Pearl Bowser is a filmmaker, producer, author, lecturer, and highly acclaimed scholar of African American film who is recognized as an authority on the works of Oscar Micheaux, a noted writer, director, and producer of race films from 1919 to 1948.
Born Pearl Johnson on June 25, 1931, in Sugar Hill, Harlem, New York, she was named after her mother (also Pearl Johnson), a domestic worker who had been raised in a Catholic nunnery. On occasional Saturdays, the younger Pearl would accompany her mother to work in apartments in lower Manhattan, where she would assist her by folding handkerchiefs for a small allowance. After moving to a lower part of Harlem when she was about four years old, she met Harlem entrepreneur "Bumpy" Johnson, for whom she and other children in the neighborhood did odd jobs such as counting coins or attending to his ice-cream stand. Johnson, who would sometimes give the children joy rides in his Cadillac, occasionally allowed Pearl and the other children to borrow books from his extensive library, provided that they read them and submitted to a quiz.
As a child, Bowser had several racist encounters. For example, one of her white kindergarten teachers at her elementary school wore gloves in the classroom as to not touch Black pupils. She was also occasionally teased for having a gap between her teeth but felt insulated from sustained bullying because she had several older brothers who sometimes protected her. On a separate occasion, when she was about nine years old, her mother sent her on a trip from New York to the South to visit relatives. Although her mother had purchased tickets for her to be in a Pullman car, when she changed trains in Washington, DC., she was forced to ride in the car behind the engine, which left her covered in soot.
An avid reader, Pearl excelled in elementary and high school and received a scholarship to attend Brooklyn College, where she majored in biology. She supplemented her income by recording the numbers in one of Bumpy Johnson's shops. Disappointed with the quality of the education she was receiving, Bowser withdrew from Brooklyn College, eventually landing a job at CBS where she worked on a team that analyzed Nielsen ratings.
In 1955, Pearl married fellow New Yorker LeRoy Bowser. By the mid-1960s, although Pearl and LeRoy Bowser had separate interests, they both were working simultaneously in the civil rights movement. While LeRoy was active in Brooklyn CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) and went to the South in the summer to teach for what was the beginning of HeadStart, Pearl, along with other production activists, took to the streets documenting African American culture and issues—working to bring these films to schools. Additionally, Bowser wanted to write a cookbook to earn funds for Brooklyn's CORE organization. She was approached by David Davis, the editor of Tuesday Magazine. Tuesday had distribution in the Herald Tribune across the country as a Sunday supplement. As the urban-world magazine exploded in Black communities, "Joan" Bowser's two-page pictorials on Southern cooking with a set of recipes became very popular in the five years she wrote them. Bowser retained copyrights to the articles, and easily completed her cookbook a short time later.
Bowser's colleague at ABC, Charles Hobson, found a used book written by Peter Noble about Black films and Oscar Micheaux. The volume was slim and contained what little information contained in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) files. Hobson and his colleagues wanted to write a book about the topic, and they assigned Bowser to begin the research. As part of the project, Bowser went to California to interview actors who may have been in early Black films or may have worked with Micheaux. What she learned began her intensive scholarship into Micheaux and his fellow filmmakers.
In 1971, she organized her first film festival, the Black Film History Series. In 1979, she organized the nation's first American women's film festival in New York City. She also presented a major retrospective, Independent Black American Cinema 1920-1980, which toured the country during 1981 and 1982. She also directed the Journey Across Three Continents film and lecture series, which toured the country from 1983-1985. Bowser also served as president of the prestigious Flaherty Film Seminar in 1987. In 1989, she, alongside Grant Munro, programmed the 35th Flaherty Film Seminar, which featured films such as Finzan, Zajota and the Boogie Spirit, Daughters of the Dust, and many more. She has also been a judge at the world-renown Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESCPACO) in Burkina Faso (formerly known as Upper Volta).
In the 1980s Bowser was awarded an independent artists grant by the Ford Foundation to travel west and collect oral histories from individuals in Oscar Micheaux's orbit, loosely following the route he would have travelled decades earlier. Stopping in cities such as Roanoke, Virginia; Memphis, Tennessee; and Jackson, Mississippi, she collected dozens of oral histories from actors, actresses etc. that knew Oscar Micheaux. Through this research she became an eminent figure in the Black independent film industry. Working as a programmer, she travelled around the United States and the world showing films by domestic and Black filmmakers within the Diaspora.
Despite her wealth of experience working as a programmer, it wasn't until the 1990s that Bowser made her directorial debut with the documentary film Midnight Ramble. Funded by American Experience, the film looks at African Americans and Hollywood movies from 1910 through the 1950s. In 2000, she, along with Louise Spence, co-authored Writing Himself into History: Oscar Micheaux, His Silent Films and His Audiences, a book about the pioneering filmmaker. Additionally, she is founder and director of Chamba Educational Film Services, a film distribution company that specialized in distributing films by African American filmmakers. In the early 1980s, she renamed her company/collection as African Diaspora Images, a collection of historical and contemporary films documenting Black film history. She subsequently joined Third World Newsreel, where she was director of their theater department.
In 2012, Pearl Bowser donated her extensive collection of books, sound cassettes, films, film memorabilia, and papers to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Sources:
1940 United States Federal Census; New York, New York, New York, population schedule, p. 61B, house number 1486, family 195, Pearl Bowser; Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012 accessed: 10 Sept 2022); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm: m-t0627-02665
Bowser, Pearl. Pearl Bowser Oral History. Interview by Tuliza Fleming and Jennifer Lyon, July 21, 2011.
Provenance:
Acquired as a donation from Pearl Bowser in 2012.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Access to collection materials requires an appointment.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
Every time I feel the spirit -- Balm in Gilead -- Volga boat song -- Monologue from Othello -- O thou silent night -- Chinese children's song -- My curly headed baby -- Old man river -- Going home -- Monologue from boris Godunov -- The orphan -- Christ tag in Todesbanden -- Didn't my lord deliver Daniel -- Lullaby -- O no John -- Joe Hill -- Jacob's ladder.
Track Information:
101 Robeson, Paul; Every Time I feel the Spirit.
102 Robeson, Paul; Balm in Gilead.
103 Robeson, Paul; Volga Boat Song.
104 Robeson, Paul; Monologue from Othello.
105 Robeson, Paul; O Thou Silent Night.
106 Robeson, Paul; Chinese Children's Song.
107 Robeson, Paul; My Curly headed Baby.
108 Robeson, Paul; Old Man River.
109 Robeson, Paul; Going Home.
201 Robeson, Paul; Monologue from Boris Gdunuv.
202 Robeson, Paul; The Orphan.
203 Robeson, Paul; Christ Lag in Todesbanden.
204 Robeson, Paul; Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel.
205 Robeson, Paul; Lullaby.
206 Robeson, Paul; O No John.
207 Robeson, Paul; Joe Hill.
208 Robeson, Paul; Jacob's Ladder.
Local Numbers:
FP-RINZ-LP-1504
Vanguard.2035
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
Vanguard New York
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded May 9, 1958.
General:
Paul Robeson, bass-barione; Alan Booth, piano. Biographical note on container.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
201 Robeson, Paul; Sometimes I feel Like a Motherless Child.
202 Robeson, Paul; Get on Board, Little Children.
203 Robeson, Paul; The House I Live in.
204 Robeson, Paul; Loch Lomond.
205 Robeson, Paul; Drink to me Only with Thine Eyes.
206 Robeson, Paul; Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho.
207 Robeson, Paul; All Through the Night.
Local Numbers:
FP-RINZ-LP-2142
Vanguard.2015
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
New York Vanguard
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
White, Walter, 1893-1955 (President, N.A.A.C.P) Search this
Collection Creator:
Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording (open reel, 1/4 inch)
1 Sound recording (audio cassette)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Narration
Place:
Harlem (New York, N.Y.)
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Date:
circa 1985
Scope and Contents:
During the audio tour of exhibition, The Renaissance: Black Arts of the Twenties, narrator Robert Hall presents the evolution and achievements of black creative expression beginning in Harlem and spreading across the United States during th 1920s. Literary, visual, performance, and cinematic achievements are profiled. Including brief biographical histories and achievements by Marcus Garvey, James Weldon Johnson, Jessie Fauset, A. Philip Randolph, Claude McKay, Nella Larson, Carl Van Vechten, Countee Cullen, Alain Locke, Harry T. Burleigh, Paul Robeson, Roland Hayes, Lois Mailou Jones, Jules Bledsoe, Fletcher Henderson, Bessie Smith, and Mamie Smith.
Self guided audio tour narration. Part of The Renaissance: Black Arts of the Twenties Audiovisual Records. AV001362: master. Undated.
Biographical / Historical:
The exhibition - The Renaissance: Black Arts of the Twenties - showcased the evolution and achievements of the Renaissance, which was the explosion of literary, visual, performance, and cinematic creativity generated by black artists between the end of World War I and the early days of the Great Depression. Represented is the creativity of Marian Anderson, Richard Barthe, Countee Cullen, Aaron Douglas, Duke Ellington, Meta Warrick Fuller, Roland Hayes, Zora Neale Hurston, Malvin Gray Johnson, Alain Locke, "Jelly Roll" Morton, Paul Robeson, George Schuyler, and Wallace Thurman, among others. The exhibition, held at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum, ran from September 1985 - December 1986.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV001362
General:
Title transcribed from physical asset.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum Search this
Extent:
1 Video recording (open reel, 1 inch)
3 Sound recordings (open reel, 1/4 inch)
Type:
Archival materials
Video recordings
Sound recordings
Documentary films
Narration
Place:
Harlem (New York, N.Y.)
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Date:
circa 1985
Scope and Contents:
Harlem Renaissance Exhibit Tape provides a brief overview of the exhibition, The Renaissance: Black Arts of the Twenties, which presents the evolution and achievements of black creative expression beginning in Harlem and spreading across the United States during th 1920s. Literary, visual, performance, and cinematic achievements are highlighted. Including Marcus Garvey, James Weldon Johnson, Jessie Fauset, A. Philip Randolph, Claude McKay, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Alain Locke, Paul Robeson, Fletcher Henderson, Bessie Smith, and Duke Ellington. Exhibit Tape also provides historical context of Harlem and the Renaissance, and highlights educational offerings provided by the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum, including artifacts, film footage, and programs.
Short exhibition film. Part of The Renaissance: Black Arts of the Twenties Audiovisual Records. AV003431: outtakes. AV003439: narration. AV003430: narration outtakes. AV003325 and AV003431: undated. AV003439 and AV003430: dated 19861110.
Biographical / Historical:
The exhibition - The Renaissance: Black Arts of the Twenties - showcased the evolution and achievements of the Renaissance, which was the explosion of literary, visual, performance, and cinematic creativity generated by black artists between the end of World War I and the early days of the Great Depression. Represented is the creativity of Marian Anderson, Richard Barthe, Countee Cullen, Aaron Douglas, Duke Ellington, Meta Warrick Fuller, Roland Hayes, Zora Neale Hurston, Malvin Gray Johnson, Alain Locke, "Jelly Roll" Morton, Paul Robeson, George Schuyler, and Wallace Thurman, among others. The exhibition, held at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum, ran from September 1985 - December 1986.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV003431
ACMA AV003439
ACMA AV003430
General:
Title transcribed from physical asset.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording (audio cassette)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Date:
1986
Scope and Contents:
Performance of 'Paul Robeson, American' in which William Marshall - the Emmy Award winner, actor, producer, and star of stage and cinema - recreated the legendary Paul Robeson. On April 16, 1986, a performance took place at Eastern Senior High School in northeast Washington, D.C. On April 17, 1986, a performance took place at Ballou Senior High School in southeast Washington, D.C.
Performance. Audio only. Very poor audio quality. Related to exhibition 'The Renaissance: Black Arts of the Twenties.' Dated 19860416.
Biographical / Historical:
The exhibition - The Renaissance: Black Arts of the Twenties - showcased the evolution and achievements of the Renaissance, which was the explosion of literary, visual, performance, and cinematic creativity generated by black artists between the end of World War I and the early days of the Great Depression. Represented is the creativity of Marian Anderson, Richard Barthe, Countee Cullen, Aaron Douglas, Duke Ellington, Meta Warrick Fuller, Roland Hayes, Zora Neale Hurston, Malvin Gray Johnson, Alain Locke, "Jelly Roll" Morton, Paul Robeson, George Schuyler, and Wallace Thurman, among others. The exhibition, held at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum, ran from September 1985 - December 1986.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording (audio cassette)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Date:
1986
Scope and Contents:
Dorothy Gilliam, Washington Post columnist and author of numerous articles and books including 'Paul Robeson: All American,' shares insights on Robeson's extraordinary life and career.
Lecture. Audio only. Very poor audio quality. Related to exhibition 'The Renaissance: Black Arts of the Twenties.' Undated.
Biographical / Historical:
The exhibition - The Renaissance: Black Arts of the Twenties - showcased the evolution and achievements of the Renaissance, which was the explosion of literary, visual, performance, and cinematic creativity generated by black artists between the end of World War I and the early days of the Great Depression. Represented is the creativity of Marian Anderson, Richard Barthe, Countee Cullen, Aaron Douglas, Duke Ellington, Meta Warrick Fuller, Roland Hayes, Zora Neale Hurston, Malvin Gray Johnson, Alain Locke, "Jelly Roll" Morton, Paul Robeson, George Schuyler, and Wallace Thurman, among others. The exhibition, held at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum, ran from September 1985 - December 1986.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV001234_B
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution. Traveling Exhibition Service Search this
Extent:
2 Sound recordings (open reel, 1/4 inch)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Narration
Music
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Date:
circa 1983
Scope and Contents:
Narrator presents short historical and biographical profiles of outstanding Americans of negro origin: W.E.B. Du Bois, A. Philip Randolph, Ralph Johnson Bunche, Thurgood Marshall, William Henry Hastie, Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, Mary McLeod Bethune, Joe Louis, James Weldon Johnson, Richmond Barthe, and Paul Robeson. Quotes written by these outstandings Americans and read by narrator are included. Music played between biographical profiles.
Narration and music. Part of Portraits in Black: Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin Audiovisual Records. AV003484 and AV003508: same content but AV003484 has beeps throughout recording. Undated.
Biographical / Historical:
The exhibition, Portraits in Black: Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin, displayed 36 portraits--27 oil paintings and 9 color photo reproductions--selected from the Harmon Foundation collection, on loan from the National Portrait Gallery, as well as biographical information and memorabilia. The exhibition was on view at the Anacostia Community Museum from April 17, 1983 - August 21, 1983. Likenesses of blacks who made significant contributions in the fields of civil rights, law, education, medicine, the military, and the arts were on display. Included were Marian Anderson, Joe Louis, W.E.B. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall, George Washington Carver, Charles Drew, William Ayres Campbell, and Richmond Barthe.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV003508-1
ACMA AV003508-2
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution. Traveling Exhibition Service Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording (open reel, 1/4 inch)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Narration
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Date:
1983
Scope and Contents:
Narration for the two slide shows which complimented the exhibition, Portraits in Black: Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin. Narrator repeats quotes from the words of W.E.B. Du Bois, A. Philip Randolph, Ralph Johnson Bunche, Thurgood Marshall, William Henry Hastie, Charles Richard Drew, James Weldon Johnson, Mary McLeod Bethune, Joe Louis, Richard Barthe, and Paul Leroy Robeson.
Narration. Part of Part of Portraits in Black: Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin Audiovisual Records. Dated 19830324.
Biographical / Historical:
The exhibition, Portraits in Black: Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin, presented 36 portraits selected from the Harmon Foundation collection, on loan from the National Portrait Gallery, as well as biographical information and memorabilia. The portraits depicted likenesses of blacks who made significant contributions in the fields of civil rights, law, education, medicine, the military, and the arts. Portrait subjects included Marian Anderson, Joe Louis, W.E.B. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall, George Washington Carver, Charles Drew, William Ayres Campbell, and Richard Barthe. The exhibition was on display from April 17, 1983 - August 21, 1983 at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Every time I feel the spirit / arr. Lawrence Brown --Balm in Giliad / arr. H.T. Burleigh --Volga boat song --Monologue from Othello / Shakespeare --O thou silent night / Alexandrov --Chinese children's song --My curly headed baby / G.H. Clutsam --Old Man River / Jerome Kern --Going home / Dvorak, arr. Fisher --Monologue from Boris Godunov ; The orphan / Mussorgsky --Christ lag in Todesbanden / J.S. Bach --Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel / arr. Lawrence Brown --Lullaby / Franz Schubert --O no John / arr. Cecil Sharp --Joe Hill / Earl Robinson --Jacob's ladder.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-LP-0567
Vanguard.9051
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
New York Vanguard 1959
General:
Vocal works with piano and recitations; vocal works sung in English or German. Biographical note on slipcase. Performer(s): Paul Robeson, bass-baritone; Alan Booth, piano. Production notes: Recorded May 9, 1958, Carnegie Hall, New York.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
The struggle / L. Hughes (0:22) -- Field call / A.G.H. Dodson (1:15) -- Complaint call / E. Brown (0:40) -- Intro and Kneebone Bend / L. McKiver, D. Skipper (2:51) -- Brother Terrapin, slow train to Arkansas / R. Amerson (1:56) -- Jack and Mary and three dogs / J. Hunter (5:53) -- Buck dance / J. Tucker (1:19) -- I'm goin' up north / Children of East York School (1:22) -- Pharaoh's host got lost / L. McKiver (1:32) -- Bars fight / L. Terry (read by A. Bontemps) (1:23) -- Earl of Dartmouth / P. Wheatley (read by D.F. Washington) (0:49) -- I wonder where my brother gone / A.G.H. Dodson (1:17) -- Narrative / H. Tubman (read by D.F. Washington) (0:59) -- Speech at Akron Convention / S. Truth (read by R. Dee) (2:05) -- Singing slaves / F. Douglass (read by O. Davis) (1:03) -- Steal away to Jesus / K. West (1:50) -- What to the slave is the Fourth of July? / F. Douglass (read by O. Davis) (2:36) -- Why slavery is still rampant / S.P. Parker (read by R. Dee) (1:47) -- Free at last / D. Reed and V.H. Ward (1:33) -- When Malindy sings / P.L. Dunbar (read by M. Walker) (3:48) -- There's a great camp meeting / Fisk Jubilee Singers (2:01) -- Atlanta Exposition address / B.T. Washington (1:16) -- John Henry / B. McGhee and S. Terry (4:03) -- Banjo player / F. Johnson (read by A. Bontemps) (0:44) -- Boatman dance / E. Cotten (1:42) -- Shine / P. Randolph (1:03) -- Chopping in the new ground / Inmates of Ramsay or Retrieve State Farms, TX (1:37) -- Lynching, our national crime / I.B. Wells-Barnett (read by R. Dee) (3:43) -- A recorded autobiography / W.E.B. Du Bois (2:33) -- Listen Lord, a prayer / J.W. Johnson (read by M. Walker) (2:55) -- My heart is fixed / G. Davis (2:04) -- The Titanic / Lead Belly (4:04) -- Heritage / C. Cullen (2:58) -- Jungle drums / J.P. Johnson (2:32). No more auction block / P. Robeson (2:09) -- Negro speaks of rivers / L. Hughes (0:43) -- If we must die / C. McKay (0:57) -- Ma Rainey / S. Brown (2:06) -- Backwater blues / B.B. Broonzy (2:47) -- Married man blues / B. and D.D. Pierce (5:11) -- For my people / M. Walker (5:41) -- Children of the poor, sonnet 2 / G. Brooks (0:47) -- Body and soul / G. Nicholas (3:48) -- How He delivered me / J. Johnson & the Gospel Tones (2:39) -- Long distance call / M. Waters (6:58) -- Cry to me / S. Burke (2:13) -- Ain't gonna let nobody turn me around / SNCC Freedom Singers (2:31) -- Birmingham 1963 - Keep moving / M.L. King, Jr. (3:42) -- Black Panther Party platform / B. Seale (2:59) -- Interview (excerpt) / A. Davis (1:05) -- Together to the tune of Coltrane's "Equinox" / S.W. Fabio (1:40) -- Nikki-Rosa / N. Giovanni (1:12) -- Liberation/poem / S. Sanchez (0:34) -- Dope / A. Baraka (4:48) -- Village of Brooklyn, Illinois / H. Bluiett (3:30) -- For the poets / J. Cortez (3:56) -- Shotgun Joe / Golden Eagles (5:19) -- St. Louis woman / I. Reed (1:26) -- People everyday / Arrested Development (3:27).
Track Information:
101 The Struggle / Langston Hughes.
102 Field Call / Annie Grace Horn Dodson.
103 Complaint Call / Enoch Brown.
104 Intro and Knee Bend / Doretha Skipper, Lawrence McIver.
105 Brother Terrapin, Slow Train to Arkansas / Rich Amerson.
106 Jack and Mary and Three Dogs / Janie Hunter.
107 Buck Dance (excerpt) / Joech Tucker, Scott Dunbar.
108 I'm Goin' Up North / Children of East York School.
109 Pharaoh's Host Got Lost / Lawrence McIver.
110 Bar Fights / Arna Wendell Bontemps, Lucy Terry.
111 Earl of Dartmouth (excerpt) / Dorothy Washington, Phillis Wheatley.
112 I Wonder Where My Brother Gone / Annie Grace Horn Dodson.
114 Speech at Akron Convention / Ruby Dee, Sojourner Truth.
115 Singing Slaves / Frederick Douglass, Ossie Davis.
116 Steal Away to Jesus / Kinsey West.
117 What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? (excerpt) / Frederick Douglass, Ossie Davis.
118 Why Slvery is Still Rampant (excerpt) / Ruby Dee, Sarah Parker Remond.
119 Free At Last / Dock Reed, Vera Hall.
120 When Malindy Sings / Margaret Walker, Paul Laurence Dunbar.
121 There's A Great Camp Meeting / Jubilee Singers, John W. (John Wesley) Work, Mary Ferguson.
122 Atlanta Exposition Address / Booker T. Washington.
123 John Henry / Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry.
124 Banjo Player / Arna Wendell Bontemps, Fenton Johnson.
125 Boatman Dance / Elizabeth Cotten.
126 Shine / Percy Randolph.
127 Chopping in the New Ground / Inmates of Ramsey or Retrieve.
128 Lynching, Our National Crime / Ruby Dee, Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
129 A Recorded Autobiography / Moses Asch, W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt) DuBois.
130 Listen Lord, A Prayer / Margaret Walker, James Weldon Johnson.
131 My Heart is Fixed / Gary Davis.
132 The Titanic / Lead Belly.
133 Heritage / Countee Cullen.
134 Jungle Drums / James P. (James Price) Johnson.
201 No More Auction Block / Paul Robeson.
202 The Negro Speaks of Rivers / Langston Hughes.
203 If We Must Die / Claude McKay.
204 Ma Rainey / Sterling Brown.
205 Backwater Blues / Bill Broonzy.
206 Married Man Blues / Billie Pierce, De De Pierce.
207 For My People / Margaret Walker.
208 The Children of the Poor, Sonnet 2 / Gwendolyn Brooks.
209 Body and Soul / David Jackson, Big Nick Nicholas, John Miller.
210 How He Delivered Me / Gospel Tones (Vocal group), Juanita Johnson.
211 Long Distance Calls / Otis Spann, Muddy Waters.
212 Cry To Me / Realtones, Marc Ribot, Solomon Burke.
213 Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around / Freedom Singers.
214 Birmingham 1963 - Keep Moving / Martin Luther, Jr. King.
215 Black Panther Party Platform / Bobby Seale.
216 Interview (excerpt) / Angela Yvonne Davis.
217 Together to the Tune of Coltrane's "Equinox" (excerpt) / Ronald Fabio, Sarah Webster Fabio, Wayne Wallace.
218 Nikki-Rosa / Nikki Giovanni.
219 liberation/poem / Sonia Sanchez.
220 Dope / Imamu Amiri Baraka.
221 The Village of Brooklyn, Illinois 62059 (excerpt) / Hamiet Bluiett.
222 For the Poets / Jayne Cortez.
223 Shotgun Joe / Golden Eagles (Musical group), Joseph Boudreaux.
224 St. Louis Woman / Ishmael Reed.
225 People Everyday / Arrested Development (Musical group).
Local Numbers:
SF-COMM-CD-47003
Smithsonian Folkways.47003
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Folkways 2001
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: Birmingham (Ala.), Albany (Ga.), Washington (D.C.), Texas, New Orleans (La.), Louisiana, Chapel Hill (N.C.), North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, New York, United States.
General:
Commercial
compiled, annotated and produced by Robert H. Cataliotti
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
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.
Abridged, including the elimination of "the minor sub-plot which involved Cassio's amorous adventures with the loose-moraled Bianca." Program notes ([5] p.) by Theodore Spender and Goddard Lieberson on outer container and on two of the three inner liners. Performer(s): Play; starring Paul Robeson, Uta Hagen, Joser Ferrer, and Edith King.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
Collection Citation:
Moses and Frances Asch Collection, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
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.
Collection Citation:
Moses and Frances Asch Collection, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
