys of the buying needs and preferences of the "average American housewife" and consumers in general. His opinions on what he referred to as "underpackaging" were widely publicized in professional magazines and journals. In 1984, Nesbitt retired from the design field and went to California to resume his career as a sculptor until his death in 1993 at the age of seventy-three.

Related Materials:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

NW Ayer & Sons, incorporated Advertising Agency Records, NMAH.AC.0059

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, NMAH.AC.0060

Alan and Elaine Levitt Advertisement Collection, NMAH.AC.0303

Marlboro Oral History and Documentation Project, NMAH.AC.0198

Campbell Soup Advertising Oral History and Documentation Project, NMAH.AC.0367

Caroline R. Jones Papers, NMAH.AC.0552

Virgil Johnson Collection of Cigarette Packages, NMAH.AC.0645

Revlon, Incorporated Advertising Collection, NMAH.AC.0939

Landor Design Collection, NMAH.AC.0500

Albert W. Hampson Commercial Artwork Collection, NMAH.AC.0561

Borden Company 1939 New York World's Fair Collection, NMAH.AC.1063

Smithsonian Institution

Archives of American Art

Esta Nesbitt Papers, circa 1942-1981

Smithsonian Institution Archives

Archives Collection Management Records, 1989-2006

Provenance:

Collection donated by the designer's wife, Mrs. Saul Nesbitt, in 1994.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

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:

Industrial designers  Search this

Packaging designers  Search this

Graphic designers  Search this

Topic:

Consumers -- Research  Search this

Consumers' preferences -- United States  Search this

Housewives as consumers  Search this

Labels -- Design  Search this

Corporate image -- Design  Search this

Logos (Symbols) -- Design  Search this

Graphic arts -- United States  Search this

Design, Industrial -- United States  Search this

Packaging -- Design  Search this

Genre/Form:

Slides

Sketches

Transparencies

Press releases

Correspondence

Photographs -- 20th century

Media lists

Blueprints

Drawings

Clippings

Client lists

Samples -- 1920-2000

Citation:

Saul Nesbitt Papers, 1951-1984, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1275

See more items in:

Saul Nesbitt Papers

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep857e2f039-d3d5-4307-a474-a5e5072e4e74

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1275

Names:

Bristol School (Washington, D.C.)  Search this

Fairmont Seminary (Washington, D.C.)  Search this

United States Naval Academy  Search this

Donor:

Jarvis, Carol  Search this

Extent:

1 Cubic foot (3 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Calling cards

Correspondence

Dance cards

Drawings

Greeting cards

Menus

Newsletters

Paintings

Photographs

Postcards

Programs

Report cards

Telegrams

Tickets

Scrapbooks

Date:

1912-1940, undated

Summary:

Collection contains a scrapbook that details the experiences and correspondence of Edith Lee, a student at Fairmount Seminary in the 1910s in Washington, DC.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of the loose pages and covers of the scrapbook Lee created using materials from her time at Fairmount seminary and is extremely fragile. The pages are not in chronological order, but for the most part have materials from 1912 to 1916. The scrapbook is annotated by Lee and filled with her drawings. It contains a wide range of correspondence, including telegrams and letters, photographs, postcards, watercolor paintings and other drawings, dance cards (including a metal bangle with a dance list), ribbons and other textiles, and a variety of three-dimensional objects. There are cartoons and fashion sketches, as well as watercolor paintings that she made. The scrapbook mainly focuses on recording the events Lee attended and messages she received, though there are many photographs of her and her friends in casual and costume dress. It includes photographs of Rock Creek Park in D.C. It includes tickets and a program for a women's suffrage march held in 1913 in D.C. There is also a Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) pamphlet. The scrapbook offers a look at society practices between women in Washington at the time.

Although limited, the scrapbook does have information on Fairmount Seminary itself, mostly relating to its teachers. Assistant Principal Judith Steele is noted most often, and the scrapbook includes an image of her. It also has several programs and booklets pertaining to the Naval Academy, including copies of the Log of the US Navy. It also has programs and invitations for Winter Hops and Middies Dances held at the academy. It contains materials from Triple 6 fraternity's Christmas balls. It also contains Lee's short correspondence with John Sharp Williams, a Representative from Tennessee. The collection provides insight for research on girls' education in the early 20th century, particularly the culture girls developed at boarding schools. It also has a unique lens on early 20th century history of Washington, D.C. The collection may also be useful in the study of the history of the Navy Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

The scrapbook is in poor condition as many of the pages are brittle, torn, and unable to support the weight of the objects attached. The pages are no longer bounded to the covers of the scrapbook. Scrapbook pages have been interleaved with paper to prevent the tranfer of acid from newspaper clippings, telegrams, etc. The scrapbook is also housed into two boxes to better manage the weight of the object. Researchers should handle the book with extreme caution and care.

Arrangement:

Collection is arranged into one series.

Biographical / Historical:

This scrapbook belonged to Edith Youdale Lee and chronicles the time she spent at Fairmount Seminary in Washington, D.C. It was an Episcopal school for girls, offering two years worth of college work preparatory to college. It was located in Northwest Washington and ceased operation in the 1940s. For most of its life, the seminary was headed by Arthur Ramsay. Several influential figures spoke at the seminary during Edith's time, including Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan and eugenicist David Starr Jordan. The seminary offered women diplomas and certificates, with focus on literature, music, art, and some mathematics. It advertised itself as a "city school with country sports" where students would take trips into outdoor areas in Washington D.C. It also appears to have some loose connection to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, as Fairmount students frequently attended dances and events at the academy. Fairmount hosted students from across the South, Northeast, and Midwest, as well as the odd student from California.

Edith Youdale Lee (later Brown) was born in 1898 in Memphis, Tennessee to Anna Youdale Lee (1860-?) and Robert Edward Lee. Her father died shortly after her birth in 1900. She was the youngest of three siblings, and her oldest brother Everett Dean Lee was involved in the cotton linting business. Her sister Louise (1887-1952) married Wilkie C. Thacker (1890-1956). She and her mother, Anna, lived in several locations in Memphis but spent extended time living in the Gayoso Hotel. Her mother is listed as the head of household for much of Edith's young life, and they were wealthy enough to employ a servant. In 1912, she began studying at Fairmount Seminary, where she graduated with a certificate in 1916. She met her future husband Midshipman Leon Fredrick Brown (1895-?) while living in D.C. They were married in 1917 and had a daughter, Edith, in 1918. Brown remained in the Navy for some time, before the family moved to Los Angeles, CA, where he worked for an insurance company. Information on Edith herself is unfortunately limited.

Related Materials:

Materials in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Archives Center Scrapbook Collection, NMAH.AC.0468

Celia K. Erskine Scrapbook of Valentines, Advertising Cards, and Postcards, NMAH.AC.0136

Provenance:

Donated to the Archives Center in 2017 by Carol Jarvis, who acquired it from a family member, who acquired it from a thrift store.

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.

Topic:

Women -- Education  Search this

Genre/Form:

Calling cards

Correspondence -- 20th century

Dance cards

Drawings

Greeting cards

Menus

Newsletters

Paintings

Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- 20th century

Postcards

Programs

Report cards

Telegrams

Tickets

Telegrams

Scrapbooks

Citation:

Edith Youdale Lee Scrapbook, 1912-1940, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1415

See more items in:

Edith Youdale Lee Scrapbook

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8d8a2befd-711e-442b-8881-0cce1b3aa08c

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1415

Book artist:

Crawley, IBe' Bulinda H  Search this

Author:

Smithsonian Libraries Artists' Books DSI  Search this

Publisher:

Women's Studio Workshop  Search this

Physical description:

1 volume (20 unnumbered pages) illustrations 29 cm + clay figure + pamphlet folder (36 cm)

Type:

Sources

Specimens

Artists' books (books).)

Artists' books

History

Kozo fibers (Paper)

Abaca fibers (Paper)

Authors' autographs (Provenance)

Livres d'artistes

Place:

Virginia

Virginie

New York (State)

Rosendale

Date:

2022

20th century

20e siècle

Topic:

African American prisoners--History  Search this

Women prisoners  Search this

Female offenders  Search this

Children of women prisoners  Search this

African American families--Effect of imprisonment on  Search this

Pregnant women--Effect of imprisonment on  Search this

Women prisoners--Family relationships  Search this

African American women--Social conditions  Search this

Prison administration--History  Search this

Women prisoners in art  Search this

Pregnant women in art  Search this

Artists' books  Search this

Maternal and infant welfare  Search this

Reproductive rights  Search this

Prison administration  Search this

Prisonnières  Search this

Criminelles  Search this

Protection maternelle et infantile  Search this

Droits génésiques  Search this

Prisonnières--Relations familiales  Search this

Noires américaines--Conditions sociales  Search this

Prisons--Administration  Search this

Prisonniers noirs américains--Histoire  Search this

Enfants de prisonnières  Search this

Familles noires américaines--Effets de l'emprisonnement sur  Search this

Femmes enceintes--Effets de l'emprisonnement sur  Search this

Prisons--Administration--Histoire  Search this

Prisonnières dans l'art  Search this

Femmes enceintes dans l'art  Search this

African American prisoners  Search this

Families  Search this

Book sculpture  Search this

African American women prisoners--Imprisoned mothers--1920s  Search this

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_1164402

Creator:

Warneke, Heinz (Heinrich), 1895-1983,  Search this

Subject:

Archer, Edmund  Search this

Diederich, William Hunt  Search this

Hancock, Walker Kirtland  Search this

Hopper, Inslee  Search this

Zigrosser, Carl  Search this

Corcoran School of Art (Washington, D.C.)  Search this

United States. Work Projects Administration  Search this

Type:

Drawings

Sketchbooks

Citation:

Heinz Warneke papers, 1928-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Sculpture -- Study and teaching  Search this

Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century -- United States  Search this

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks  Search this

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)6951

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209080

AAA_collcode_warnhein

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209080

Creator:

McCoy, Esther  Search this

Subject:

Rand, Marvin  Search this

Grotz, Dorothy  Search this

Gill, Irving  Search this

Jones, A. Quincy (Archie Quincy)  Search this

Barragán, Luis  Search this

Dreiser, Theodore  Search this

Bradbury, Ray  Search this

Hollein, Hans  Search this

Ain, Gregory  Search this

Ellwood, Craig  Search this

Davidson, Julius Ralph  Search this

Watanabe, Makoto  Search this

Maybeck, Bernard R.  Search this

Neutra, Richard Joseph  Search this

Worlidge, T. (Thomas)  Search this

Schindler, R. M. (Rudolph M.)  Search this

Shulman, Julius  Search this

Soriano, Rafael  Search this

O'Gorman, Juan  Search this

Historic American Buildings Survey  Search this

University of California, Los Angeles. School of Architecture and Urban Planning  Search this

Society of Architectural Historians  Search this

Type:

Diaries

Etchings

Photographs

Sound recordings

Interviews

Video recordings

Slides (photographs)

Transcripts

Drawings

Memoirs

Citation:

Esther McCoy papers, circa 1876-1990, bulk 1938-1989. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Architecture, Modern -- 20th century -- Mexico  Search this

Architects -- Italy  Search this

Architecture, Domestic -- California  Search this

Authors -- California  Search this

Architecture, Modern -- 20th century -- California  Search this

Architecture, Modern -- 20th century -- Europe  Search this

Architects -- California  Search this

Feminism and art  Search this

Latino and Latin American artists  Search this

Theme:

Latino and Latin American  Search this

Architecture & Design  Search this

Research and writing about art  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)5502

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210977

AAA_collcode_mccoesth

Theme:

Latino and Latin American

Architecture & Design

Research and writing about art

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210977

Creator:

Hultberg, John, 1922-  Search this

Subject:

Kantor, Morris  Search this

Drexler, Lynne Mapp  Search this

Jackson, Martha Kellogg  Search this

Spohn, Clay Edgar  Search this

Martha Jackson Gallery  Search this

Citation:

John Hultberg papers, 1942-1993. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Theme:

Diaries  Search this

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9026

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211215

AAA_collcode_hultjohn

Theme:

Diaries

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211215

Creator:

Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971  Search this

Names:

American Artists' Congress  Search this

Artists League of America  Search this

Artists' Union (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Citizens' Committee for Government Arts Projects  Search this

Farmers Union of the New York Milk Shed  Search this

Federal Art Project  Search this

Federal Writers' Project  Search this

International Workers Order  Search this

Macbeth Gallery  Search this

National Farmers' Union (U.S.)  Search this

National Maritime Union of America  Search this

United American Artists  Search this

United Office and Professional Workers of America  Search this

United Scenic Artists  Search this

Boyesen, Bayard  Search this

Chamberlain, J. E.  Search this

Chase, William Merritt, 1849-1916  Search this

Cleland, T. M. (Thomas Maitland), 1880-1964  Search this

Daniel, Charles, 1878-1971  Search this

Davies, Arthur B. (Arthur Bowen), 1862-1928  Search this

DuBois, W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963  Search this

Fitzgerald, James, 1899-1971  Search this

Freuchen, Peter, 1886-1957  Search this

Gellert, Hugo, 1892-1985  Search this

Gottlieb, Harry, 1895-  Search this

Hartley, Marsden, 1877-1943  Search this

Hays, Lee, 1914-1981  Search this

Henri, Robert, 1865-1929  Search this

Jones, Dan Burne  Search this

Keller, Charles, 1914-2006  Search this

Miller, Kenneth Hayes, 1876-1952  Search this

Nearing, Helen  Search this

Nearing, Scott, 1883-1983  Search this

Pach, Walter, 1883-1958  Search this

Phillips, Duncan, 1886-1966  Search this

Rasmussen, Knud, 1879-1933  Search this

Reeves, Ruth, 1892-1966  Search this

Robeson, Paul, 1898-1976  Search this

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945  Search this

Ruggles, Carl, 1876-1971  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Stefansson, Vilhjalmur, 1879-1962  Search this

Untermeyer, Louis, 1885-1977  Search this

Wildenstein, Felix, 1883-1952  Search this

Zigrosser, Carl, 1891-  Search this

Extent:

88 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Poems

Sketches

Business records

Photographs

Drawings

Date:

circa 1840-1993

bulk 1935-1961

Summary:

The Rockwell Kent papers measure 88.0 linear feet and date from circa 1840 to 1993 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1935 to 1961. The collection provides comprehensive coverage of Kent's career as a painter, illustrator, designer, writer, lecturer, traveler, political activist, and dairy farmer.

Scope and Content Note:

The Rockwell Kent papers measure 88 linear feet and date from circa 1840 to 1993 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1935 to 1961. The collection provides comprehensive coverage of Kent's career as a painter, illustrator, designer, writer, lecturer, traveler, political activist, and dairy farmer.

Circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the papers are highlighted in an article by Garnett McCoy ("The Rockwell Kent Papers," in the Archives of American Art Journal, 12, no. 1 [January 1972]: 1-9), recommended reading for researchers interested in the collection. The collection is remarkably complete, for in the mid 1920s Kent began keeping carbon copies of all outgoing letters, eventually employing a secretary (who became his third wife and continued her office duties for the remainder of Kent's life).

Series 1: Alphabetical Files contain Kent's personal and professional correspondence, along with business records of the dairy farm and associated enterprises; also included are printed matter on a wide variety of topics and promotional literature relating to organizations and causes of interest to him. Voluminous correspondence with his three wives, five children, and other relatives, as well as with literally hundreds of friends, both lifelong and of brief duration, illuminates Kent's private life and contributes to understanding of his complex character. Among the many correspondents of note are: his art teachers William Merritt Chase, Robert Henri, and Kenneth Hayes Miller; fellow artists Tom Cleland, Arthur B. Davies, James Fitzgerald, Hugo Gellert, Harry Gottleib, Marsden Hartley, Charles Keller, and Ruth Reeves; collectors Duncan Phillips and Dan Burne Jones; critics J. E. Chamberlain and Walter Pach; and dealers Charles Daniel, Felix Wildenstein, and Macbeth Galleries. Kent corresponded with such diverse people as Arctic explorers Peter Freuchen, Knud Rasmussen, and Vilhjalmar Steffanson; composer Carl Ruggles and songwriters Lee Hays and Pete Seeger; civil rights pioneers Paul Robeson and Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois; writers Bayard Boyesen, Scott and Helen Nearing, and Louis Untermeyer; and art historian and print curator Carl Zigrosser.

Kent's interest and involvement in the labor movement are reflected in correspondence with officials and members of a wide variety and large number of unions and related organizations, among them: the Farmers' Educational and Cooperative Union of America, Farmers' Union of the New York Milk Shed, International Workers Order, National Maritime Union, and United Office and Professional Workers of America. Of special interest is his participation, often in leadership roles, in various attempts to organize artists. Files on the American Artists' Congress, Artists League of America, The Artists Union, United American Artists, and United Scenic Artists contain particularly valuable material on the movement.

A supporter of New Deal efforts to aid artists, Kent was actively interested in the various programs and often was critical of their limitations; he advocated continuing federal aid to artists after the Depression abated. The Kent papers include correspondence with the Federal Arts Project, Federal Fine Arts Project, Federal Writers Project, and the War Department, as well as correspondence with the Citizens' Committee for Government Art Projects and President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the subject.

Kent's professional correspondence documents exhibitions, sales, consignments, and reproduction of prints and paintings. He kept meticulous records of his advertising commissions and illustration work. Detailed correspondence with publishers and printers indicates Kent's involvement in the technical aspects of production and provides a good overview of the publishing industry during the mid-twentieth century.

Business records of Asgaard Farm include records of the dairy and transfer of ownership to its employees, tax and employee information, and documents concerning several related business ventures such as distributor ships for grain, feed, and farm implements.

Series 2: Writings consists of notes, drafts, and completed manuscripts by Rockwell Kent, mainly articles, statements, speeches, poems, introductions, and reviews. The Kent Collection given to Friendship House, Moscow, in 1960, was augmented later by a set of his publications and the illustrated manuscripts of many of his monographs. Also included are a small number of manuscripts by other authors.

Series 3: Artwork consists mainly of drawings and sketches by Kent; also included are works on paper by other artists, many of whom are unidentified, and by children.

Series 4: Printed Matter consists of clippings, exhibition catalogs and announcements, brochures, broadsides, programs, and newsletters. These include items by and about Kent and his family, as well as articles written and/or illustrated by him, and reviews of his books. There is also material on a variety of subjects and causes of interest to him. Additional printed matter is included among the alphabetical files, mainly as attachments to correspondence.

Series 5: Miscellaneous includes biographical material, legal documents, and memorabilia. Artifacts received with papers include textile samples, a silk scarf, dinnerware, ice bucket, and rubber stamp, all featuring designs by Rockwell Kent. Also with this series are a variety of documents including a phrenological analysis of an ancestor, lists of supplies for expeditions, a hand-drawn map of an unidentified place, and technical notes regarding art materials and techniques.

Series 6: Photographs includes photographs of Kent, his family and friends, travel, and art number that over one thousand. Also included here are several albums of family and travel photographs.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into six series. Series 1 is arranged alphabetically. The arrangement of the remaining series is explained in each series description. Note that sealed materials that became available in 2000 were microfilmed separately on reels 5740-5741, but have integrated into this finding aid.

Missing Title

Series 1: Alphabetical Files, circa 1900-1971, undated (Reels 5153-5249, 5256, 5740-5741)

Series 2: Writings, 1906-1978, undated (Reels 5249-5252, 5741)

Series 3: Art Work, 1910-1972, undated (Reels 5252, 5741)

Series 4: Printed Matter, 1905-1993, undated (Reels 5252-5254)

Series 5: Miscellaneous, 1859-1969, undated (Reels 5254, 5741)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1840-1970, undated (Reels 5254-5255, 5741)

Biographical Note:

Rockwell Kent (1882-1971), an energetic and multitalented man, pursued many interests and careers during his very long and active life. At various times he was an architect, draftsman, carpenter, unskilled laborer, painter, illustrator, printmaker, commercial artist, designer, traveler/explorer, writer, professional lecturer, dairy farmer, and political activist.

While studying architecture at Columbia University, Kent enrolled in William Merritt Chase's summer school at Shinnecock Hills, Long Island. He then redirected his career ambitions toward painting and continued to study with Chase in New York. Kent spent a summer working and living with Abbott H. Thayer in Dublin, New Hampshire, and attended the New York School of Art, where Robert Henri and Kenneth Hayes Miller were his teachers.

Critically and financially, Kent was a successful artist. He was very well known for his illustration work--particularly limited editions of the classics, bookplates, and Christmas cards. He was a prolific printmaker, and his prints and paintings were acquired by many major museums and private collectors. During the post-World War II era, Kent's political sympathies resulted in the loss of commissions, and his adherence to artistic conservatism and outspoken opposition to modern art led to disfavor within art circles. After many years of declining reputation in this country and unsuccessful attempts to find a home for the Kent Collection, Kent gave his unsold paintings--the majority of his oeuvre--to the Soviet Union, where he continued to be immensely popular.

An avid traveler, Kent was especially fascinated by remote, Arctic lands and often stayed for extended periods of time to paint, write, and become acquainted with the local inhabitants. Between 1918 and 1935, he wrote and illustrated several popular books about his experiences in Alaska, Tierra del Fuego, and Greenland. In the 1930s and 1940s, Kent was much in demand as a lecturer, making several nationwide tours under the management of a professional lecture bureau; he spoke mainly about his travels, but among his standard lectures were some on "art for the people."

In 1927, Kent purchased Asgaard Farm at AuSable Forks, New York, in the Adirondacks, where he lived for the remainder of his life, operating a modern dairy farm on a modest scale for many years.

As a young man, Kent met Rufus Weeks, became committed to social justice, and joined the Socialist Party. Throughout his life, he supported left-wing causes and was a member or officer of many organizations promoting world peace and harmonious relations with the Soviet Union, civil rights, civil liberties, antifascism, and organized labor. Kent was frequently featured as a celebrity sponsor or speaker at fund-raising events for these causes. In 1948, he ran unsuccessfully as the American Labor Party's candidate for Congress. Kent's unpopular political views eventually led to the dissolution of his dairy business, resulted in a summons to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee, and prompted the U.S. State Department to deny him a passport, an action that subsequently was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Kent wrote two autobiographies, This Is My Own (1940) and It's Me, O Lord (1955). In 1969, he was the subject of an oral history interview conducted by Paul Cummings for the Archives of American Art.

Provenance:

In 1969, Rockwell Kent donated his papers to the Archives of American Art; textile samples were received in 1979, and his widow gave additional papers in 1971 and 1996. Letters to Rockwell Kent from wives Frances and Sally, sealed during Sally Kent Gorton's lifetime, became available for research after her death in 2000, and further material was donated to the Archives of American Art in 2001 by the Estate of Sally Kent [Shirley Johnstone] Gorton.

Restrictions:

The microfilm of this collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Use of material not microfilmed or digitized requires an appointment.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Occupation:

Painters -- New York (State)  Search this

Topic:

Designers -- New York (State)  Search this

Mural painting and decoration  Search this

Politics and culture  Search this

Authors -- New York  Search this

Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States -- Political aspects  Search this

Dairy farms  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Illustrators -- New York (State)  Search this

Illustration of books  Search this

Works of art  Search this

Art and war  Search this

Commercial art  Search this

World War, 1939-1945 -- Art and the war  Search this

Function:

Labor unions

Genre/Form:

Poems

Sketches

Business records

Photographs

Drawings

Citation:

Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.kentrock

See more items in:

Rockwell Kent papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97edd9940-eb61-4562-9583-def2da778b6a

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-kentrock

Creator:

Gugler, Eric, 1889-1974  Search this

Names:

Cornell, Katharine, 1893-1974  Search this

Gugler, Frida  Search this

Manship, Paul, 1885-1966  Search this

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962  Search this

Extent:

34.9 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sketches

Watercolors

Glass plate negatives

Paintings

Photographs

Blueprints

Date:

1889-1977

Summary:

The papers of architect and painter Eric Gugler measure 34.9 linear feet and date from 1889-1977. Found within the papers are biographical materials, including papers relating to the Gugler family, personal and business correspondence, writings, project files for commercial and residential commissions, personal business records, photographic materials, including 180 glass plate slides, and artwork.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of architect and painter Eric Gugler measure 34.4 linear feet and date from 1889-1977. Found within the papers are biographical materials, including papers relating to the Gugler family, personal and business correspondence, writings, project files for commercial and residential commissions, personal business records, photographic materials, including 180 glass plate slides, and artwork.

Biographical materials include certificates, official documents, curriculum vitae, and histories of the Gugler family. Correspondence consists of professional letters regarding prospective and active projects, and personal correspondence from friends and family, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Katherine Cornell, and Paul Manship. Writings include book proposal drafts, essays, notes, speeches, and writings by others.

Project files consist of correspondence, architectural sketches, blueprints, and photographic and printed materials related to Gugler's work on commercial, residential, governmental, and memorial commissions. Renderings of specific design objects, sculptures, and Gugler's collaborative work on preservation efforts are also included.

Personal business records include correspondence related to Gugler's firm, including office leases, prospective client lists, and service fees. Printed material consists of clippings, exhibition material, postcards, and other miscellaneous items.

Photographic materials are of Eric Gugler and members of the Gugler family. Artwork includes sketches, watercolors, paintings, photographs of artwork, and artwork by Frida Gugler.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 8 series. Glass plate slides are housed separately and closed to researchers, but listed where they fall intellectually within the collection.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1898-1975 (0.5 linear feet; Box 1, OV 33)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1906-1974 (4 linear feet; Boxes 1-5, 20, OV 33)

Series 3: Writings, 1932-1973 (16 folders; Box 5)

Series 4: Project Files, 1889-1977 (28.2 linear feet; Boxes 5-18, 20-24, 70-72, OV 25-31, OV 33-49, RD 50-69)

Series 5: Personal Business Records, 1928-1972 (0.3 linear feet; Box 18)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1923-1977 (0.3 linear feet; Boxes 19, 24)

Series 7: Photographic Materials, 1890-1966 (9 folders; Box 19)

Series 8: Artwork, 1895-1970 (0.4 linear feet; Box 19, OV 32)

Biographical / Historical:

Architect and painter Eric Gugler (1889-1974) lived and worked in New York City, New York. Known for his work on monuments and memorials, Gugler was selected by President Roosevelt to head the redesign and building of the White House's West Wing in 1934.

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to lithographer Julius Gugler and his wife, Bertha Bremer, Gugler attended Columbia University and received a three year scholarship to continue his studies at the American Academy in Rome. In 1919, he opened his architectural firm on Park Avenue in New York City and began accepting residential and commercial commissions. In addition to designing buildings and houses for clients, Gugler also completed smaller design objects for ceiling details, sculptures, murals, and decorative structures. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, his firm won commissions to complete World War I Memorials in New York and Chicago, Illinois, and also received a major commission to design the Educational Building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Around this time, Gugler married Broadway actress and dancer Anne Tonetti and designed a second residence in the artist's community of Sneden's Landing, New York.

Gugler's interest and willingness to work on large scale memorials and institutional buildings aided in his appointment to a number of prominent commissions in the 1930s to the 1950s. These include the design of the White House's West Wing and the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Italy, new construction and renovations to the Forman School (Conn.) and Wabash College (Ind.), and the building of residential houses for Katherine Cornell, Barry Faukner, and Paul Manship. In the 1960s, he was selected to head memorial designs for the Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt Memorials in Washington, D.C., and also spent considerable time and energy developing the "Hall of Our History" project. Gugler remained active designing and working on projects until his death in 1974.

Related Materials:

The White House Historical Association's Office of the Curator holds additional Eric Gugler Papers related to the expansion and redesign of the West Wing in 1934.

Provenance:

The papers were donated in 1977 by Gugler's wife, Anne Tonetti Gugler. Additional materials were donated between 1979 and 1980 by Gugler's business associate, Ferdinand Eiseman.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Occupation:

Architects as artists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Topic:

Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Architecture -- Designs and plans  Search this

Architecture, Modern -- 20th century  Search this

Architects -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sketches

Watercolors

Glass plate negatives

Paintings

Photographs

Blueprints

Citation:

Eric Gugler papers, 1889-1977. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.

Identifier:

AAA.gugleric

See more items in:

Eric Gugler papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9a729ea25-2ca9-4693-95a4-2f15b5651aab

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-gugleric

Creator:

Hultberg, John, 1922-  Search this

Names:

Martha Jackson Gallery  Search this

Drexler, Lynne Mapp, 1928-1999  Search this

Jackson, Martha Kellogg  Search this

Kantor, Morris, 1896-1974  Search this

Spohn, Clay Edgar, 1898-1977  Search this

Extent:

1.4 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 3 reels))

1.8 Linear feet (Addition)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1942-1993

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence; biographical and journal notes; writings; photos; catalogs and announcements; a biographical sketch; and typescripts.

REEL N70/5: Correspondence with: Martha Jackson, whose gallery handled his work; various public museums and galleries, several in California and Hawaii, universities and personal friends, including Claire Falkenstein and Louis Calcagno. There are also drafts of his own letters, written from periodic residences in Paris, San Francisco, Hawaii, Monhegan Island, Maine. The remaining material includes class lectures, biographical and journal notes on various literary and art subjects, clippings, photos, catalogs, and announcements.

REEL 295: Correspondence with Martha Jackson, Clay Spohn and others, and a few miscellanous items.

REEL 2346: Letters and postcards from Clay Spohn to Hultberg and his wife Lynne Drexler; photographs of Spohn's work; an electrocardiogram; and a printed cartoon. (Incorrectly microfilmed as: Clay Spohn papers).

Addition Correspondence, 1971-1996, n.d., notes; writings; gallery lists of Hultberg's artwork; and printed material. Professional and personal letters and memos from Elaine Weschler, 1990-1996, n.d. (Manuscripts include "Collected Poems, 1952-1996," "Two Plays for Reading," 1990, "Crying at the Lock," 1991, "Half Truths," 1997, and "Dredgings," 1997.

UNMICROFILMED: A brief biographical sketch; personal and business correspondence; exhibition catalogs and announcements; press releases and clippings; and typescripts by Hultberg including "Stone Farm Journal," 1972, and "Breaking the Picture Plane: A Meditation On Modern Art," 1976. Also included is a xerox copy of a six-page letter from Hultberg to Harry Rand describing Morris Kantor, 1980.

ADDITIONS: Personal and business correspondence, 1942-1997, including letters from his dealer and wife, Elaine Wechsler; clippings; exhibition invitations and announcements; clippings; lists of work; and notes. Much of the addition reflects Hultberg's writing career and includes plays, poems, and other unpublished manuscripts.

Biographical / Historical:

Painter, writer; New York, N.Y. Born 1922. Died 2005.

Provenance:

Donated 1969-1997 by John Hultberg. Material on reel 2346 donated 1981 by Hultberg and his wife Lynne Drexler.

Restrictions:

This collection is temporarily closed to researchers due to archival processing. Contact Reference Services for more information

Occupation:

Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Topic:

Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.hultjohn

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw922381def-4c54-4abe-9c33-80107e80aabf

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-hultjohn

Creator:

Nickelsen, Ralf E. (Ralf Edgar), 1903-1990  Search this

Names:

Federal art project (Mass.)  Search this

United States. Works Progress Administration  Search this

Montminy, Tracy, 1911-1992  Search this

Newhall, Beaumont, 1908-1993  Search this

Extent:

1.3 Linear feet

4 Items (rolled docs)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sketchbooks

Date:

1929-1993

Scope and Contents:

Biographical materials, correspondence, business records, writings, art works, photographs, and printed material.

Biographical material includes ID cards and an autobiographical statement. Correspondence, 1935-1964, includes letters sent to Nickelsen as Supervisor for the WPA Massachusetts Federal Art Project; correspondents include Beaumont Newhall and muralist Elizabeth Tracy. Project files regard mural and stained glass commissions, among them the East Boston murals; Nebraska capitol murals; Springfield, Mass. Museum of Fine Arts library murals; Worcester, Mass. Parcel Post Building murals; and stained glass commissions, ca.1938-1942. Files contain correspondence, art work, including large mural cartoons, reference photographs, photographs of works of art, and printed material. Also included are a list of mural ingredients and notes; business records, 1927-1937; photocopies of articles and writings, 1930-1967; art work by Nickelsen including stained glass rendering and mural drawings by Elizabeth Tracy Montminy; exhibition catalogs, clippings, photographs of Nickelsen and his art work, including one of him painting a window for St. Patricks Church, N.Y. in the Charles Connick Studio, Boston, 1950; and of Montminy and her murals.

Biographical / Historical:

Stained glass artist; mural painter; Boston, Mass. Born in Hamburg, Germany. Initially studied at the stained-glass studio of his father, John R. Nickelsen, and later went to the State Art School, Hamburg. He came to the United States in 1922 and attended the Art Students' League, N.Y. and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Participated as an artist and as a supervisor on the WPA Art Project in Boston, and was associated with the stained-glass design firm of Charles J. Connick Associates for many years.

Provenance:

Donated 1991-1999 by Nickelsen's widow, Ingeborg R. Nickelsen.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Muralists -- Massachusetts  Search this

Artisans  Search this

Stained glass artists -- Massachusetts  Search this

Topic:

Artists' preparatory studies  Search this

Mural painting and decoration, American  Search this

Mural painting and decoration -- 20th century -- Massachusetts  Search this

Glass art  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sketchbooks

Identifier:

AAA.nickralf

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97aa122d3-0d0f-43f5-9436-b93ca4963630

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-nickralf

Creator:

McCoy, Esther  Search this

Names:

Historic American Buildings Survey  Search this

Society of Architectural Historians  Search this

University of California, Los Angeles. School of Architecture and Urban Planning  Search this

Ain, Gregory, 1908-1988  Search this

Barragán, Luis, 1902-  Search this

Bradbury, Ray, 1920-2012  Search this

Davidson, Julius Ralph, b. 1889  Search this

Dreiser, Theodore, 1871-1945  Search this

Ellwood, Craig  Search this

Gill, Irving, 1870-1936  Search this

Grotz, Dorothy  Search this

Hollein, Hans, 1934-2014  Search this

Jones, A. Quincy (Archie Quincy), 1913-1979  Search this

Maybeck, Bernard R.  Search this

Neutra, Richard Joseph, 1892-1970  Search this

O'Gorman, Juan, 1905-  Search this

Rand, Marvin  Search this

Schindler, R. M. (Rudolph M.), 1887-1953  Search this

Shulman, Julius  Search this

Soriano, Rafael, 1920-  Search this

Watanabe, Makoto  Search this

Worlidge, T. (Thomas), 1700-1766  Search this

Extent:

44 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Diaries

Etchings

Photographs

Sound recordings

Interviews

Video recordings

Slides (photographs)

Transcripts

Drawings

Memoirs

Date:

circa 1876-1990

bulk 1938-1989

Summary:

The papers of Southern California architectural historian, critic, and writer Esther McCoy measure 44.0 linear feet and date from 1876 to 1990 (bulk 1938-1989). McCoy was interested in both Italian and Mexican architecture as well as the folk art and crafts of Mexico and South America. The collection documents McCoy's career, as well as her family and personal life through biographical material, extensive correspondence, personal and professional writings, project files, Southern California architects' files, clippings and other printed material, a large collection of photographs and slides, and taped interviews of Southern California modern architects.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of Southern California architectural historian, critic, and writer Esther McCoy measure 44.0 linear feet and date from 1876 to 1990 (bulk 1938-1989). McCoy was interested in both Italian and Mexican architecture as well as the folk art and crafts of Mexico and South America. The collection documents McCoy's career, as well as her family and personal life through biographical material, extensive correspondence, personal and professional writings, project files, Southern California architects' files, clippings and other printed material, a large collection of photographs and slides, and taped interviews of Southern California modern architects.

Biographical and family material consists of awards, resumes, identification documents, and other documentation of McCoy's personal life. Included are a transcript of a 1984 interview of McCoy by Makoto Watanabe and material relating to her friend, Theodore Dreiser.

Correspondence focuses on her personal relationships with family, friends, and lovers, and general correspondence relating primarily to her work as a writer. McCoy's personal correspondence is valuable to researchers who are interested in her personal life, her struggles as a young writer, and the way in which her family, friends, lovers, mentors, and colleagues helped to shape her work and career. As documented in this correspondence, her life offers a glimpse into twentieth-century American social and political history, especially the radical leftist movements of the 1920s and 1930s. Researchers interested in the roots of feminism in the United States should also find these papers useful in documenting the life of a creative and productive woman who was successful in a field then almost entirely dominated by men. Correspondents of note include her husband Berkeley Tobey, lovers Geoffrey Eaton and Albert Robert, writers Ray Bradbury and Theodore Dreiser, and artists and architects, such as Dorothy Grotz, Craig Ellwood, A. Quincy Jones, Hans Hollein, and J. R. Davidson. General correspondence is primarily with researchers, professors, architects, publishers, and professional organizations.

Personal writings include McCoy's diaries, notebooks, and memoirs, and writings by others including friends, lovers, and colleagues. Also included are drafts of McCoy's fictional works, both published and unpublished, including short stories, teleplays, and novels.

The collection contains in-depth documentation of McCoy's pioneering study of the modernist work of twentieth-century architects in Southern California. The bulk of her papers consist of her writing files for books, exhibition catalogs, articles, and lectures on architecture. Because many of the architects about whom McCoy wrote were her contemporaries, she developed personal relationships with several of them through her research and writing. Her writing files include drafts, notes, research material, photographs, and correspondence. McCoy also traveled extensively, particularly in Italy and Mexico, and wrote about architecture, craft, and culture in those countries. Project files document McCoy's other activities related to architectural history, such preservation projects, juries, grants, the Dodge House Preservation Campaign and related film project, her work for the Society of Architectural Historians and the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), and her work at the UCLA School of Architecture and Urban Planning, compiling a slide library and cataloging the Richard Neutra's papers. McCoy also maintained architect files which may contain correspondence, notes, photographs, research material, interview transcripts, about architects and their works. Among these extensive records, the files documenting the careers of R. M. Schindler, Irving Gill, Richard Neutra, and Juan O'Gorman are particularly rich.

Printed material in this collection documents McCoy's career as well as her personal interests. Included are books, clippings, magazines, newsletters, press releases, as well as publications arranged by subject such as architecture, art, Italy, and Mexico. McCoy also collected literary and leftist publications. The small amount of artwork in this collection consists of artwork sent to her by friends, including a drawing of her by Esther Rollo and etchings by various artists including Thomas Worlidge.

There are personal photographs of family and friends and of McCoy at different times in her life, as well as photographs gathered during the course of her research on architecture. Found here are photographs of architects and their works, including a large number depicting the work of Gregory Ain, Luis Barragan, J. R. Davidson, Irving Gill, Bernard Maybeck, Juan O'Gorman, R. M. Schindler, and Raphael Soriano. Many of these photographs were taken by notable architectural photographers Julius Shulman and Marvin Rand. Also found are photographs of architecture designed for the Case Study House program of Arts & Architecture magazine; exhibition photographs, primarily for the exhibition "Ten Italian Architects" in 1967; and other research photographs primarily documenting architecture and craft in other countries and the history of architecture in California. This series also includes approximately 3,600 slides of architecture.

Audio and video recordings include a videocassette of McCoy's 80th birthday party and 55 taped interviews with architects, people associated with architectural projects, and artists.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into 10 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical and Family Material, 1881-1989 (boxes 1, 48; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1896-1989 (boxes 1-6, 4.9 linear feet)

Series 3: Personal Writings, 1919-1989 (boxes 6-14; 8.1 linear feet)

Series 4: Architectural Writings, 1908-1990 (boxes 14-24, 42, 49, 50; 10.2 linear feet)

Series 5: Projects, circa 1953-1988 (boxes 24-26, 47, FC 53-56; 2.5 linear feet)

Series 6: Architect Files, 1912-1990 (boxes 26-28, 42; 2.2 linear feet)

Series 7: Printed Material, circa 1885-1990 (boxes 28-31, 42; 2.9 linear feet)

Series 8: Artwork, 1924-1967, undated (box 31; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 9: Photographs and Slides, circa 1876-1989 (boxes 31-38, 41-46, 51; 8.3 linear feet)

Series 10: Audio and Video Recordings, 1930-1984 (boxes 38-40, 47; 2.5 linear feet)

Biographical Note:

Esther McCoy (1904-1989) is remembered best for her pioneering work as an architectural historian, critic, and proponent of Southern California modern architecture of the early to mid-twentieth century. McCoy was interested in both Italian and Mexican architecture as well as the folk art and crafts of Mexico and South America. Although her professional interests ranged from writing fiction to studying the folk architecture and crafts of Mexico, McCoy achieved her most notable success for her numerous articles, books, and exhibitions about Southern California architecture and the architects associated with the modernist movement.

Born in Arkansas in 1904, Esther McCoy grew up in Kansas and attended various schools in the Midwest. In 1926 she left the University of Michigan to launch a writing career in New York, where she moved in avant-garde literary circles and conducted research for Theodore Dreiser. She began writing fiction in New York and continued to write after moving to Los Angeles in 1932, working on short stories, novels, and screenplays. She published numerous short stories between 1929 and 1962, with works appearing in the New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, and university quarterlies. Her short story, "The Cape," was reprinted in Best Short Stories of 1950. Many of the novels that she wrote from the mid-1960s through the 1980s were related thematically to architects and architecture.

During the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s, McCoy participated in the politically radical movements of the period and wrote for leftist publications. Her interest in the lowcost housing projects of modern architects was prompted by one of her articles about slums for Epic News. During World War II she entered a training program for engineering draftsmen at Douglas Aircraft and in 1944 was hired as an architectural draftsman for the architect R.M. Schindler. As she became increasingly interested in modern architecture and design, she combined her two major career interests and began to focus her energies on architectural research, writing, and criticism. Her first article on architecture, "Schindler: Space Architect," was published in 1945 in the journal Direction.

McCoy began writing about architecture in earnest in 1950 as a free-lance contributor to the Los Angeles Times. From then until her death in 1989, she wrote prolifically for Arts & Architecture magazine, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Architectural Record, L'Architectura, Zodiac (Italy), Progressive Architecture, Lotus (Italy), and Architectural Forum. In addition to her numerous articles, McCoy wrote several books on Southern California modern architecture and architects. Her first major work, Five California Architects, published in 1960, is now recognized as a classic work in modern architectural history. It promoted a serious study of modern architecture in Southern California and introduced to the world several leading California architects and their work: Bernard Maybeck, Irving Gill, Charles and Henry Greene, and R.M. Schindler. That same year, she published another important book focusing on the work of the California architect Richard Neutra. Other books by McCoy include Modern California Houses: Case Study Houses (1962), Craig Ellwood (1968), Vienna to Los Angeles: Two Journeys (1979), and The Second Generation (1984).

In addition to these books, McCoy organized and wrote catalogs for several significant exhibitions focusing on contemporary architects. Her first was the R.M. Schindler Retrospective, a 1954 exhibition at the Landau Art Gallery in Los Angeles. Her other exhibitions and accompanying catalogs include Roots of California Contemporary Architecture, 1956, Los Angeles Municipal Art Department; Felix Candela, 1957, University of Southern California, Los Angeles; Irving Gill, 1958, Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Juan O'Gorman, 1964, San Fernando Valley State College; and Ten Italian Architects, 1967, Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Moreover, McCoy contributed numerous essays to other exhibition catalogs and publications, lectured at the University of Southern California, participated in preservation projects, organized tours for the Society of Architectural Historians, and contributed to a number of documentary films. Her energy and interests also led her to catalog and transcribe Richard Neutra's papers at the University of California Los Angeles Archives.

McCoy received national recognition from the American Institute of Architects for her seminal and prolific work in the field of Southern California modern architectural history and criticism. Her interests, however, were not exclusively bound to California. She traveled the world and was interested in both Italian and Mexican architecture as well as the folk art and crafts of Mexico and South America. She made five extended trips to Italy during the 1950s and 1960s, publishing regularly about the architecture there and curating the exhibition Ten Italian Architects. She was a contributing editor to two Italian journals, Zodiac and Lotus, and was awarded the Star of Order of Solidarity in 1960 by the Republic of Italy for her research and writing.

Esther McCoy died of emphysema on December 30, 1989, at the age of eighty-five. Her last contribution was an essay for the exhibition catalog Blueprints for Modern Living: History and Legacy of the Case Study House. The show opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles one month before her death.

Missing Title

1904 -- Born November 18 in Horatio, Arkansas. Raised in Kansas.

1920 -- Attended preparatory school at Central College for Women, Lexington, Missouri.

1922-1925 -- College education: Baker University, Baldwin City, Kansas; University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri; University of Michigan.

1924 -- Visited Theodore Dreiser in Michigan.

1926-1938 -- Began writing in New York City.

1926-1938 -- Researched and read for Theodore Dreiser.

1926-1938 -- Worked for editorial offices and publishers.

1926-1938 -- Traveled to write in Paris (1928), Key West, Florida (1930), and Los Angeles, California (1932-1935).

1938 -- Moved to Santa Monica, California.

1941 -- Married Berkeley Greene Tobey.

1942-1944 -- Employed as engineering draftsman at Douglas Aircraft.

1944-1947 -- Worked as architectural draftsman for R.M. Schindler.

1945 -- Began architectural writing career.

1950 -- Wrote script for film Architecture West.

1950 -- Joined editorial board of Arts & Architecture.

1950-1968 -- Worked as free-lance writer for the Los Angeles Times.

1951-1955 -- Traveled to, researched, and wrote about Mexico and Mexican art and architecture.

1954 -- R.M. Schindler Retrospective exhibition at the Landau Art Gallery, Los Angeles.

1956 -- Roots of California Contemporary Architecture exhibition, Los Angeles Municipal Art Department.

1957 -- Felix Candela exhibition, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

1958 -- Irving Gill exhibition, Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Traveled to Italy.

1959-1968 -- Contributing editor to Italian periodicals Zodiac and Lotus.

1960 -- Five California Architects (New York: Reinhold).

1960 -- Richard Neutra (New York: G. Braziller).

1960 -- Awarded Star of Order of Solidarity by the Republic of Italy for reporting on arts and crafts in Italy.

1962 -- Death of Berkeley Greene Tobey.

1962 -- Modern California Houses: Case Study Houses (New York: Reinhold) (reprinted as Case Study Houses, Los Angeles: Hennessey and Ingalls, 1978).

1963 -- Resident Fellow at Huntington Hartford Foundation.

1964 -- Juan O'Gorman exhibition, San Fernando Valley State College, Northridge, Calif.

1965 -- Consultant for the California Arts Commission.

1965-1966 -- Wrote and produced the film Dodge House.

1965-1968 -- Lecturer at University of California at Los Angeles, School of Architecture and Urban Planning.

1966 -- Resident Fellow at MacDowell Colony, New Hampshire.

1967 -- Ten Italian Architects exhibition, Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

1967 -- Honorary Associate of the Southern California Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

1967 -- Regents' Lecturer at University of California, Santa Barbara.

1968 -- Craig Ellwood (New York: Walker).

1968 -- Distinguished Service Citation from the California Council of AIA.

1969-1970 -- Lecturer at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

1969-1989 -- Contributing editor of Progressive Architecture.

1971-1978 -- Graham Foundation Grants.

1974 -- Regents' Lecturer at the University of California,Santa Cruz.

1979 -- Vienna to Los Angeles: Two Journeys (Santa Monica, Calif.: Arts & Architecture Press).

1979 -- Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship.

1981 -- Los Angeles Chapter Women's Architectural League Honorary Member.

1982 -- Los Angeles County Museum of Art's Modern and Contemporary Art Council Award for Distinguished Achievement.

1983 -- Home Sweet Home: The California Ranch House exhibition at California State University.

1984 -- The Second Generation (Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith Books).

1985 -- American Institute of Architects, Institute Honor.

1986 -- High Styles exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

1987 -- Vesta Award for outstanding scholarship.

1989 -- Award from the Historical Society of Southern California.

1989 -- Award from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

1989 -- Blueprints for Modern Living: History and Legacy of the Case Study House exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Died in Santa Monica, California, December 30.

Related Material:

Also in the Archives of American Art are eight sound cassettes of a transcribed interview with Esther McCoy conducted by Joseph Giovannini, June 8-November 14, 1987.

Provenance:

The collection was given to the Archives of American Art by Esther McCoy in 1986. Before her death in 1989, McCoy assisted in the organization and identification of the papers. Original pre-print film elements for Dodge House 1916 were donated to the Archives of American Art by the Academy Film Archive in 2018.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of audiovisual recordings without access copies requires advance notice.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Occupation:

Architectural historians -- California  Search this

Art critics -- California  Search this

Topic:

Architecture, Modern -- 20th century -- Mexico  Search this

Architects -- Italy  Search this

Architecture, Domestic -- California  Search this

Authors -- California  Search this

Architecture, Modern -- 20th century -- California  Search this

Architecture, Modern -- 20th century -- Europe  Search this

Architects -- California  Search this

Feminism and art  Search this

Latino and Latin American artists  Search this

Genre/Form:

Diaries

Etchings

Photographs

Sound recordings

Interviews

Video recordings

Slides (photographs)

Transcripts

Drawings

Memoirs

Citation:

Esther McCoy papers, circa 1876-1990, bulk 1938-1989. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Identifier:

AAA.mccoesth

See more items in:

Esther McCoy papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93ee58e3b-f2fc-4d98-acf9-de6f76bfed63

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-mccoesth

Creator:

Warneke, Heinz (Heinrich), 1895-1983  Search this

Names:

Corcoran School of Art (Washington, D.C.) -- Faculty  Search this

United States. Work Projects Administration  Search this

Archer, Edmund, 1904-  Search this

Diederich, William Hunt, 1884-1953  Search this

Hancock, Walker Kirtland, 1901-1998  Search this

Hopper, Inslee  Search this

Zigrosser, Carl, 1891-  Search this

Extent:

6.25 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Drawings

Sketchbooks

Date:

1928-1987

Scope and Contents:

Biographical material, financial material, correspondence, notes, writings, art work, photographs, printed material, and project files document the career of sculptor and educator, Heinz Warneke. Also included are some writings, art work, photographs, and printed material related to his wife, Jessie Warneke.

Biographical materials include autobiographical and biographical sketches about Warneke, and certificates, including his membership card to the Kunstler-Bund-Bremen, 1922-1923; personal financial materials, ca. 1931-1937, include household records for his East Haddam, Connecticut home, "The Mowings."

Correspondence, 1930-1987, with his wife, Jessie, friends, colleagues, clients, gallery owners, museum and art school administrators, various art guilds and societies, and foundries. Among the correspondents are Edmund (Ned) Archer, William Hunt Diederich, Walker Hancock, Dick and Julia Helms, Inslee A. Hopper, Rena T. Magee, Jessalee Sickman, Henry Vam Wolf, and Carl Zigrosser. The correspondence discusses exhibitions and sales of Warneke's sculptures, the Corcoran School of Art, and invitations to various White House and Embassy functions in Washington, D.C. Also included are illustrated letters from Henry Kriess and Jessie Warneke.

Notes are by Heinz Warneke, ca. 1928-1979, and others and include 5 address books, 2 notebooks, one regarding the Warneke School of Sculpture, ca. 1935-1937, scattered notes regarding Warneke's sculpture classes at the Corcoran School of Art, ca. 1950-1963, his formulas and processes for sculpting, and price lists for his art works. Notes by ohters include a guest book from the exhibition, "Heinz Warneke Looks Back," 1967 and research notes by Mary Mullen Cunningham, undated. Writings, ca. 1923-1977, by Heinz Warneke and others, include lectures, forewords to exhibition catalogs, and a statement of "Opinion regarding the Philosophy of the Corcoran School of Art and the Direction it should take."

Art works, ca. 1929-1932, include 2 sketchbooks, studies of figures, animals, and plant life, watercolors, several chalk sketches for a work possibly depiction life at "The Mowings," by Warneke, several sketches by Jessie Warneke, an etching, and three engravings by others. Photographs, ca. 1918-1983, are of Heinz, family and friends including Edmund Archer, Inslee Hopper, Roderick Seidenberg, Carl Zigrosser, his pet dogs, his homes and studios in Connecticut, New York, and Washington, D.C., students, travels, art works by Heinz and Jessie, exhibition installations, and source material.

Printed material include exhibition announcements and catalogs and clippings, and other materials for Heinz, Jessie, and others, ca. 1923-1981. There is a file regarding Warneke's participation on the jury for the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Committee, 1939-1940, and circa 136 project files for completed and proposed sculpture works for public and private commissions which include various works for the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., an African cow elephant and calf for the Philadelphia Zoo, the Nittany Lion for Pennsylvania State University, and several Works Project Authority (WPA), and other federal projects, ca., 1911-1971.

Biographical / Historical:

Heinz Warneke (1895-1983) was a sculptor, animal sculptor and educator in East Haddam, Connecticut. Born and trained in Germany, Warneke worked on sculpture projects for WPA and was the head of the sculpture department at the Corcoran School of Art from the early 1940's to 1970.

Related Materials:

Heinz Warneke papers also at Syracuse University.

Provenance:

Donated 1977 by Warneke, and in 1983-1984, and 1994 by his stepdaughter and executrix of his estate, Priscilla Norton. The 1994 installment had been used by Micky Cunningham in her book, "Heinz Warneke, 1895-1983: A Sculptor First and Last" (University of Delaware Press, 1994). Additional photograph of Warneke by his stepson Edward Hall transferred 2013 from SAAM via George Gurney, Curator. Gurney received the photograph from Priscilla Norton.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Animal sculptors -- Connecticut -- East Haddam  Search this

Sculptors -- Connecticut -- East Haddam  Search this

Topic:

Sculpture -- Study and teaching  Search this

Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Drawings

Sketchbooks

Identifier:

AAA.warnhein

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw90536c46a-164a-4b1b-9986-1477624f9337

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-warnhein

Creator:

Bellefleur-Burbidge, Cile  Search this

Priscilla of Boston.  Search this

Burbidge, John (costume designer)  Search this

Extent:

1.6 Cubic feet (3 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Design drawings

Sound recordings

Scrapbooks

Date:

1951-2006

Summary:

Includes Burbidge's design drawings for wedding gowns while employed by the Priscilla of Boston firm, and scrapbooks documenting Cile Bellefleur-Burbidge's wedding cakes.

Scope and Contents:

Includes Burbidge's design drawings for wedding gowns while employed by the Priscilla of Boston firm, and two scrapbooks documenting Cile Bellefleur-Burbidge's wedding cakes. Also included are two books written by Cile Burbidge on cake decorating.

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into three series.

Series 1: Wedding Gown Design Drawings and Materials Relating to John Burbidge, 1968-1985

Series 2; Wedding Cake Scrapbooks,

Series 3: Books,

Biographical / Historical:

John Burbidge was a creative and prolific fashion designer for the Priscilla of Boston wedding gown company from the late 1940s to 1985. Burbidge, born in 1922, went to work for the Priscilla of Boston firm in 1948, after graduating from the New England School of Art and Design and serving for three years in the Army during World War II. He started out operating a button machine and gradually worked his way up to designing. His technique involved clipping photographs of models from magazines, laying tracing paper over the cut-out, and tracing the figure, onto which he added his design. After creating, in his words, "hundreds" of sketches and doodles, he would work out the details in muslin. Eventually he achieved status as Priscilla Kidder's favorite designer and was known for his use of certain features, such as bows, bustled backs, puffed sleeves and "star" bodices. The high point in his career with Priscilla of Boston was in 1971 when he designed the wedding dress worn by President Nixon's daughter Tricia at her White House wedding. The design had a strong influence on wedding fashion, though the design used was never duplicated by the company. Since leaving Priscilla of Boston, Burbidge has made a second career designing and creating dolls in elegant historic costume, while Burbidge's wife, Cile Bellefleur-Burbidge, designs and creates elegant and elaborate wedding cakes.

Related Materials:

Materials at the National Museum of American History

The Division of Home and Community Life has a collection of several Priscilla of Boston wedding gowns.

Provenance:

The collection was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Burbidge. The design drawings were donated in 1997 and the scrapbooks were donated in 2007.

Restrictions:

The 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.

Topic:

Fashion design -- 1970-1990  Search this

Costume designers  Search this

Costume design -- 1970-1990  Search this

Wedding costume -- 1970-1990  Search this

Wedding cakes  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Design drawings

Sound recordings

Scrapbooks -- 20th century

Citation:

John and Cile Bellefleur-Burbidge Wedding Design Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0562

See more items in:

John Burbidge and Cile Bellefleur-Burbidge Wedding Design Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep871c10bab-0a37-4440-bce8-64a8bf4e9083

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0562

Creator:

Becker, Richard  Search this

Bradford, Alex  Search this

Extent:

0.66 Cubic feet (2 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sheet music

Songbooks

Sound recordings

Theater programs

Parts (musical)

Playbills

Programs

Scripts (documents)

Clippings

Music

Date:

1950-1997, undated

Summary:

Papers relating to Alex Bradford's career as a composer of Gospel music. Included among the materials are playbills, published sheet music, music manuscripts, gospel song books, play scripts, newspaper clippings and articles, and one LP record.

Scope and Contents:

Collection documents the career of Alex Bradford as a composer of gospel music. Most of the materials relate to the musical production Your Arms Too Short to Box with God and include playbills and an LP. There are music manuscripts, published sheet music, and three Gospel song books of Bradford's music. In addition, there are playscripts for some of Bradford's other musical productions. Newspaper clippings and magazine articles document the importance of Bradford's creative work to the African American community. Lastly, playbills from the League of New York Theatres and Producers Antoinette Perry Award (Tony Awards) ceremonies are also found among the materials. The materials are arranged in chronological order.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into one series.

Biographical / Historical:

Alex Bradford was a musical and theater legend who served as a bridge between the gospel and secular worlds in music and performance. Bradford was responsible for the rise and popularity of the mass gospel choir. Alex Bradford was born in Bessemer, Alabama in the late 1920s during an era of racial segregation. A racially motivated altercation eventually led his mother to send him to New York. Before he left Alabama, Bradford performed on stage and sang in various children's choirs. Bradford was a talented and influential gospel singer, performer, song writer, and stage play author. Richard Becker, an accomplished music producer, worked with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Becker's first collaboration with Bradford resulted in their production of Black Nativity, based on a play by Langston Hughes. Commissioned to do a second stage musical, the two created Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, based on the Biblical book of Matthew. Your Arms was the first musical production fully funded at the Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC. The musical made its debut on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre, on December 22, 1976. The original cast included Al Green, Patti LaBelle, and newcomer Jennifer Holliday.

Related Materials:

Materials in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Eugene D. Smallwood Gospel Music Collection NMAH.AC.0456

Martin and Morris Company Records NMAH.AC.0492

Wade in the Water Radio Series Collection NMAH.AC.0516

Program in African American Culture NMAH.AC.0408

Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music, Series 36: Folios and Songbooks NMAH.AC.0300

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series: Music NMAH.AC.0060

Duke Ellington Collection NMAH.AC.0301

Provenance:

Richard Becker donated the materials to the Archives Center, National Museum of American History in January 2001.

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.

Reproduction restricted due to copyright or trademark.

Topic:

Gospel music  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sheet music -- 20th century

Songbooks

Sound recordings -- 1930-1990

Theater programs -- 1970-1980

Parts (musical)

Playbills

Programs

Scripts (documents)

Clippings -- 20th century

Music -- Manuscripts

Citation:

Richard Becker Collection of Alex Bradford Gospel Music Materials, 1950-1997, undated Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Sponsor:

Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0761

See more items in:

Richard Becker Collection of Alex Bradford Gospel Music Materials

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8349b0fa0-fd12-4c71-96d5-64f3fd2bfa6d

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0761

Creator:

Williams, Claude, 1908-2004  Search this

Fouse-Williams, Blanche Y.  Search this

Extent:

1 Electronic discs (CD)

13 Cassette tapes

4.66 Cubic feet (14 boxes, 3 map- folders)

Container:

Map-folder 1

Map-folder 3

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Electronic discs (cd)

Cassette tapes

Letters (correspondence)

Photographs

Programs

Posters

Scrapbooks

Financial records

Awards

Business records

Audiotapes

Articles

Manuscripts

Date:

1920-2005

Summary:

Business and personal papers, photographs, and audio recordings of Claude "Fiddler" Williams, an award-winning jazz fiddler. Although Williams played music for almost a century the materials in this collection date largely from 1970 to 2005.

Scope and Contents:

This collection documents the later life and career of jazz violinist Claude "Fiddler" Williams. Materials include correspondence, photographs, unpublished writings, awards, business records, financial records, programs and a few music manuscripts. There is one scrapbook and several audio recordings. There are also an autographed poster from 1997 honoring five inductees to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, including Claude Williams, Merle Haggard, Patti Page, Woody Guthrie and Eddie Burris. While there are some materials from Williams's youth, the vast majority of the collection dates from 1970. Williams's second wife, Blanche Y. Fouse-Williams, was vigilant about saving his papers. She also managed his career for the last few years of his life. This accounts for the increased volume of materials documenting his later years. Materials generally are arranged in chronological order within series and subseries.

Series 1, Business Records, 1973-2005, undated, is divided into seven subseries and includes business records, information relating to tours and performances, awards and certificates, business and personal correspondence, financial papers, articles and newspaper clippings, and biographical information.

Subseries 1, Events, 1977-2004, undated, includes contracts, copies of newspaper clippings, performance programs, brochures, ticket stubs, travel itineraries, travel receipts, correspondence, materials regarding his work as a fiddle teacher, advertisements for performances, a certificate of recognition, and napkins saved from a Washington Education Television Association (WETA) performance at the White House in 1998. Materials are arranged in chronological order.

Subseries 2, Itineraries, 1990-2001, includes lists and correspondence detailing locations, musicians, travel and lodging plans, and financial compensation for William's performances. Materials are arranged in chronological order.

Subseries 3, Awards and Certificates, 1978-2002, contains awards and certificates of appreciation from the Steamboat Delta Queen, Annual Black Musicians Conference, Kansas City Chapter of the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors, and the Manhattan School of Music, as well as an invitation to a reception honoring Kansas City Jazz musicians from the Consul General of Japan. Materials are arranged in chronological order.

Subseries 4, Correspondence, 1975-2004, consists of information relating to travel arrangements, tours, remuneration, music recordings, press kits, contracts, public television performances, involvement with the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as Williams's Smithsonian Folkways recording. Materials are arranged in chronological order.

Subseries 5, Financial Papers, 1990-2005, includes information about travel and payment, hotel bills and receipts, invoices for performances, music recordings sales, royalty statements and copies of checks. Materials are arranged in chronological order.

Subseries 6, Press, 1973--005, undated, includes magazines, newspaper clippings and articles, about Williams's performances and music, appearances and jazz festivals, as well as the Kansas City Jazz scene. Magazine titles include Kansas City Magazine , Missouri Alumnus , The Masters Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program , Jazz Ambassador Magazine , Kansas City Ambassador to Jazz , The Mississippi Rag , Fiddler Magazine , Jazz News , Jazz Times , Living Blues , Blues Access , and Kansas City . Materials are arranged by type and then in chronological order.

Subseries 7, Music, 1989-1995, undated, contains thirteen audio tape recordings, one CD, sheet music and set lists of music performed by Williams. There is an audio recording of Black and Blue: A Musical Revue , a Folk Master performance at Carnegie Hall. Williams's work with James Chirillo, an appearance on Birdflight , as well as recordings of live and studio performances are also included among these materials. There is a copy of Williams's CD Swingtime in New York and an interview from1992. Materials are arranged in chronological order.

Series 2, Personal Papers, 1978--005, undated, is divided into two subseries and contains letters, cards, postcards, invitations, copies of email, and requests for information and interviews. Most of the correspondence was addressed to Williams but there are materials that were sent to Blanche Williams. The correspondence is generally from fans, friends and family.

Subseries 1, Correspondence, 1978-2005, undated, consists of birthday cards from school age children, postcards, copies of newspaper clippings, White House and other government correspondence, congratulations or birthday wishes, as well as personal correspondence from friends inquiring about Williams's health and well-being. Also included is a draft for a chapter in a book on Claude Williams's contributions to jazz. Requests relating to research about Williams are also included. Materials are arranged in chronological order. Materials are arranged first by type followed by general correspondence in chronological order.

Subseries 2, Miscellaneous, undated, contains ephemera, autographs, affiliates list, well-wishes to Blanche Williams, a funeral program, mailing lists, lists of affiliated organizations, and a Count Bassie autograph.

Series 3, Photographs, 1977-2004, undated, includes personal and professional photographic prints and negatives of Williams. Subjects include performances and festivals, headshots and publicity, images of other musicians, family, friends, and posters with photographs created for his funeral. The majority of these photographs are of performances. Materials are arranged by subject.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into three series.

Series 1, Business Records, 1973-2005, undated

Subseries 1.1, Events, 1977-2004, undated

Subseries 1.2, Itineraries, 1990-2001

Subseries 1.3, Awards and Certificates, 1978-2002

Subseries 1.4, Correspondence, 1975-2004

Subseries 1.5, Financial Papers, 1990-2005

Subseries 1.6, Press, 1973-2005, undated

Subseries 1.7, Music; 1989-1995, undated

Series 2, Personal Papers, 1978-2005, undated

Subseries 2.1, Correspondence, 1978-2005, undated

Subseries 2.2, Miscellaneous, undated

Series 3, Photographs, 1977-2004, undated

Biographical / Historical:

Claude "Fiddler" Williams, 1908-2004, was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, the son of a blacksmith. His musical gifts developed at a very early age, and he quickly became adept at the guitar, banjo, mandolin and cello, learning mostly by ear, without formal training. After hearing the jazz violinist Joe Venuti, the violin became his instrument of choice, and it remained so for the rest of his life. He migrated to Kansas City in 1927 and toured with several territory bands. Additionally Williams toured with the Twelve Clouds of Joy and the Cole Brothers, and in 1936, joined Count Basie's band as the first guitarist. After he was fired from Count Basie's band because John Hammond thought Williams's guitar solos were taking too much attention away from Basie, he went back to the violin (or "fiddle" as he preferred to call it) and focused exclusively on it for the rest of his life. Later he started his own band and toured with several jazz groups working for a short time with the Works Progress Administration (WPA). His band appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Nice Jazz Festival, and the Smithsonian Institution's Festival of American Folk Life. Williams received numerous honors and awards, including induction into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, a proclamation from the city of Kansas City, and a 1998 National Heritage Fellowship which included a $10,000 award. President Bill Clinton invited him to perform at one of the parties celebrating his first inauguration. Williams continued to tour and perform until well into his nineties. He also gave instruction at Mark O'Connor's annual fiddle camp to young violinists. Mr. Williams died in April 2004.

Separated Materials:

Artifacts donated to the Museum's Division of Culture and the Arts (now Division of Cultural and Community Life) include a suit and violin. See accession numbers: 2005.3105 and 2007.3020.

Provenance:

This collection was donated by Claude Williams's widow, Blanche Y. Fouse-Williams, in 2005.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research use.

Physical Access: Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves. Researchers must use reference copies of audio-visual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis, as resources allow.

Technical Access: Do not use original materials when available on reference audio tapes.

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.

Topic:

Music -- 20th century -- United States  Search this

Jazz -- 20th century -- United States  Search this

Jazz musicians -- United States  Search this

Violinists  Search this

Musicians -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.

Photographs -- 2000-2010

Programs

Posters -- 1950-2000

Scrapbooks

Financial records

Awards

Business records -- 20th century

Audiotapes

Articles

Photographs -- 20th century

Manuscripts -- Music -- 20th century

Citation:

Claude Williams Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0909

See more items in:

Claude Williams Papers

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep82736f8a2-824b-43e6-96c8-6449a163c087

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0909

Creator:

Lanza, Kenneth  Search this

Lanza, Anthony, 1925-1995  Search this

Extent:

1.33 Cubic feet (2 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Drawings

Diaries

Letters (correspondence)

Photographs

Place:

Japan -- World War, 1939-1945

Hiroshima-shi (Japan) -- History -- Bombardment, 1945

Date:

1925-1946

undated

bulk 1940-1946

Summary:

World War II personal papers, photographs, and printed material of Anthony R. Lanza, who served in the U.S. Army in Japan between 1944 and 1946.

Scope and Contents:

The collection documents Anthony Lanza's United States Army service in Japan during World War II, mostly through letters and photographs. Also included are miscellaneous items such as newsletters, clippings, drawings, Japanese travel and language guides, and official military papers. Particular research value lies in the photographic documentation of Hiroshima shortly after the atomic bomb was dropped, photographs of the Enola Gay, and an eyewitness account by a survivor.

Series 1, Photographs, 1925, 1944, 1945, 1946, undated, contains documentation of Lanza's time in Japan during World War II, divided by subject matter. Many of the photographs are annotated on the reverse side. Included in the collection are photographs of the Enola Gay, Hiroshima shortly after the atomic bomb was dropped, and the 308th General Hospital in Japan. There are also several photographs of landscapes and Japanese citizens. The folder containing street scenes includes one formal portrait of a Japanese family Lanza encountered in his travels. There are also photographs not taken in Japan, including images of Niagara Falls.

Series 2, Personal Papers, 1940s, undated, contains various papers that belonged to Lanza, including his diary, several letters to his mother written from Japan, a scrapbook, a first person account of the Hiroshima bombing written by Reverend John A. Siemes, military papers (special orders, immunization records, payroll information, and discharge papers), military newsletters, newspaper and magazine clippings, and various sketches and notes. The newspaper and magazine subjects contain information regarding a relative, a blurb about a DDT insecticide experiment, and information regarding musical performances.

Series 3, Materials Related to Japan, 1945, undated, contains two Japanese language books, a tourist magazine, and a book created for tourism about Japan dated 1945.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in three series.

Series 1, Photographs, 1925, 1944, 1945, 1946, undated

Series 2, Personal Papers, 1940s, undated

Series 3, Materials Related to Japan, 1945, undated

Biographical / Historical:

Dr. Anthony R. Lanza was born July 20, 1925, in New York City. He was inducted into the United States Army in March of 1944, worked at the 308th General Hospital in Japan, and received an honorable discharge in May of 1946. He attained the rank of Master Sergeant and received the American Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. Lanza later worked as a public school teacher in Union, New Jersey, and Valley Stream, New York, as well as a faculty member of the School of Education at New York University. He also served as Chief of the NESA Education Branch in AID/Washington, as an Education Advisor in Turkey for nine years, and as a USAID Chief Education Officer in Guatemala, Afghanistan, and Pakistan for twelve years. He went on to work as Regional Education Officer for Africa for the Office of Overseas Schools in the U.S. State Department.

Related Materials:

World War II Bomb Damage Photographs contains photographs of the aftermath of the bombings in Nagasaki, Japan, and Manila in the Philippines. Emilio Segre Collection documents research relating to the development of the atomic bomb.

Provenance:

Anthony Lanza's son, Kenneth Lanza, donated this collection in 2005 and additional materials were donated in 2007.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research use. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves.

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.

Topic:

Atomic bomb  Search this

Japanese language -- 1940-1950  Search this

Nuclear warfare  Search this

Military occupation -- Japan  Search this

Travel -- Japan  Search this

World War, 1939-1945  Search this

Genre/Form:

Drawings -- 1940-1950

Diaries -- 1940-1950

Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.

Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin -- 1940-1950

Citation:

Anthony Lanza World War II Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0910

See more items in:

Anthony Lanza World War II Letters and Photographs

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep89becc5b3-fb32-4904-8c51-4647468a7677

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0910

Creator:

Santamaria, Mongo, 1917-  Search this

Extent:

2 Cubic feet (4 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Articles

Passports

Photographs

Manuscripts

Concert programs

Date:

1950s-1996

Summary:

Collection includes music manuscripts, articles and clippings, concert programs, passports, and photographs.

Scope and Contents:

This collection documents, mostly in photographs, the musical career of Mongo Santamaria. Other materials include music manuscripts, magazine and newspaper articles, flyers, posters, and passports.

Series 1, Photographs, circa 1950s–1990s, includes primarily black and white and some color images of Mongo Santamaria. There is a photograph of Santamaria with the first Congo he brought from Cuba to the United States. Of particular interest is Santamaria performing with Tito Puente and Cal Tjada's bands. Some of the earlier photographs document performances at the Palladium Nightclub and Apollo Theatre. There are publicity photographs of Santamaria and his band created by the recording studios. The photographs also include award ceremonies, bar scenes and concert appearances. The materials are arranged in chronological order.

Series 2, Music Manuscripts, 1958-1985; undated, includes music created by Santamaria and music performed by him but written by other composers. Escena Afro-Cubanas composed and arranged by Valerie Capers (1985), Just Say Good-by by Rodgers Grant, Mambo Olga Pachanga by Nicolas Martinez (1961) and Peace by Horace Silver are included among these materials. The materials are arranged in alphabetical order by title.

Series 3, Personal and Background Information, 1945-1996; undated, include a profile of Santamaria and other musicians written in Japanese. There are also magazine articles documenting the development of Santamaria's career and his public appearances. Articles from the Miami Herald and the Chicago Tribune are also included among the materials. Personal items consist of Santamaria's Cuban and American passports. The materials are arranged in alphabetical order by type.

Series 4, Performance Materials, 1977-1996; undated, includes the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Certificate to Mongo Santamaria and his Latin-Jazz Orchestra in recognition of nomination for the Best Tropical Latin Performance for Free Spirit, Espirito Libre, 1985. There are also flyers and an entertainment guide, some in Spanish, advertising public appearances for concert performances. A program in French for a jazz festival in Vienna includes profiles of the performers. There are posters including a black and white drawing of jazz musicians by Robert Leonard (1985) and appearances at the Miami Jazz and Heritage Festival, Apollo Theatre, Oberlin College and the Blue Note. Materials are arranged in alphabetical order by type.

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into 4 series.

Series 1: Photographs, circa 1950s-1990

Series 2, Music Manuscripts, 1958-1985 and undated

Series 3, Personal and Background Information, 1945-1996 and undated

Series 4, Performance Materials, 1977-1996 and undated

Biographical / Historical:

Cuban-born percussionist, composer, arranger, and bandleader.

Related Materials:

The materials in this collection complement the Latino Music Collection, Tito Puente Papers, Chico O'Farrill Papers, Dizzy Gillespie Collection and Paquito d'Rivera Music Manuscripts and Photograph.

Provenance:

Donated to the Archives Center by Mongo Santamaria's daughter, Nancy Anderson.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Rights:

Fees for commercial reproduction. Reproduction restricted due to copyright or trademark.

Topic:

Music -- 20th century  Search this

Jazz musicians -- United States  Search this

Jazz  Search this

Drummers (Musicians)  Search this

Musicians -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Articles

Passports

Photographs -- 1950-2000

Manuscripts -- Music -- 20th century

Concert programs

Citation:

Mongo Santamaria Papers, 1965-2001, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Gift of Nancy Anderson.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0893

See more items in:

Mongo Santamaria Papers

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep86da90852-d80c-4f01-b373-10272925814e

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0893

Creator:

Smothers Brothers  Search this

Names:

Paulsen, Pat  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Extent:

7 Cubic feet (21 boxes, 1 map-folder)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Biography files

Clippings

Color slides

Contact sheets

Contracts

Itineraries

Legal records

Letters (correspondence)

Photograph albums

Photographs

Color prints (photographs)

Programs

Press releases

Scrapbooks

Scripts (documents)

Date:

1959-2008, undated

Summary:

The collection documents the lives and careers of the Smothers Brothers, with emphasis on their 1960s television variety show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

Scope and Contents:

Collection documents the private lives and professional careers of Tom and Dick Smothers, with emphasis on their television variety show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. The largest portion of the collection contains photographic materials. Publicity materials including press releases, programs, newspaper clippings, and magazine articles; correspondence containing fan mail (some from famous persons such as Lucille Ball, Jack Paar, and others), letters from viewers both complimentary and critical of shows, and letters from members of Congress; business records including contracts, tour itineraries, talent agency materials, scripts, and scrapbooks; and legal documents relating to the lawsuit against Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) are also found in the collection. Collection is arranged into three series: Series 1, Photographs, 1961-2007, undated; Series 2, Business Records, 1959-2002, undated; and Series 3, Personal Papers, 1966-2008, undated.

Arrangement:

Collection is arranged into three series:

Series 1: Photographic Materials, 1961-2007, undated

Subseries 1.1: Television Shows, 1966-1989, undated

Subseries 1.2: Specials, Tours, and Public Appearances, 1964-1988, undated

Subseries 1.3: Motion Picture Films and Theatre, 1969-1982

Subseries 1.4: General, 1961-2007, undated

Subseries 1.5: Promotional, 1961-2003, undated

Series 2: Business Records, 1959-2002, undated

Subseries 2.1: Press, 1960-2002, undated

Subseries 2.2: Employee Files, 1959-1999, undated

Subseries 2.3: Smothers Brothers v. Columbia Broadcasting System, Incorporated (CBS), 1966-1972, undated

Subseries 2.4: Correspondence, 1960-1996

Subseries 2.5: Performance Materials, 1962-1993, undated

Subseries 2.6: Fan Club, 1990-1992, undated

Series 3: Personal Papers, 1966-2008, undated

Related Materials:

Materials in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Duncan Family Yo-Yo Collection NMAH.AC.0807

Colonna, Farrell Wine Label Collection NMAH.AC.0626

Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music, Series 16: Country, Western and Folk Music NMAH.AC.0300

Bob Rule Papers, NMAH.AC.0855

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.

Topic:

Comedy  Search this

Folk singers  Search this

Television personalities  Search this

Television  Search this

Variety shows (Television programs) -- Production and direction  Search this

Genre/Form:

Biography files

Clippings -- 20th century

Color slides -- 20th century

Contact sheets

Contracts

Itineraries

Legal records

Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.

Photograph albums

Photographs -- 20th century

Color prints (photographs) -- 20th century

Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- 20th century

Photographs -- Black-and-white negatives -- 20th century

Photographs -- Black-and-white negatives -- Acetate film

Programs

Press releases

Scrapbooks

Scripts (documents)

Citation:

Smothers Brothers Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1437

See more items in:

Smothers Brothers Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep83ece83d3-a6c8-44b1-8d02-c25507efbd68

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1437

Creator:

Norvo, Red, 1908-1999  Search this

Donor:

Corlin, Portia Norvo  Search this

Extent:

4 Cubic feet (7 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Awards

Biographies

Correspondence

Photographs

Clippings

Interviews

Date:

1932-1998

Summary:

Correspondence, transcripts of interviews, photographs, a biography, a discography, an award, printed material and other miscellany documenting the life and career of Red Norvo.

Scope and Contents:

The Red Norvo Papers consist of correspondence, transcripts of interviews with Red Norvo, miscellaneous publications (catalogues, monographs, newsletters, pamphlets, programs), periodicals, articles and clippings, photographs, and several miscellaneous documents: various advertisements, a hotel receipt, liner notes, an award from Metronome, a biography prepared by Capitol Records, a Red Norvo discography, a concert engagement advertisement in the form of a postcard, a poster (Benny Goodman), and a Red Norvo concert tour itinerary.

Arrangement:

Divided into 7 series: Series 1: Correspondence, 1939-1997; Series 2: Red Norvo Interview Transcripts, 1991-1993; Series 3: Miscellaneous Publications; Series 4: Miscellaneous Documents; Series 5: Periodicals, Series 6: Periodical Articles and News Clippings; Series 7: Photographs.

Biographical / Historical:

Along with Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo stands as one of the most celebrated and influential figures in the history of Jazz vibraphone. Norvo was born Kenneth Norville in Beardstown, Illinois on March 31, 1908. He began studying marimba at an early age and played in a rhumba band in 1925. After a brief stint as a tap dancer and conductor on the Vaudeville circuit, Norvo played xylophone with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. He later married the band's singer, Mildred Bailey, and together they were known as Mr. and Mrs. Swing. From the late 1930's through the early 1940's Norvo lead his own orchestra (with arrangements by Eddie Sauter) and his own sextet.

In 1944 Norvo switched permanently to vibraphone and joined the Benny Goodman Sextet. In 1945 the Red Norvo Selected Sextet (featuring Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie) recorded Hallelujah, Get Happy, Slam Slam Blues, and Congo Blues—an event that many critics regard as helping to commence the bebop era and the establishment of modern jazz. In 1946 Norvo played with Woody Herman's First Herd. But in Norvo's formative years it was the improvisational piano style of Teddy Wilson that most influenced his own style of play. In 1950 Norvo founded the Red Norvo Trio, which included Tal Farlow on guitar and Charles Mingus on bass. Norvo also performed and recorded with a quintet. He settled in Santa Monica, California and became a prolific recording musician with Capitol and other labels. Most of the essential singers of the period either performed or recorded with him: Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee to name a few. Norvo notably backed Sinatra on his Australian tour in 1959 and appeared with him in the 1960 film, Ocean's Eleven. In 1961 Norvo began to suffer hearing loss, a condition which worsened throughout the remainder of his life. In the 1970's he performed mainly in Las Vegas. He died April 6, 1999 in Santa Monica.

Related Materials:

Materials in the Archives Center

Benny Carter Collection (NMAH.AC.0757)

Milt Gabler Papers (NMAH.AC.0849)

Jazz Oral History Program Collection(NMAH.AC.0808)

William Russo Music and Personal Papers(NMAH.AC.0845) Jack Siefert/Woody Herman Collection(NMAH.AC.0659) Ernie Smith Jazz Film Collection (NMAH.AC.0491)

Provenance:

The collection was donated to the Archives Center by Portia Norvo Corlin on April 1, 2004.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research and access on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.

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.

Topic:

Periodicals  Search this

Vibraphone  Search this

Jazz  Search this

Jazz musicians -- United States  Search this

Music -- 20th century  Search this

Genre/Form:

Awards

Biographies

Correspondence -- 20th century

Photographs -- 20th century

Clippings -- 20th century

Interviews -- 1990-2000

Citation:

Red Norvo Papers, 1932-1997, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Gift of Portia Norvo Corlin.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0858

See more items in:

Red Norvo Papers

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8b2c9ef61-86a8-4078-bfa5-98cf05e3fad7

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0858

Author:

LeGon, Jeni, 1916-  Search this

Names:

Robinson, Bill, 1878-1949  Search this

Extent:

1 Cubic foot (3 boxes, includes photographs)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Letters (correspondence)

Programs

Photographs

Clippings

Itineraries

Advertisements

Date:

1930-2002, undated

Summary:

Collection documents the career of Jeni LeGon as a dancer, dance instructor, and actress.

Scope and Contents:

Collection documents LeGon's career as a dancer, dance instructor, and actress. Materials include biographical information, correspondence, photographs, early travel itineraries, schedules, personal calendars, printed advertisements, invitations to dance events, programs, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and awards. The collection is arranged into four series: Series 1, Biographical Information and Publicity, 1930s; Series 2, Theatre and Motion Picture Film, 1935-1945, undated; Series 3, Dance Instruction and Performances, 1953-2002, undated; and Series 4: Tributes and Awards, 1979-2002.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into four series:.

Series 1, Biographical Information and Publicity

Series 2, Theatre and Motion Picture Film, 1935-1945

Series 3, Dance Instruction and Performances, 1953-2002, undatred

Series 4, Tributes and Awards, 1979-2002

Biographical / Historical:

Jeni LeGon was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1916. Her long, successful career as an African American dancer and actress began in musical theatre and vaudeville. In the 1930s she traveled across the southern United States performing first with the Whitman Sisters company and then with her half-sister, Willa Mae Lane, as the LeGon and Lane song-and-dance team. By 1935, LeGon was working under contract with Fox Studios, RKO Pictures, and MGM performing with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Waters and Al Jolson, and Fred Astaire. Throughout the years she performed on Broadway and in other theaters and clubs including the Apollo, Cafe de Paris, Howard, Paramount, and Lincoln. Beginning in the 1950s she offered dance instruction in Los Angeles, California at the Jeni LeGon Dance Studio and Drama and Dance Playhouse; and in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she taught tap and pointe. She died on December 7, 2012 at the age of ninety-six.

Related Materials:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program Collection (AC0808)

Ernie Smith Jazz Film Collection (AC0491)

Program in African American Culture Collection (AC0408)

Frank Schiffman Apollo Theatre Collection (AC0540)

Provenance:

The collection was donated to the Archives Center by Jeni LeGon in 2002.

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.

Topic:

African American women entertainers  Search this

African American women  Search this

Dance in motion pictures, television, etc.  Search this

Dance, Black  Search this

Dancers  Search this

Actresses  Search this

Tap dancing  Search this

Genre/Form:

Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.

Programs -- 1930-2000

Photographs -- 20th century

Clippings

Itineraries

Advertisements -- 20th century

Citation:

Jeni LeGon Papers, 1930s-2002, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0829

See more items in:

Jeni LeGon Papers

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8b5972ffb-e9ea-40ec-baa7-7fc43d772a76

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0829