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Moses Moon Civil Rights Movement Audio Collection

Creator:
McNamara, Norris  Search this
Moon, Moses  Search this
Names:
Freedom Singers (SNCC)  Search this
Abernathy, Ralph, 1926-1990  Search this
Anderson, Marian, 1897-1993  Search this
Baez, Joan  Search this
Baker, Ella, 1903-1986  Search this
Baker, Josephine, 1906-1975  Search this
Baldwin, James, 1924-1987  Search this
Barry, Marion, 1936-  Search this
Bikel, Theodore  Search this
Carawan, Guy  Search this
Conyers, John, 1929-  Search this
Donaldson, Ivanhoe  Search this
Dylan, Bob, 1941-  Search this
Ferebee, Dorothy Boulding , 1898?-1980  Search this
Forman, James, 1928-2005  Search this
Gregory, Dick  Search this
Guyot, Lawrence, 1939-  Search this
Hamer, Fannie Lou  Search this
Height , Dorothy I. (Dorothy Irene), 1912-2010  Search this
Horne, Lena  Search this
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968  Search this
Lewis, John  Search this
Moses, Robert  Search this
Moses, Robert Parris  Search this
Odetta, 1930-2008  Search this
Parks, Rosa, 1913-2005  Search this
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Reagon, Cordell  Search this
Robinson , Amelia Boynton, 1911-2015  Search this
Robinson, Jackie  Search this
Rustin, Bayard, 1912-1987  Search this
Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this
Sherrod, Charles, 1937-  Search this
Shuttlesworth, Fred L., 1922-2011  Search this
Extent:
4 Cubic feet (18 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Audiotapes
Sound recordings
Date:
1963-1964
Summary:
Recorded by Moses Moon (known at the time as Alan Ribback) and assisted by Norris McNamara during 1963 and 1964, the collection includes audio recordings of interviews with civil rights leaders and participants as well as free-style recordings of mass meetings, voter registration events, and other gatherings organized by Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). This collection provides a mostly unfiltered documentation of significant moments in the civil rights movement.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 115 reel to reel audio recordings containing interviews, mass meetings, demonstrations, and conversations concerning the civil rights movement, and in particular the voter registration drives organized by SNCC in Alabama and Mississippi in 1963 and 1964. Mass meetings were recorded in Greenwood, Mississippi; Americus, Georgia; Selma, Alabama; Jackson, Mississippi; Danville, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and Indianola, Mississippi. Major demonstrations recorded include the March on Washington in August of 1963, Freedom Day in Selma, Alabama in October of 1963, and Freedom Day in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in January of 1964. Interviews with SNCC workers include Julian Bond, John Lewis, James Forman, Bruce Gordon, Prathia Hall, Ivanhoe Donaldson, Bob Moses, Avery Williams, Willie Peacock, Bruce Boynton and his mother, as well as dozens of others involved in the movement, who are named in the collection inventory. Many of those interviewed were actively involved in strategizing and carrying out SNCC demonstrations and political actions, and many were victims of death threats, beatings, unlawful arrest, police brutality, and torture and abuse in prison. These interviews contain detailed eyewitness accounts and personal testimony regarding these experiences, as well as personal history and thoughts about the movement, the South, and the future.

It is clear from what we know of the dates and locations of these recordings, as well as from documentation of these events in other sources, that many of these recordings are unique documents of important events in American history, which may also contain the commentary of important political and cultural figures who were involved in the movement. For example, an article by Howard Zinn recounts how an unidentified man recorded James Baldwin on October 7, 1963, Freedom Day in Selma, on the steps of the courthouse. Baldwin was furious at the lack of support from nearby federal agents as state troopers advanced on peaceful demonstrators. One of the tapes dated October 7, 1963, originally labeled "courthouse interviews," appears to be this recoding, although Baldwin is not named. The same article (available in The Howard Zinn Reader) recounts the mass meetings which led up to that demonstration, at which actor Dick Gregory gave a rousing sermon as his wife sat in jail for demonstrating in Selma. The Moses Moon Collection may be the only existing audio recording of that sermon as well as many other sermons and speeches.

Moses Moon changed his name after these recordings were made. He is referred to in the finding aid as Alan Ribback because that name is used on the recordings.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in two series.Series 1 is in chronological order to the degree recording dates can be determined, and is based on the locations and dates provided by Moon in his description or gleaned from the recordings themselves and other secondary sources. Series 1 contains 17 groups of recordings.

Moon's original numbers are recorded in the column next to the descriptions. Following the first four Greenwood tapes, which are numbered sequentially, Moon's numbering system took the first two letters of the town in which the recordings were made, a one (1), a decimal, and then a tape number. Numbers preceding the town code refer to the recording day. "N" numbers were later assigned by Moon to the 7" reels only, after the original recordings were made, possibly during editing or when the tapes were made available to the Program in African American Culture.

Series 1, Original Tapes

1. Greenwood, Mississippi; Spring 1963; 4 7" reels

2. Chicago, Illinois; August 9, 12, 1963; 2 5" reels

3. Americus, Georgia; August 17, 1963; 5 5" reels, 1 7" reel

4. Atlanta, Georgia; August 21, 1963; 1 5" reel

5. Washington, D.C.; August 26-28, 1963; 6 5", 8 7" reels

6. Atlanta, Georgia; September 8, 1963; 4 5" reels

7. Selma, Alabama; September 29-October 7, 1963; 11 5" reels, 16 7" reels

8. Gadsden, Alabama; October 23, 1963; 2 5" reels

9. Jackson, Mississippi; Fall/Winter 1963; 11 7" reels

10. Greenwood, Mississippi; c. November 3, 1963; 3 5" reels, 4 7" reels

11. Danville, Virginia; 1963; 6 7" reels

12. Washington, D.C.; soon after November 22, 1963; 6 7" reels

13. Washington, D.C.; late 1963, or possibly during MOW; 10 7" reels

14. Hattiesburg, Mississippi; January 1964; 9 7" reels

15. Indianola, Mississippi; Summer 1964; 2 7" reels

16. Monroe County, Mississippi; August 1, 1964; 4 5" reels

17. Milton, Mississippi; August 16, 1964; 3 5" reels

Series 2, Preservation Masters consists of data DVDs for a portion of the collection.
Biographical / Historical:
Moses Moon was born Alan Ribback in 1928. During the 1950s until 1962, Ribback was the proprietor of the Gate of Horn, Chicago's premier folk music club, which featured performers including Bob Gibson, Odetta, Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Jo Mapes, Peter, Paul and Mary, Lenny Bruce, and Shelley Berman. On December 5, 1962, Lenny Bruce was arrested during a performance at the Gate of Horn along with Ribback, George Carlin, and others. As a result of the arrest and Bruce's subsequent conviction for obscenity, the club was closed by the City of Chicago, and Ribback left Chicago with Norris McNamara, an audio technician, to record folk concerts taking place in the South as part of the growing civil rights movement. From the spring of 1963 until the summer of 1964, Ribback and McNamara recorded demonstrations and mass meetings and interviewed civil rights activists, primarily those involved in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Later, Ribback moved to New York and edited his recordings into an album called Movement Soul. Ribback married Delia Moon in 1971, took her last name and changed his first name to Moses. In 1979, Bernice Reagon Johnson, working with the Program on African American Culture at the Smithsonian, contacted Moon and borrowed the recordings of mass meetings for a 1980 program on the voices of the civil rights movement. In the late 1980s, Moon was stricken with a severe case of Guillain-Barre syndrome, which left him paralyzed. Moon donated the entire collection of original recordings shortly before his death in 1993.
Related Materials:
Materials at Other Organizations

The papers of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee are held by the King Library and Archives in Atlanta, Georgia; archives@thekingcenter.org.
Provenance:
Donated by Moses and Delia Moon in 1995.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Reference copies must be used. Tapes noted in the container list have digital reference copies in the Smithsonian Institution Digital Asset Management System (DAMS).
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but copyright status unknown. Contact Archives Center staff for additional information. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
African American civil rights workers.  Search this
African American preaching.  Search this
Mississippi Freedom Project  Search this
Civil rights movements  Search this
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (U.S.)  Search this
Civil rights  Search this
Voter registration  Search this
African Americans -- Civil rights  Search this
African American student movements.  Search this
Folk music  Search this
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Washington, D.C., 1963  Search this
Gospel music  Search this
Genre/Form:
Audiotapes -- Open reel
Sound recordings
Audiotapes
Citation:
Moses Moon Civil Rights Movement Audio Collection, 1963-1964, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0556
See more items in:
Moses Moon Civil Rights Movement Audio Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8f8d8405e-ab8d-486c-96c7-58c33804c206
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0556

Diana Davies photographs

Photographer:
Davies, Diana, 1938-  Search this
Gahr, David  Search this
Performer:
Bread and Puppet Theater  Search this
Everly Brothers  Search this
New Lost City Ramblers  Search this
Pentangle (Musical group)  Search this
The Pennywhistlers (Musical group)  Search this
The Young Tradition (Musical group)  Search this
Andersen, Eric  Search this
Bikel, Theodore  Search this
Brand, Oscar  Search this
Cameron, John A.  Search this
Chandler, Len  Search this
Collier, Jimmy  Search this
Collins, Judy, 1939-  Search this
Fuller, Jesse  Search this
Gerrard, Alice, 1934-  Search this
Guthrie, Arlo  Search this
Hartford, John  Search this
Hjorth, Ole  Search this
Joplin, Janis  Search this
Kennedy, Norman, 1934-  Search this
Kershaw, Doug  Search this
Killen, Louis  Search this
Kirkpatrick, Frederick Douglass  Search this
Koerner, John  Search this
McGhee, Brownie, 1915-1996  Search this
Mitchell, Joni  Search this
Monroe, Bill, 1911-1996  Search this
Muddy Waters, 1915-1983  Search this
Ochs, Phil  Search this
Perkins, Carl  Search this
Proffitt, Frank, Jr., 1946-2005  Search this
Rachell, Yank  Search this
Raim, Ethel  Search this
Ramsey, Frederic, 1915-1995  Search this
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Rinzler, Ralph  Search this
Sainte-Marie, Buffy  Search this
Seeger, Mike, 1933-2009  Search this
Stabi, Björn  Search this
Sykes, Roosevelt, 1906-1983  Search this
Taylor, James  Search this
Traum, Artie  Search this
Traum, Happy  Search this
Watson, Doc  Search this
Watson, Merle  Search this
White, Elaine (Vocalist)  Search this
Wiseman, Mac  Search this
Names:
Newport Folk Festival  Search this
Philadelphia Folk Festival  Search this
Asch, Moses  Search this
Chandler, Nancy  Search this
Dunson, Josh, 1941-  Search this
King, Coretta Scott, 1927-2006  Search this
Silber, Irwin, 1925-2010  Search this
Young, Izzy, 1928-2019  Search this
Musician:
Bosco, John  Search this
Extent:
3.83 Cubic feet (8 binders containing contact sheets, slides, and prints; 7 boxes (8.5"x10.75"x2.5") of 35 mm negatives; 2 binders of 35 mm and 120 format negatives; and 1 box of 11 oversize prints.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Contact sheets
Slides (photographs)
Black-and-white negatives
Photographic prints
Place:
New York (N.Y.)
Saint Simons Island (Ga. : Island)
Date:
1963-2009
Summary:
The Diana Davies photographs consist of images taken by Diana Davies at various stages of her career. Locations include the Festival of American Folklife, the Newport Folk Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Poor People's Campaign, various peace and protest marches and outdoor performances, New York City, and the Georgia Sea Islands. The collection includes contact sheets, negatives, photographic prints, and slides. Original photographs, negatives, and color slides taken by Diana Davies. Materials date from 1963-2009. Bulk dates: Newport Folk Festival, 1963-1969, 1987, 1992; Philadelphia Folk Festival, 1967-1968, 1987.
Scope and Contents:
The Diana Davies photographs, 1963-2009, consist of black and white negatives, contact sheets and prints, as well as color slides and negatives. The bulk of materials depict major festivals and protest movements (including the Poor People's March of 1968) documented by Diana Davies (located in Series 1: Newport Folk Festival, Series 2: Philadelphia Folk Festival, Series 6: Festival of American Folklife, and Series 11: Social Justice). Also well-represented are non-festival performances (in locations such as clubs, concert halls, and homes), recording sessions, and other music-related images, mainly of notable figures in the American folk music revival (located in Series 3: Broadside Magazine, Series 4: Sing Out! Magazine Concerts, Series 5: Miscellaneous Concerts and People, Series 7: Recording Sessions, Series 8: Instruction Book Shots, and Series 9: Jazz, Blues, and Salsa Musicians). Series 10: Georgia Sea Islands consists of photographs depicting the culture, environment, and daily life of these coastal islands in 1966. Series 12: New York City Scenes contains photographs taken on the street depicting everyday life in NYC in the 1960s and 1970s. The collection also contains related papers in Series 13: Miscellaneous Papers and Correspondence.
Arrangement note:
Each item in the Diana Davies Photographs has been assigned an accession number, and like materials have been put together such as the Newport Folk Festival photographs, in a chronological sequence as much as possible. Materials in the three more recent donation batches (1998, 2004, and 2006) were numbered and integrated into the collection. In some series, the accession numbers are in numerical order, and in others, the numbers are random because like items with different number sequences were pulled together in a series for subject coherence. The best way to find occurrences of a particular subject is to use the ctrl+F function. Please consult the archivists if you have any questions about the collection contents.

Contact sheets, slides, and prints arranged in 8 binders; negatives and oversize prints are stored separately.

Arranged in 14 series:

Series 1: Newport Folk Festival

Series 2: Philadelphia Folk Festival

Series 3: Broadside Magazine

Series 4: -- Sing Out! -- Magazine Concerts

Series 5: Miscellaneous Concerts and People

Series 6: Festival of American Folklife

Series 7: Recording Sessions

Series 8: Instruction Book Shots

Series 9: Jazz, Blues, and Salsa Musicians

Series 10: Georgia Sea Islands

Series 11: Social Justice

Series 12: New York City Scenes

Series 13: Miscellaneous Papers and Correspondence

Series 14: Oversize Materials
Biographical/Historical note:
Diana Davies is a well-known photographer of folk performers and festivals. Davies photographed the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in its earlier years. Born in 1938, Davies grew up in Maine, the Catskills, New York City, and Boston. Her grandparents were local union organizers and Debs socialists; one grandfather was a gandy dancer with the railroad, and her grandmother was a textile worker in Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania. Davies finds that her family background was later expressed in her own activist efforts.

Davies left high school at 16, and worked sweeping out coffeehouses, which gave her the opportunity to listen to music while she worked. She became interested in theater and music. In Greenwich Village, she began doing some sound technician work, and then got interested in photography. She taught herself how to develop and print photographs in a darkroom, and began photographing in theaters, shooting from behind the scenes. Her theater photos are at Smith College in Northampton, where she presently lives. In the early 1960s, she began working with the editors of Broadside Magazine, Sis Cunningham and Gordon Friesen. She developed an interest in human rights work, which grew from her contact with Sis and Gordon, and also her own family background. She also worked as a photographer in a wide range of settings, including night clubs, weddings, and doing portrait photography. This led her to work for major national and international media including the New York Times, covering such events as the war in Biafra, and traveling to Mexico, Cuba, and Portugal on assignment.

Davies' folk photographs represent about one-quarter of her body of work; her other major photographic work includes the Civil Rights Movement, the Peace Movement, and theater. Davies began photographing at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964, which she covered for a number of years. She knew Ralph Rinzler, and found him a vibrant, alive person excited by all aspects of culture. He introduced her to Bessie Jones from the Georgia Sea Islands, and in 1966 she made a photographic journey to the islands. Her work from this trip is included in the collection. Davies has also been a musician. She became involved with the punk rock movement of the 1970s, and felt that there was a connection between the hard-hitting songs from the punk world and the songs being published in Broadside Magazine. In 1975, she became part of a folk/punk women's band in Boston, and later moved to Western Massachusetts. In addition to being a photographer and musician, Davies is also a writer. She wrote a play entitled "The Witch Papers" in 1980, which was produced in Boston and other locations. The play was a vehicle for her human rights activism, comparing the technology of inquisition with labor sweatshops. In 1998, her play "The War Machine" was produced in Amherst, Mass. She lives in Northampton, and enjoys and participates in street performance, which she describes as the "most essentially communicative stuff you can come up with."
General note:
All contact sheets from the collection are digitized and accessible through this finding aid. Series-level slideshows accessible through this finding aid represent a small sampling from the collection.
Shared Stewardship of Collections:
The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage acknowledges and respects the right of artists, performers, Folklife Festival participants, community-based scholars, and knowledge-keepers to collaboratively steward representations of themselves and their intangible cultural heritage in media produced, curated, and distributed by the Center. Making this collection accessible to the public is an ongoing process grounded in the Center's commitment to connecting living people and cultures to the materials this collection represents. To view the Center's full shared stewardship policy, which defines our protocols for addressing collections-related inquiries and concerns, please visit https://doi.org/10.25573/data.21771155.
Provenance:
The Smithsonian Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections acquired portions of the Diana Davies Photograph Collection in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when Ms. Davies photographed for the Festival of American Folklife. More materials came to the Archives circa 1989 or 1990. Archivist Stephanie Smith visited her in 1998 and 2004, and brought back additional materials which Ms. Davies wanted to donate to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. These two more recent donations of additional photographs (contact sheets, prints, and slides) consisted of documentation of the Newport Folk Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Poor People's March on Washington, the Civil Rights Movement, the Georgia Sea Islands, and miscellaneous personalities of the American folk revival. In a letter dated 12 March 2002, Ms. Davies gave full discretion to the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage to grant permission for both internal and external use of her photographs, with the provison that her work be credited in any use.
Restrictions:
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Topic:
Peace movements  Search this
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Washington, D.C., 1963  Search this
Civil rights -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Contact sheets
Slides (photographs)
Black-and-white negatives
Photographic prints
Citation:
Diana J. Davies photographs, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.

or

Photo by Diana J. Davies. Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and COllections, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
CFCH.DAVIE
See more items in:
Diana Davies photographs
Archival Repository:
Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/bk59fa9fef6-8287-4b3c-8f47-119c519dd318
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-cfch-davie
Online Media:

Anne Valk Papers

Creator:
Valk, Anne M., 1964-  Search this
Names:
Burlage, Dorothy, 1937-  Search this
Butler, Josephine "Jo", 1920-1997  Search this
Horn, Etta, 1928 – 2001  Search this
Martin-Felton, Zora  Search this
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Extent:
3.75 Linear feet (4 boxes)
Culture:
African American women  Search this
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Oral histories (document genres)
Newsletters
Audio cassettes
Correspondence
Newspapers
Date:
bulk 1964-1997
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Anne Valk— a specialist in oral history, public history, and the social history of the 20th-century United States measure 3.75 linear feet and date from 1964 to 1997. The collection contains oral history interviews and documents acquired or created by Dr. Valk during her extensive research of key figures in D.C. community activism for her book, Radical Sisters: Second-Wave Feminism and Black Liberation in Washington D.C. (University of Illinois Press, 2010).

Research files and ephemera from the following people, organizations, and publications are represented in the collection: Josephine Butler (DC Statehood Party; Adams Morgan Organization), Etta Horn (Southeast Neighborhood House's Band of Angels; National Welfare Rights Organization), Dorothy Burlage (Southeast Neighborhood House), Betty Garman (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), Judy Richardson (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), Bernice Reagon (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), Marcia Sprinkle (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), Juanita Weaver (Quest), LaValleJones (Rape Crisis Center), Loretta Ross (Rape Crisis Center, National Black United Front, National Organization of Women), Peggy Cleveland (The Bridge), Joan Biren (DC Women's Liberation Movement), Cathy Wilkerson (SDS, Weather Underground), Tina Smith (SNCC), Off Our Backs newspaper, and Congress Of Racial Equality (CORE), among others.
Biographical / Historical:
Anne Valk (1964- ) is a specialist in oral history, public history, and the social history of the 20th-century United States. Dr. Valk received a M.A. from Mount Holyoke College and a PhD in history from Duke University in 1996. Professor Valk has written extensively in the areas of women's history, history of feminism, and oral history. She teaches public history at the Graduate Center at City University of New York (CUNY) and is the director of the Center for Media and Learning/American Social History Project.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Rights:
The Anne Valk papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
Feminism  Search this
Activism  Search this
Women  Search this
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (U.S.)  Search this
Civil rights  Search this
Housing  Search this
Genre/Form:
Oral histories (document genres)
Newsletters -- 1960-1970
Audio cassettes -- 20th century
Correspondence
Newspapers
Citation:
Anne Valk papers, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Dr. Anne Valk.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-114
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa7e83e8566-9fba-41a4-989a-58300f2e2900
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-acma-06-114

Rinzler Fieldwork: Resurrection City Festival

Field worker:
Rinzler, Ralph  Search this
Artist:
Collier, Jimmy  Search this
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Performer:
Collier, Jimmy  Search this
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Walton, Ed  Search this
Molton, Norman  Search this
Sinclair, Robert  Search this
Thornton, James  Search this
Birds of Paradise (Musical group)  Search this
Collection Creator:
Rinzler, Ralph  Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording (sound-tape reel, analog, 7 in.)
Culture:
Americans  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Place:
United States
Washington (D.C.)
New York
Track Information:
101 I Woke Up This Morning with My Mind on Freedom / Bernice Johnson Reagon, Jimmy Collier.

102 Precious Lord / Ed Walton.

103 Ooh Baby Baby / Norman Molton.

104 Mule Train / Robert Sinclair. Harmonica.

105 Coal Train / Robert Sinclair. Harmonica.

106 Panama Limited / Robert Sinclair. Harmonica.

107 Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen / James Thornton.

108 Drums and Spoons / Birds of Paradise (Musical group). Spoons (Musical instrument).
Local Numbers:
FP-RINZ-7RR-0075
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: Washington (D.C.), United States, May 29, 1968.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. Some duplication is allowed. Use of materials needs permission of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Topic:
Folk songs -- United States  Search this
Gospel music  Search this
Rhythm and blues music  Search this
Harmonica  Search this
Spoons (Musical instrument)  Search this
Civil rights  Search this
African Americans  Search this
Collection Citation:
Ralph Rinzler papers and audio recordings, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
CFCH.RINZ, Item FP-RINZ-7RR-0075
See more items in:
Ralph Rinzler papers and audio recordings
Ralph Rinzler papers and audio recordings / Series 9: Audio / Non-Commercial / Fieldwork / Open Reel Tapes (RR)
Archival Repository:
Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/bk55437ae80-5364-491b-8ebb-554dcf15d7e7
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-cfch-rinz-ref5335

Rinzler Fieldwork: Resurrection City Festival

Field worker:
Rinzler, Ralph  Search this
Performer:
Rinzler, Ralph  Search this
Knight, Lucille  Search this
Perkins, Mr.  Search this
David, Lloyd  Search this
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Ewitt, Don  Search this
Kirkpatrick, Frederick Douglass  Search this
Chief Big Snake  Search this
Collection Creator:
Rinzler, Ralph  Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording (sound-tape reel, analog, 7 in.)
Culture:
Dakota Indians  Search this
Americans  Search this
Indians of North America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Place:
United States
Washington (D.C.)
Track Information:
101 Sioux Indian / Lucille Knight.

102 Sioux Indian Song / Lucille Knight.

103 Sioux Indian / Mr. Perkins.

104 Sioux Indian / Chief Big Snake.

105 The Death of Willie Clyde / Lloyd David.

106 There is More Love Somewhere / Bernice Johnson Reagon.

107 T'Ain't But Me One / Bernice Johnson Reagon.

108 Come by Here / Bernice Johnson Reagon.

109 Pastures of Plenty / Bernice Johnson Reagon.

110 Shangaree / Bernice Johnson Reagon.

111 When the Saints Go Marching In / Don Ewitt, Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick, Ralph Rinzler.
Local Numbers:
FP-RINZ-7RR-0556
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: Washington (D.C.), United States, May 29, 1968.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. Some duplication is allowed. Use of materials needs permission of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Topic:
Folk songs -- United States  Search this
Spoken word  Search this
Poetry  Search this
Jazz  Search this
Sioux Nation  Search this
African Americans  Search this
Collection Citation:
Ralph Rinzler papers and audio recordings, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
CFCH.RINZ, Item FP-RINZ-7RR-0556
See more items in:
Ralph Rinzler papers and audio recordings
Ralph Rinzler papers and audio recordings / Series 9: Audio / Non-Commercial / Fieldwork / Open Reel Tapes (RR)
Archival Repository:
Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/bk54f185a26-6426-4199-9d54-94ca5bbba14e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-cfch-rinz-ref7270

Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music

Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Names:
Chick Webb Orchestra  Search this
Hampton University Choir  Search this
Harmonizing Four  Search this
Jubilee Singers  Search this
Dett, Nathaniel  Search this
Dorsey, Thomas A.  Search this
Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974  Search this
Tharpe, Rosetta  Search this
Tindley, Charles  Search this
Extent:
6.55 Cubic feet (17 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1822-1994
Summary:
The collection documents the customs and culture of black gospel song and its performance in 19th- and 20th-century America. Dr. Reagon collected photographs, sheet music, and other primary and secondary sources chronicling the development and legacy of this medium, from the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement, from blues to Gospel to classical to jazz.

Among the subjects included in this collection are trailblazers such as Charles Tindley, Thomas A. Dorsey, Rosetta Tharpe, Duke Ellington, and Nathaniel Dett. Noted performers are the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the Harmonizing Four, the Hampton University Choir, and the Chick Webb Orchestra.
Scope and Contents:
The Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of the African American Sacred Music Tradition documents the music, and the society, history, and customs from which it emerged. The materials were collected by Dr. Reagon during her tenure as Director of the Program in Black American Culture, Curator, and Curator Emerita at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution (1977-1997). The records span the nineteenth century and greater part of the twentieth century. The collection is important because it allows an understanding of the interconnectivity of African American musical forms. Gospel, Jazz, and Protest Songs document the African experience in America through verse and melody. Dr. Reagon collected photographs, sheet music and other primary and secondary sources chronicling the development of African American sacred music tradition from its birth during the period of slavery through the creation of concert spiritual, gospel music, jazz and the performance of protest song in the century following Emancipation.

The records, which measure approximately six linear feet, contain photographs, sheet music, and what Dr. Reagon calls "cultural files" pertaining to figures in, types of, and history of African American music. The cultural file material formats include book, news and magazine articles, programs, bio-sketches, and music. Information about personalities such as Marian Anderson, La Verne Baker, Dorothy Love Coates, Nathaniel Dett, Thomas Dorsey, Frederick Douglass, Duke Ellington, and the Golden Gate Quartet are contained among the collection materials. Also, there are items on gospel trailblazers such as Charles Tindley, Thomas A. Dorsey, and Rosetta Tharpe. In addition, the collection features materials connected to historians and other scholars who participated in a number of teams Reagon organized to carry out specific research initiatives in sacred music traditions and the larger African American experience.

The collection, which was arranged by Dr. Reagon and staff, consists of four parts: a cultural file, a sheet music file, a photography file, and a negative file. The cultural file includes primary documents such as programs from historic performances, personal letters, press releases, and programs from scholarly conferences as well as secondary materials such as journal articles, excerpts from books, and biographical notes. The photography (and negative) files contain photographs of performers and scholars who have participated in the evolution of the African American sacred music tradition. The sheet music file encompasses songbooks and individual pieces of music.

Series 1: Cultural Files, ca. 1836 - 1994: The bulk of materials date from the 1920's to the 1960's. Four document boxes of materials which relate to prominent personalities, groups and events that contributed to the popularization of African American sacred music. Also included in this series is information on slave songs, the Civil War, the Black Church, the Civil Rights Movement, and popular music culture.

Series 2: Sheet Music, ca. 1901 - 1993: The bulk of materials date from the 1900's to the 1950's. Three document boxes of sacred music sheets and songbooks including concert, spiritual, and gospel arrangements. Also included are a few popular compositions, some written by classically trained musicians.

Series 3: Negative Files, ca. 1880's - 1993: The bulk of the materials ranges from 1940 to 1965. Two boxes document boxes of photographic negatives depicting gospel music performers and performances. Included .are contact sheets and individual negatives of varying sizes.

Series 4: Photographs and Illustrations, ca. 1822 - 1993: The bulk of materials range from the 1900's to the 1980's. Eight document boxes of photographs featuring gospel performers, performances, sacred rituals, sacred organizations, Civil Rights activity , and gospel music conferences (primarily black and white).
Biographical / Historical:
Bernice Johnson Reagon, noted vocalist, musician, curator, historian, writer and civil rights activist, provided the impetus for the Smithsonian Institution's research into African American sacred song and music traditions from 1977 until ca. 1997.

Dr. Reagon was born October 2, 1942 to a rural Georgia Baptist minister (Jesse Johnson) and his wife (Beatrice Wise) whose religious influence is evident in her research and performance style. She came of age during the 1960's Civil Rights era, and was a Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Freedom Singer. The SNCC Freedom Singers were an African American group whose vocal singing style was an integral element in the civil rights struggles. The Singers traveled throughout the country performing protest songs such as "We Shall Not Be Moved" and "This Little Light of Mine". Their songs reflected the Black church theology of the era, emphasizing freedom, long denied, but fervently sought by civil rights activists and the people they represented.

At one march, Reagon was jailed along with hundreds of other demonstrators. This experience taught her the importance of music as a political act. Reagon reflected on this in the book We Who Believe in Freedom: Sweet Honey in the Rock... She founded Sweet Honey in the Rock, a highly regarded female a capella ensemble dedicated to performing traditional music of the African diaspora in 1973, started working full time at the Smithsonian Institution in 1974, and earned a Ph. D. from Howard University in 1975.

Reagon's life has combined political activism with music and cultural history. She began directing the Smithsonian's Program in Black American Culture in 1976. In 1988 she became a curator at the National Museum of American History and after retirement in 1993 continued her work in African American songs of protest and sacred traditions as a curator emeritus at the Smithsonian and a distinguished professor at American University.

Dr. Reagon has authored and edited numerous publications including, We'll Understand It Better By and By: African American Pioneering Gospel Composers, (Smithsonian Press, 1992) and We Who Believe in Freedom: Sweet Honey in the Rock...Still on the Journey (Anchor Books, 1993). She was principal scholar, producer and host of the National Public Radio series "Wade in the Water: African American Sacred Music Traditions (1994). Dr. Reagon has served as consultant composer and performer for several film and video projects including programs for PBS,"Eye on the Prize" (Blackside Productions) and "We Shall Overcome" (Ginger Productions), and has won a number of awards for her scholarship and pioneering work (MacArthur Fellowship, 1989; the Charles Frankel Prize,1995 and the Isadora Duncan award, 1996).
Provenance:
Collection donated by Bernice Johnson Reagon.
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:
Gospel music  Search this
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0653
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8bbe93fc4-7c52-4442-bc61-ecb16e21a0b2
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0653
Online Media:

Maynor, Dorothy

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 4
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
undated
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8c3b1af18-1d96-4cf4-b1d6-85d759426893
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref100

McGowan, Mildred Thornhill

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 5
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1946 - 1995
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep874f02878-bc62-407c-a5f1-56c6fe279145
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref101

Melodaires

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 6
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
undated
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep84206a9e0-d4df-4fe0-84b4-bdff8ea8472a
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref102

Miller, Dorie

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 7
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1942
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8e783f3e5-14cb-4e7e-af79-15a07f884ec8
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref103

Morris, Kenneth

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 8
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1986
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep836e528e4-d0d5-4451-b4c5-0d5e422f865b
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref104

Music of the Black American Composer [Program]

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 9
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1989
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep893ba7006-0e67-4b64-9f1f-6c0af0e796b8
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref105

National Association of Negro Musicians

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 10
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1994
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8a4718e68-4e0a-4b87-834d-68e74ef61f1a
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref106

New York Times article on operatic sopranos and the concert spiritual

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 11
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1980
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep897cf65c8-2e24-4e1e-83bb-807a1df3cf5c
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref107

Norfolk Jubilee Singers

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 12
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1927 - 1938
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep885e81f22-5ba3-40f6-a11b-8aeaef69d536
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref108

Of Songs, Peace and Struggle, Various Programs

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 13
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1987
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep890f8a212-4630-4ae0-9f06-4c6801666cfa
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref109

(King) Oliver's Creole Jazz Band

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1926
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep87e235b00-5987-4130-aca0-6d8a6f967384
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref110

Price, Leontyne

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 15
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
undated
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep83bfd4840-95f8-4d7e-8dcd-8f946dd7c905
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref111

Program in Black American Culture Events

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 16
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1986 - 1987
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep84a737b43-b068-4740-a057-a0ea06e78ced
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref112

Rays, The

Collection Consultant:
Richardson, Deborra  Search this
Collection Collector:
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 1942-  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 17
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1957
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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.
See more items in:
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music
Bernice Johnson Reagon Collection of African American Sacred Music / Series 1: Cultural Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep827021c4e-21e5-4e0d-97ad-1d8d04817684
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0653-ref113

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