Search Results

Creator:

Asch, Moses  Search this

Distler, Marian, 1919-1964  Search this

Folkways Records  Search this

Names:

Courlander, Harold, 1908-1996  Search this

Guthrie, Woody, 1912-1967  Search this

Jenkins, Ella  Search this

Leadbelly, 1885-1949  Search this

Ramsey, Frederic, 1915-1995  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Extent:

841 Cubic feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Business records

Correspondence

Phonograph records

Photographic prints

Audiotapes

Date:

1926-1986

bulk 1948-1986

Summary:

This collection, which dates from 1926-1986, documents the output of Moses Asch through the various record labels he founded and co-founded, and includes some of his personal papers. The Asch collection includes published recordings, master tapes, outtakes, business records, correspondence, photographs, and film.

Scope and Contents:

The Moses and Frances Asch Collection measures 841 cubic feet and dates from 1926-1987, with some contemporary, relevant correspondence, clippings, and ephemera added after 1987.

Most of the collection consists of audio recordings (commercial 78 rpm and long-playing records, open reel tapes, acetate discs, and test pressings), correspondence with recording artists and producers, artwork, photographs, ephemera, clippings, record production materials, writings, and business papers relating to Folkways Records. Materials relating to Folkways Records can be found primarily in the Correspondence, Folkways Production, Business Records, Photographs, Artwork, Sound Recordings, and Film series.

The collection also contains some biographical materials and personal correspondence, including materials related to Asch's first business, Radio Laboratories, located in the Biographical Materials series. Correspondence, ephemera, photographs, record production materials, business papers, and recordings relating to Asch's record labels before Folkways Records (Asch Recordings, Disc Company of America, Cub Records) are located in the Early Label Materials series as well as the Audio Recordings and Photographs series.

Arrangement note:

The collection is arranged in 10 series:

Series 1: Correspondence, 1942-1987

Series 2: Folkways Production, 1946-1987

Series 3: Business Records, 1940-1987

Series 4: Woody Guthrie papers, 1927-1985

Series 5: Early Label Materials, 1940-1949

Series 6: Biographical Materials, 1926-1987

Series 7: Photographs

Series 8: Artwork

Series 9: Audio Recordings

Series 10: Film

At this time, the collection is partially processed. Please contact rinzlerarchives@si.edu for more information.

Biographical/Historical note:

The son of Yiddish writer Sholem Asch, Moses Asch was born in Poland in 1905. His childhood was spent in Poland, France, Germany, and New York. While young, Asch developed an interest in radio electronics, which ultimately lead him to his life's work, recording the music and sounds of the world. He established several record labels in succession, sometimes partnering with other record companies. Two of his fist record companies, Asch Recordings and DISC Co. of America, went bankrupt. They were followed by his best-known label, Folkways Records, which was founded in 1948 with Marian Distler (1919-1964). He was still working on Folkways recordings when he died in 1986.

Folkways Records sought to document the entire world of sound. The 2,168 titles Asch released on Folkways include traditional and contemporary music from around the world, spoken word in many languages, and documentary recordings of individuals, communities, and current events. Asch's business practices revolved around the commitment to keep every recording issued by Folkways in print, despite low sales. Asch stayed afloat by cutting costs where he could (such as color printing) and offering a high-quality product, meticulously recorded and accompanied by extensive liner notes. In doing this, he could charge a slightly higher price than other commercial outfits. Despite a tenuous relationship with financial solvency, Folkways grew to be not only one of the most important independent record companies in the United States in the 20th century, but also one of the largest and most influential record companies in the world.

Moses Asch's record labels featured famous and lesser known American writers, poets, documentarians, ethnographers, and grass roots musicians on commercial recordings. American folk icon Woody Guthrie recorded on the Asch, Disc, and Folkways labels, and the Asch Collection includes some of his correspondence, lyrics, drawings, and writings. The collection also includes correspondence with other notable musicians and artists such as John Cage, Langston Hughes, Margaret Walker, Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter, Pete Seeger, Peggy Seeger, Ewan MacColl, Alan Lomax, Henry Cowell, and Kenneth Patchen. Also in the collection are ethnographic field notes and photographs by as well as correspondence with Béla Barók, Sidney Robertson Cowell, Harold Courlander, Helen Creighton, Laura Boulton, and Samuel Charters. Asch hired various prominent artists and graphic designers including David Stone Martin, Ben Shahn, John Carlis, and Ronald Clyne to create album cover art for his recordings. Much of the original art and designs for these covers can be found in the Asch Collection.

Asch's output of recordings on various labels, including published recordings, open reel master tapes, outtakes, and acetate disks, in addition to his business papers, correspondence, photographs, and other files were acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987. The collection came to the Smithsonian with the understanding that all 2168 titles under the Folkways label would be kept available in perpetuity.

Provenance:

Ralph Rinzler arranged the Smithsonian's acquisition of the Moses and Frances Asch Collection in 1987, beginning with Asch before his death in 1986 and continuing with extensive discussions between Rinzler and the Asch family. Since its acquisition, archivist Jeff Place and others have added contemporary, relevant correspondence with Folkways artists and related individuals.

Restrictions:

Access by appointment only. Contact the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at rinzlerarchives@si.edu or (202) 633-7322 for additional information.

Rights:

Copyright restrictions apply. Contact archives staff for additional information.

Topic:

Folk music  Search this

Folk dance music  Search this

Electronic music  Search this

Oral interpretation of poetry  Search this

Oral interpretation of fiction  Search this

Music -- 20th century  Search this

Music -- 19th century  Search this

Music -- 18th century  Search this

Jazz  Search this

Folk music -- United States  Search this

World music  Search this

Sounds  Search this

Vocal music  Search this

Popular music -- 20th century -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Business records

Correspondence

Phonograph records

Photographic prints

Audiotapes

Citation:

Moses and Frances Asch Collection, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

CFCH.ASCH

See more items in:

Moses and Frances Asch Collection

Archival Repository:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-cfch-asch

Creator:

Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971  Search this

Names:

American Artists' Congress  Search this

Artists League of America  Search this

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

Citizens' Committee for Government Arts Projects  Search this

Farmers Union of the New York Milk Shed  Search this

Federal Art Project  Search this

Federal Writers' Project  Search this

International Workers Order  Search this

Macbeth Gallery  Search this

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

National Maritime Union of America  Search this

United American Artists  Search this

United Office and Professional Workers of America  Search this

United Scenic Artists  Search this

Boyesen, Bayard  Search this

Chamberlain, J. E.  Search this

Chase, William Merritt, 1846-1916  Search this

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

Daniel, Charles, 1878-1971  Search this

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

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

Fitzgerald, James, 1899-1971  Search this

Freuchen, Peter, 1886-1957  Search this

Gellert, Hugo, 1892-1985  Search this

Gottlieb, Harry, 1895-  Search this

Hartley, Marsden, 1877-1943  Search this

Hays, Lee, 1914-1981  Search this

Henri, Robert, 1865-1929  Search this

Jones, Dan Burne  Search this

Keller, Charles, 1914-2006  Search this

Miller, Kenneth Hayes, 1876-1952  Search this

Nearing, Helen  Search this

Nearing, Scott, 1883-1983  Search this

Pach, Walter, 1883-1958  Search this

Phillips, Duncan, 1886-1966  Search this

Rasmussen, Knud, 1879-1933  Search this

Reeves, Ruth, 1892-1966  Search this

Robeson, Paul, 1898-1976  Search this

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

Ruggles, Carl, 1876-1971  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Stefansson, Vilhjalmur, 1879-1962  Search this

Untermeyer, Louis, 1885-1977  Search this

Wildenstein, Felix, 1883-1952  Search this

Zigrosser, Carl, 1891-  Search this

Extent:

88 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Poems

Sketches

Business records

Photographs

Drawings

Date:

circa 1840-1993

bulk 1935-1961

Summary:

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

Scope and Content Note:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arrangement:

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

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.

1882 -- born, Tarrytown, New York

1887 -- death of Rockwell Kent, Sr.

1894-1896 -- attended Cheshire Academy

1895 -- toured Europe with Aunt Jo

1896 -- attended Horace Mann School, New York City

1900-1902 -- studied architecture at Columbia University

1900-1902 -- attended William Merritt Chase's summer school, Shinnecock Hills, Long Island

1903 -- studied with William Merritt Chase, New York City

1904 -- first sale of a painting

1904 -- met Rufus Weeks and attended first Socialist meeting

1905 -- lived and worked with Abbott H. Thayer, Dublin, New Hampshire

1905 -- first painting trip to Monhegan Island, Maine

1907 -- first one-man show, Claussen Galleries, New York City

1908 -- marriage to Kathleen Whiting

1908 -- studied with Robert Henri

1908 -- joined Socialist Party

1909 -- birth of Rockwell, III

1910 -- ran Monhegan Summer School of Art

1910 -- first trip to Newfoundland

1910 -- helped to organize first Independent Exhibition

1911 -- birth of Kathleen

1912 -- moved to Winona, Minnesota

1913 -- birth of Clara

1914 -- settled in Newfoundland

1915 -- deported from Newfoundland

1915 -- birth of Barbara

1917 -- served as full-time organizer and administrator of Independent Exhibition

1918-1919 -- in Alaska with son Rocky

1919 -- purchased Egypt Farm, Arlington, Vermont

1919 -- incorporated self

1920 -- publication of Wilderness

1920 -- birth of Gordon

1922 -- traveled to Tierra del Fuego

1924 -- publication of Voyaging

1925 -- trip to France

1925 -- divorced from Kathleen

1926 -- marriage to Frances Lee

1926 -- traveled to Ireland

1927 -- purchased Asgaard Farm, AuSable, New York

1927 -- editor of Creative Art

1927 -- helped organize National Gallery of Contemporary Art, Washington, D.C.

1929 -- sailed to Greenland on Direction

1930 -- publication of N by E

1932-1933 -- returned to Greenland

1934-1935 -- final trip to Greenland

1935 -- publication of Salamina

1936 -- trip to Puerto Rico

1937 -- trip to Brazil

1937-1938 -- Post Office Department mural commission and controversy over Eskimo-language message interpreted as encouraging Puerto Rican independence

1939 -- divorced from Frances

1939 -- General Electric Co. mural commission for New York World's Fair

1940 -- publication of This Is My Own

1940 -- marriage to Shirley Johnstone (Sally)

1942 -- solo exhibition, Know and Defend America, at Wildenstein Galleries, New York City

1946 -- elected to Executive Committee of American Labor Party

1948 -- congressional candidate, American Labor Party

1948 -- transferred ownership of dairy to remaining employees after boycott resulting from support of Wallace for president

1949 -- attended World Congress for Peace, Paris

1950-1958 -- denied U.S. passport; lawsuit, appeals, and Supreme Court decision reinstating right to travel

1953 -- testified before House Un-American Activities Committee

1955 -- publication of It's Me, O Lord

1958 -- one-man show at Hermitage Museum, Leningrad

1959 -- publication of Of Men and Mountains

1960 -- gift of Kent Collection to Friendship House, Moscow

1960 -- exhibition at Pushkin Museum, Moscow

1963 -- publication of Greenland Journal

1966 -- elected to Academy of Arts of the USSR

1967 -- awarded Lenin Peace Prize, Moscow

1969 -- oral history interview, Archives of American Art

1969 -- home at Asgaard destroyed by fire; papers survived with some water and smoke damage

1969 -- first installment of Rockwell Kent Papers donated to Archives of American Art

1971 -- died, Plattsburgh, New York

1971 -- gift of additional Rockwell Kent Papers to Archives of American Art

1979 -- gift of textile samples to the Archives of American Art

1996 -- gift of additional Rockwell Kent Papers to Archives of American Art

2000 -- death of Sally [Shirley Johnstone] Kent Gorton

2000 -- previously sealed correspondence of wives Frances and Sally (Series 1) opened to researchers

2001 -- gift of additional Rockwell Kent papers to the Archives of American Art from the Estate of Sally Kent [Shirley Johnstone] Gorton

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 Rockwell Kent papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Occupation:

Painters -- New York (State)  Search this

Topic:

Designers -- New York (State)  Search this

Mural painting and decoration  Search this

Politics and culture  Search this

Authors -- New York  Search this

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

Dairy farms  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Illustrators -- New York (State)  Search this

Illustration of books  Search this

Works of art  Search this

World War, 1939-1945 -- Civilian relief  Search this

Labor unions  Search this

Art and war  Search this

Commercial art  Search this

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

Genre/Form:

Poems

Sketches

Business records

Photographs

Drawings

Citation:

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

Identifier:

AAA.kentrock

See more items in:

Rockwell Kent papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-kentrock

Creator:

Hays, Lee, 1914-1981  Search this

Names:

Almanac Singers  Search this

Baby Sitters (Musical group)  Search this

United States. Congress  Search this

Weavers (Musical group)  Search this

Gilbert, Ronnie  Search this

Guthrie, Woody, 1912-1967  Search this

Hays, Lee, 1914-1981  Search this

Houston, Cisco  Search this

Lampell, Millard, 1919-1997  Search this

Leventhal, Harold  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Extent:

6.95 Cubic feet (Papers)

0.9 Cubic feet (Audiorecordings)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Sheet music

Notes

Photographic prints

Business records

Audiotapes

Correspondence

Scripts (documents)

Date:

1923-1981

Summary:

The Lee Hays papers measures 7.85 cubic feet and dates from 1923 to 1981. The collection includes original writings, correspondence, and miscellaneous projects by Lee Hays; business records, interviews and features related to Lee Hays, including photographs; clippings saved by Lee Hays; and audiorecordings made by Lee Hays.

Scope and Contents:

The Lee Hays papers, which date from 1923-1981, contain personal and business correspondence; typescripts of Lee Hays' fiction, non-fiction, scripts and poetry; miscellaneous project and idea materials; business documents; and audiorecordings made by Lee Hays. The collection measures 7.85 cubic feet.

Arrangement:

The Lee Hays papers, are divided into seven series: 1) Correspondence, 2) Business, 3) Projects and Writings, 4) Collected Texts, 5) Interviews, 6) Features on Lee Hays and 7) Audio Recordings.

The Correspondence Series is divided into two subseries: 1) Personal, and 2) Business. The Projects and Writings series is divided into six subseries: 1) Songs, 2) Non-Fiction, 3) Fiction, 4) Musical Productions, 5) Radio Scripts, and 6) Cisco Houston Project.

When possible, folders are arranged within series and subseries in alphabetical order by file title, and within folders in chronological order with undated items at the top.

Biographical / Historical:

Lee Hays (1914-1981) was an influential American singer, songwriter, author, and activist. His legacy, both literary and musical, emphasizes the dynamic relationship between traditional culture and contemporary events and issues. As is clear from his essay "The Folk Song Bridge", Hays conceived of "folk music" as a living, breathing "process". Born in Arkansas in 1914 to a Methodist preacher, Hays' first experiences with music revolved around the church. His political awakening came later, when he returned to Arkansas from Ohio in 1934. Under the wing of mentors such as Claude Williams and Zilphia Horton (maiden name: Zilphia Johnson), Hays began to fight for the cause of sharecroppers and union workers. His musical ability and passion for social justice came together as he used music to represent the voice of labor, replacing the religious motifs of traditional and gospel songs with pro-union themes.

Upon moving to the North in 1940, Hays met Pete Seeger, another musician of the Folk Revival. Hays and Seeger shared the common goal of spreading political topical songs, and their collaborations with Woody Guthrie and Millard Lampell led to the creation of the Almanac Singers the same year. Later, the four band members, along with other musicians such as Burl Ives and Sis Cunningham, established the People's Songs organization and publication to create and distribute labor songs. However, interpersonal conflicts with members, including Pete Seeger, led to Hays' pressured resignation from both of these endeavors. He moved in with his mentor, Walter Lowenfels, and began to focus more on his writing. Though Hays was a prolific writer whose work spanned articles, essays, short stories, poetry, and songs, he is rarely recognized for his literary achievement. His writing often centered on the social and political themes for which he is best known—labor rights, racism, poverty and inequality—and used vernacular culture and narrative to address those problems.

Seeger and Hays eventually made amends, and in 1948 they formed The Weavers with Fred Hellerman and Ronnie Gilbert, bringing music of the Folk Revival to a national audience. However, as the Red Scare impacted the American political climate into the 1950s, the Weavers were blacklisted and ultimately had to disband. Though he was under investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and had no steady income, Hays continued to write both fiction and non-fiction during the three year blacklisting. In 1955, the Weavers finally reunited for a highly successful revival under manager Harold C. Leventhal, but as years passed, the group split up again, and Hays began to focus on other projects. It was at this time that he produced the bulk of his memoirs, began a project on Cisco Houston, and recorded folk music for children with his group The Baby Sitters. In 1980, the Weavers reunited for a concert in Carnegie Hall and Hays' last performance with them was in 1981. Hays died in 1981 as a result of diabetic cardiovascular disease.

Provenance:

The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage acquired the "Lee Hays Archives" in 1992 as a donation from Harold C. Leventhal and Doris Kaplan, who acquired the collection upon Lee Hays' death in 1981. The donation included materials produced by Lee Hays, as well as materials of interest to him that were found in his possession.

Restrictions:

Access by appointment only. Contact the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at (202) 633-7322 or rinzlerarchives@si.edu for additional information.

This collection has been digitized and a majority of its content has been made available online for research and educational purposes. Online access to select materials is not available due to privacy or rights concerns.

Rights:

Copyright restrictions apply. Contact archives staff for additional information.

Restrictions may apply concerning the use, duplication, or publication of items in these collections. Consult the archivists for additional information.

Topic:

Political ballads and songs -- United States  Search this

Folk music -- United States  Search this

Topical songs -- United States  Search this

Popular music -- 20th century -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Sheet music

Notes

Photographic prints

Business records

Audiotapes

Correspondence

Scripts (documents)

Citation:

Lee Hays papers, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

CFCH.HAYS

See more items in:

Lee Hays papers

Archival Repository:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-cfch-hays

Photographer:

Malone, Robert C., 1931-2019  Search this

Names:

Old Town School of Folk Music  Search this

Weavers (Musical group)  Search this

Broonzy, Big Bill, 1893-1958  Search this

Performer:

Bikel, Theodore  Search this

English, Logan  Search this

Gilbert, Ronnie  Search this

GoodingCynthia  Search this

Hamilton, Frank, 1934-  Search this

Hays, Lee, 1914-1981  Search this

Hellerman, Fred, 1927-2016  Search this

Houston, Cisco  Search this

Jackson, Mahalia, 1911-1972  Search this

Koppelman, Robert S. (Robert Steven), 1959-  Search this

Langhorne, Bruce  Search this

Odetta, 1930-2008  Search this

Schlamme, Martha  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Sellers, John, 1924-  Search this

Stracke, Win, 1908-1991  Search this

Extent:

1 Folder (papers)

1 Binder (contact sheets and prints, black and white)

1 Boxe (35 mm negatives, black and white, 8.5"x10.75"x2.5")

0.44 Cubic feet (2 boxes contain the extent details for this collection, Box 1 is 0.24 cubic feet and Box 2 is 0.2 cubic feet)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Binders

Photographic prints

Correspondence

Contact sheets

Black-and-white negatives

Place:

Chicago (Ill.)

New York (N.Y.)

Date:

1957 - 1961

Summary:

Original photographs and negatives taken by Robert C. Malone.

Scope and Contents:

The Robert C. Malone photographs document the performances of folk singers. The collection dates from 1957 to circa 1961. Photographic materials include 16 rolls of negatives, contact sheets made from the negatives, and 14 prints. The collection features photographs of the Weavers and Cisco Houston. The collection also includes a small amount of correspondence, including two letters from Robert C. Malone to the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage concerning the donation of the collection, and two letters from Lee Hays to Robert C. Malone. A handful of Malone's prints are housed with the Lee Hays papers in the Rinzler Archives and are not included in the finding aid.

Arrangement note:

Arranged in 6 series: (1) University of Chicago; (2) Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, Ill.; (3) One Sheridan Square, N.Y.; (4) Cisco Houston's Last Performance; (5) Miscellaneous People; (6) Correspondence and Miscellaneous. Contact sheets and prints arranged in 1 binder; negatives are stored in a separate binder. Series VI, Correspondence and Miscellaneous, is filed separately. Materials are arranged chronologically.

Biographical/Historical note:

Robert C. Malone is currently retired and lives in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Between 1957-1961, Robert C. Malone moved between Chicago and New York photographing folk singers such as the Weavers and Cisco Houston.

Through contact with Robert Koppelman, a scholar working with the Lee Hays Papers in the Rinzler Archives, Robert C. Malone heard about the Archives and wrote to offer his photos to the Archives collections.

Provenance:

The Smithsonian Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections acquired the Robert C. Malone Photograph Collection in 1998. In a letter dated 19 January 1999, Mr. Malone gave full discretion to the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage to grant permission for both internal and external use of his photographs with the request that his work be credited.

Restrictions:

Access by appointment only. Permission for the reproduction or publication of items in the Robert C. Malone Photograph Collection must be obtained from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Consult the archivists for further information at (202) 633-7322.

Rights:

Copyright restrictions apply. Please contact the archivists for further information.

Topic:

Folk songs -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographic prints

Correspondence

Contact sheets

Black-and-white negatives

Citation:

Robert C. Malone photographs, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

CFCH.MALO

See more items in:

Robert C. Malone photographs

Archival Repository:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-cfch-malo

Creator:

Jagendorf, M. A. (Moritz Adolph), 1888-1981  Search this

Jagendorf, Sophie  Search this

Names:

Becker, M. L.  Search this

Benton, Rita P.  Search this

Benton, Thomas Hart, 1889-1975  Search this

Boggs, Ralph Steele, 1901-1994  Search this

Fornaro, Carlo de, 1871-  Search this

Hartman, C. Bertram, 1882-1960  Search this

Ipcar, Dahlov Zorach, 1917-  Search this

Macdonald-Wright, Stanton, 1890-1973  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Starkie, Walter, 1894-1976  Search this

Stella, Joseph, 1877-1946  Search this

Tolgian, Manuel  Search this

Weber, Max, 1881-1961  Search this

Wright, Willard  Search this

Zorach, Marguerite, 1887-1968  Search this

Zorach, William, 1887-1966  Search this

Extent:

0.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1917-1969

Scope and Contents:

Letters to Moritz and Sophie Jagendorf from artists including 111 letters from Stanton MacDonald-Wright, 1917-1969; four letters from Carlo De Fornaro, 1937-1938; three letters each from Joseph Stella, 1934-1938, Manuel Tolgian, 1935-1938; two letters each from Rita Benton, 1960-1963, Walter Starkie, 1968, Max Weber, 1930-1932 and Willard Wright (Stanton's brother), 1917; one letter each from M. L. Becker, (possibly May Lamberton Becker), undated, Thomas Hart Benton, 1933, Ralph Steele Boggs, 1966, Bertram Hartman, 1930, Pete Seeger, 1967. Also included are photocopies of several letters from William and Marguerite Zorach and their daughter Dahlov Ipcar, 1965-1967. The letters concern exhibitions, museums, galleries, works of art and other artists.

Biographical / Historical:

Moritz Jagendorf (1888-1981) was a dentist who treated artists in New York, New York. Clients included Joseph Stella, Stanton MacDonald-Wright, William and Marguerite Zorach, Thomas Hart Benton, among others. Jagendorf became friendly with the artists and bought their artwork or received it in lieu of dental bills.

Provenance:

Donated 2016 by Andre Jagendorf, Moritz and Sophie Jagendorf's son.

Restrictions:

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

Occupation:

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

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

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.jagemori

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-jagemori

Creator:

McNamara, Norris  Search this

Moon, Moses  Search this

Names:

Freedom Singers  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.

Sponsor:

Partial funding for preservation and duplication of the original audio tapes provided by a National Museum of American History Collections Committee Jackson Fund Preservation Grant.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0556

See more items in:

Moses Moon Civil Rights Movement Audio Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0556

Creator:

Mondschain, Bruce  Search this

Names:

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Extent:

10 Digital images (5 shots; each shot has a sepia-toned version and a black and white version. )

10 Photographic prints (5 shots; each shot has a sepia-toned print and a black and white print.)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Digital images

Photographic prints

Date:

2005 November 3

Summary:

The Bruce Mondschain Photographs compiled by Illinois-based photographer Bruce Mondschain are a collection of 5 photographs of Pete Seeger taken at his home in Beacon, NY, on November 3, 2005.

Scope and Contents:

The Bruce Mondschain Photographs are a collection of 5 born digital photographs and corresponding photographic prints of Pete Seeger taken at his home in Beacon, NY, on November 3, 2005. Each photograph (prints and digital files) has a sepia and a black-and-white toned version as prepared by the photographer. The shots include close-up portraits of Seeger, and close-up shots of his hands playing his banjo.

Arrangement note:

Digital files are maintained in the Smithsonian's Digital Asset Management System.

Biographical / Historical:

Bruce Mondschain has been an active photographer in the Chicago area for over 30 years. His work focuses on portraiture and fine arts figure study.

In the fall of 2005, Mondschain was invited to photograph folk singer Pete Seeger at his home in Beacon, NY after writing him a fan letter. Mondschain and his wife Ellen donated five of the photographs to the Center of Folklife and Cultural Heritage in 2008.

Restrictions:

Viewing access by appointment only. Contact the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at (202) 633-7322 or rinzlerarchives@si.edu for additional information.

Rights:

Copyright restrictions apply. Contact archives staff for information.

Genre/Form:

Digital images

Photographic prints

Citation:

Bruce Mondschain Photographs, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

CFCH.MOND

Archival Repository:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-cfch-mond

Creator:

Smothers Brothers  Search this

Names:

Paulsen, Pat  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Extent:

12 Cubic feet (30 boxes, 1 map-folder)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Biography files

Clippings

Color slides

Contact sheets

Contracts

Itineraries

Legal records

Letters (correspondence)

Photograph albums

Photographs

Color prints (photographs)

Programs

Press releases

Scrapbooks

Scripts (documents)

Date:

1961-2008

bulk 1960-1990

Summary:

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

Scope and Contents:

The collection documents the lives and careers of the Smothers Brothers, with emphasis on their television variety show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. The collection includes very large numbers of photographs, slides, contact prints and negatives. These include a few childhood photographs of the brothers and their family, performance photographs, their talent agency's publicity shots, candid photographs of the act on tour, album cover shots, and behind-the-scenes photographs of the show and its guest stars. The comedian Pat Paulsen appears in many of the photographs. The photographs of the show's guests are mostly contact sheets and include no captions.

Other types of materials in the collection include publicity materials including press releases, programs, biographical information, and clippings; fan mail, some from famous persons (many of these are photocopies) such as Lucille Ball, Jack Paar, and others; business records including contracts, tour itineraries, talent agency correspondence, memos, correspondence with CBS regarding content of the shows and relating to editing, objections, etc.; a file of letters received from viewers, some complimentary, some critical, after the show aired a feature lampooning gun owners; a file of letters criticizing the show for having Pete Seeger as a guest; a file of letters from members of Congress; one script; several scrapbooks, mostly containing clippings; one photograph album; and a large file of legal and other papers relating to the lawsuit against the network carrying the Smothers Brothers Show, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS).

Arrangement:

Collection is unarranged.

Biographical / Historical:

The Smothers Brothers were a folksinging duo who toured and made occasional appearances on television variety shows during the 1960s. Starting in 1967, the brothers had their own show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. The show often contained controversial content and often featured appearances by controversial guest performers. The show was cancelled in 1969 by the network, over conflicts regarding the network's rights to edit or censor the programs in advance. The brothers sued the network successfully but the show was not reinstated. They continued to make occasional television appearances, tour and record, retiring in 2010.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Comedy  Search this

Folk singers  Search this

Television personalities  Search this

Television  Search this

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

Genre/Form:

Biography files

Clippings -- 20th century

Color slides -- 20th century

Contact sheets

Contracts

Itineraries

Legal records

Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.

Photograph albums

Photographs -- 20th century

Color prints (photographs) -- 20th century

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

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

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

Programs

Press releases

Scrapbooks

Scripts (documents)

Photographs -- 20th century -- Color prints

Citation:

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

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1437

See more items in:

Smothers Brothers Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1437

Creator:

Walton, Marion, b. 1899  Search this

Names:

Beard, Mary Ritter, 1876-1958  Search this

Carmer, Carl Lamson, 1893  Search this

Cowell, Henry, 1897-1965  Search this

Daniels, Jonathan, 1902-1981  Search this

Forrestal, James, 1892-1949  Search this

Gage-Colby, Ruth  Search this

Giacometti, Alberto, 1901-1966 -- Photographs  Search this

Jameson, Storm, 1891-1986  Search this

Kadar, Bela  Search this

Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971  Search this

Marsh, Fred Dana, 1872-1961  Search this

O'Keeffe, Georgia , 1887-1986  Search this

Picasso, Pablo, 1881-1973 -- Photographs  Search this

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962  Search this

Ruggles, Carl, 1876-1971  Search this

Sargent, John Singer, 1856-1925  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Shaw, Charles Green, 1892-1974  Search this

Stamos, Theodoros, 1922-1997  Search this

Thayer, Abbott Handerson, 1849-1921  Search this

Walton, Blanche Wetherill  Search this

Williams, Shirley, 1930-  Search this

Extent:

0.8 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Scrapbooks

Photographs

Date:

1915-1976

Summary:

This small collection of the papers of sculptor Marion Walton measures 0.8 linear feet and dates from 1915-1976. Fifteen folders of letters written to Marion and her mother Blanche Wetherill Walton include many from artists and photographers, writers, musicians and composers, and political figures. Also found are printed materials, photographs, and a file concerning a reception for author Jonathan Daniels.

Scope and Content Note:

The collection measures 0.8 linear feet, dates from 1915-1976, and documents the career of sculptor Marion Walton. Found within the papers are letters, printed material, photographs, and a file concerning a reception for author Jonathan Daniels.

Letters include those received by Walton and her mother, music patron Blanche Wetherill Walton, from many notable correspondents, including artist Charles Green Shaw, historian and suffragist Mary Beard, and novelist Vera Brittain. There are scattered letters from artists Béla Kádár, Rockwell Kent, Fred Dana Marsh, Georgia O'Keeffe, John Singer Sargent, Theo Stamos, and Abbott Handerson Thayer, composers Henry Cowell and Carl Ruggles, musician Pete Seeger, lecturer Ruth Gage-Colby, photographer Roy E. Stryker, political figures James Forrestal, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Shirley Williams, and writers Carl Carmer and Margaret Storm Jameson.

Printed material primarily consists of clippings and exhibition catalogs, and photographs are of Walton, her family, colleagues, and artwork. Of special interest is an early photograph of Alberto Giacometti with Rodin's model Carmen, and a photograph of Pablo Picasso autographed on the reverse.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into 4 series. All series are arranged chronologically.

Series 1: Letters, 1922-1976 (Box 1; 15 folders)

Series 2: File Concerning a Reception for Jonathan Daniels, 1946 (Box 1; 14 folders)

Series 3: Printed Material, 1924-1976 (Boxes 1-2; 17 folders)

Series 4: Photographs, 1915-1972 (Box 2; 18 folders)

Biographical Note:

Marion Walton was born in 1905 in New Rochelle, New York, the daughter of Ernest Forster Walton and music patron Blanche Wetherill Walton. During the 1920s, she studied at the Art Students League and, from approximately 1922 to 1924, at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris under sculptor Antoine Bourdelle. One of her classmates was Alberto Giacometti.

In 1933, Walton had a solo exhibition at the Weyhe Gallery and later participated in numerous group exhibitions primarily in New York City and in Paris, France. Her work is represented in private collections in the United States and abroad, and in the museum of the University of Nebraska.

Walton taught students in her studio in New York City and at Sarah Lawrence College. She was also a member of Artists Equity and a charter member of the Sculptors Guild.

Walton was married to James Putnam, assistant to the President of the publishing house, MacMillan Company.

Marion Walton died in 1996.

Provenance:

The Marion Walton papers were donated in 1976 by Marion Walton.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.

Rights:

The Marion Walton papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Topic:

Women sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Genre/Form:

Scrapbooks

Photographs

Citation:

Marion Walton papers, 1915-1976. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.waltmari

See more items in:

Marion Walton papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-waltmari

Composer:

Marti, Jose  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Angulo, Hector  Search this

Collection Collector:

Musical History, Division of (NMAH, SI)  Search this

Collection Creator:

Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974  Search this

Extent:

14 Items (copy scores, 31 cm.)

Container:

Box 137, Folder 6

Type:

Archival materials

Copy scores

Music

Parts (musical)

Manuscripts

Scope and Contents:

14 parts.

Guantanamera is contained in one folder consisting of 14 parts in Bb Major concert -- in ink -- in unidentified hand.

Parts for 5 reeds - alto 1, alto 2, tenor 1, tenor 2, baritone; 3 trumpets - 1, 2, 3; 3 trombones - 1, 2, 3; bass; drums; piano.

Biographical / Historical:

From the Mercer Ellington Library. Statement of responsibilty taken from Popular Music, 1920-1979, ed. Nat Shapiro.

General:

Handwriting and other details have been reported based on the notes of David Berger, Andrew Homzy, Dr. Theodore Hudson, Walter van de Leur, and Dr. Mark Tucker.

Unsigned Strayhorn composition.

Collection Restrictions:

The 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.

Copyright restrictions. Consult the Archives Center at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Paul Ellington, executor, is represented by:

Richard J.J. Scarola, Scarola Ellis LLP, 888 Seventh Avenue, 45th Floor, New York, New York 10106. Telephone (212) 757-0007 x 235; Fax (212) 757-0469; email: rjjs@selaw.com; www.selaw.com; www.ourlawfirm.com.

Topic:

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

Genre/Form:

Copy scores

Music

Parts (musical)

Manuscripts -- Music -- 20th century

Collection Citation:

Duke Ellington Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Sponsor:

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

See more items in:

Duke Ellington Collection

Duke Ellington Collection / Series 1: Music Manuscripts / 1.1: Music Manuscripts / 1.1.8: G

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0301-ref40215

Performer:

Seeger, Mike 1933-2009  Search this

Seeger, Pete 1919-2014  Search this

Brand, Oscar  Search this

Hooker, John Lee  Search this

Mills, Alan 1912-1977  Search this

Carignan, Jean  Search this

Makem, Tommy  Search this

Weissberg, Eric 1939-2020  Search this

Driftwood, Jimmie  Search this

Paley, Tom  Search this

New Lost City Ramblers  Search this

Physical description:

1 phonograph record : analog, 33 1/3 rpm ; 12 in

Culture:

Americans  Search this

Canadians  Search this

Anglo-American  Search this

African American  Search this

Irish Americans  Search this

Type:

Musical sound recordings

Place:

United States

Arkansas

Rhode Island

Newport (R.I.)

New York

Michigan

Detroit (Mich.)

Canada

Québec (Province)

Ireland

Date:

1960

Topic:

Folksong revival  Search this

Folk songs  Search this

Blues (Music)  Search this

Québec (Province)--Songs and music  Search this

Ireland--Songs and music  Search this

British Isles--Songs and music  Search this

String band  Search this

Banjo  Search this

Guitar  Search this

Violin  Search this

Bagpipe  Search this

Autoharp  Search this

Local number:

RA-RAMS-LP-0190

Vanguard 2087

Restrictions & Rights:

Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only

See more items in:

Frederic Ramsey audiorecordings collection, circa 1950s 287448

Data Source:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_334230

Producer:

Cohen, Norm 1936-  Search this

Performer:

Ball, Bentley  Search this

Robeson, Paul 1898-1976  Search this

Sandburg, Carl 1878-1967  Search this

McClintock, Harry K. (Harry Kirby) 1882-1957  Search this

Anderson, Marian 1897-1993  Search this

Kazee, Buell 1900-1976  Search this

Niles, John Jacob 1892-1980  Search this

Marais, Josef 1905-1978  Search this

Elliott, Jack 1931-  Search this

Seeger, Pete 1919-2014  Search this

Leadbelly 1885-1949  Search this

Lomax, John A (John Avery) 1867-1948  Search this

Guthrie, Woody 1912-1967  Search this

Dyer-Bennet, Richard  Search this

White, Josh  Search this

Ives, Burl 1909-1995  Search this

Travis, Merle  Search this

Stafford, Jo  Search this

Glazer, Joe  Search this

Hinton, Sam 1917-2009  Search this

Arkin, Alan  Search this

Schlamme, Martha  Search this

Brand, Oscar  Search this

Belafonte, Harry 1927-  Search this

Broonzy, Big Bill 1893-1958  Search this

McCurdy, Ed 1919-2000  Search this

Gooding, Cynthia  Search this

Bikel, Theodore  Search this

Odetta 1930-2008  Search this

Ritchie, Jean  Search this

West, Harry 1926-2014  Search this

West, Jeanie 1933-  Search this

Dane, Barbara  Search this

Faier, Billy  Search this

Wood, Hally  Search this

McGhee, Brownie 1915-1996  Search this

Terry, Sonny  Search this

Cotten, Elizabeth  Search this

Gibson, Bob, vocalist  Search this

Baez, Joan  Search this

Rinzler, Ralph  Search this

Houston, Cisco  Search this

MacColl, Ewan  Search this

Lloyd, A. L (Albert Lancaster) 1908-1982  Search this

Van Ronk, Dave  Search this

Elliott, Jack 1931-  Search this

Makem, Tommy  Search this

Seeger, Peggy 1935-  Search this

Hurt, Mississippi John 1894-1966  Search this

Dylan, Bob 1941-  Search this

Koerner, John  Search this

West, Hedy  Search this

Rush, Tom  Search this

Paxton, Tom 1937-  Search this

Watson, Doc  Search this

White, Clarence 1944-1973  Search this

White, Roland  Search this

Tyson, Ian 1933 September 25-  Search this

Tyson, Sylvia 1940-  Search this

Sky, Patrick  Search this

Fariña, Mimi  Search this

Fariña, Richard  Search this

Sainte-Marie, Buffy  Search this

Ochs, Phil  Search this

Sorrels, Rosalie  Search this

Jabbour, Alan  Search this

Carter, Maybelle 1909-1978  Search this

Carter, Sara 1898-1979  Search this

Collins, Judy 1939-  Search this

Muldaur, Maria  Search this

Goodman, Steve 1948-1984  Search this

Ringer, Jim  Search this

Weissberg, Eric 1939-2020  Search this

Peter, Paul, and Mary (Musical group)  Search this

Ostroushko, Peter  Search this

De Dannan (Musical group)  Search this

Jubilee Singers  Search this

American Chamber Music Group  Search this

Golden Gate Quartet  Search this

Weavers (Musical group)  Search this

Tarriers (Musical group)  Search this

Kossoy Sisters  Search this

Gateway Singers  Search this

Kingston Trio  Search this

Bud and Travis  Search this

Greenbriar Boys  Search this

New Lost City Ramblers  Search this

Limeliters (Musical group)  Search this

Tokens (Musical group)  Search this

Flatt and Scruggs (Musical group)  Search this

Clancy Brothers  Search this

Freedom Singers  Search this

Rooftop Singers  Search this

Kentucky Colonels  Search this

Byrds (Musical group)  Search this

Jim Kweskin Jug Band  Search this

Simon and Garfunkel  Search this

Canned Heat (Musical group)  Search this

Hollow Rock String Band  Search this

Fish (Musical group)  Search this

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band  Search this

Taj Mahal (Musician)  Search this

Highwoods String Band  Search this

Sweet Honey in the Rock (Musical group)  Search this

Magpie (Musical group)  Search this

Rude Girls (Musical group)  Search this

Creator:

Davis, Gary 1896-1972  Search this

Physical description:

4 sound discs : digital ; 4 3/4 in

Culture:

Americans  Search this

South Africans  Search this

British  Search this

Canadians  Search this

Indians of North America  Search this

Irish  Search this

African American  Search this

Anglo-American  Search this

Jews  Search this

Scottish Americans  Search this

Irish Americans  Search this

Cree Indians  Search this

Type:

Musical sound recordings

Place:

United States

Alabama

Kentucky

South Africa

New York

Louisiana

Texas

Oklahoma

Maryland

Illinois

Chicago (Ill.)

Pennsylvania

California

Mississippi

North Carolina

Washington (D.C.)

England

Great Britian

Tennessee

Ireland

Minnesota

Massachusetts

Canada

Alberta

Idaho

Virginia

Hawaii

Takoma Park (Md.)

Vermont

Date:

1991

Topic:

Gospel music  Search this

Folk songs  Search this

Outlaw songs  Search this

Appalachian Region, Southern--Songs and music  Search this

Folksong revival  Search this

Blues (Music)  Search this

Cowboys  Search this

Topical songs  Search this

Calypso (Music)  Search this

Bawdy songs  Search this

Jewish  Search this

Bluegrass music  Search this

String band  Search this

British Isles--Songs and music  Search this

Sea songs  Search this

Ireland--Songs and music  Search this

Rock music  Search this

Jug band music  Search this

Reels (Music)  Search this

Banjo  Search this

Appalachian dulcimer  Search this

Guitar  Search this

Harmonica  Search this

Mandolin  Search this

Violin  Search this

World War, 1939-1945  Search this

Nuclear weapons  Search this

Civil rights  Search this

Local number:

Smithsonian Collection of Recordings 046

Restrictions & Rights:

Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only; Stored with LPs

Data Source:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_338128

Liner notes:

Place, Jeffrey  Search this

Recorder:

Wight, Vinton  Search this

Cook, Emory 1913-2002  Search this

Performer:

Lewis, Furry 1893-1981  Search this

Seeger, Pete 1919-2014  Search this

Robertson, Walt 1928-1994  Search this

Leadbelly 1885-1949  Search this

Cotten, Elizabeth  Search this

Houston, Cisco  Search this

Hilton, L. M  Search this

Watson, Annie  Search this

Watson, Doc  Search this

Terry, Sonny  Search this

Guthrie, Woody 1912-1967  Search this

Sorrels, Rosalie  Search this

McGhee, Brownie 1915-1996  Search this

Seeger, Mike 1933-2009  Search this

McClintock, Harry K. (Harry Kirby) 1882-1957  Search this

Terrell, Henry Grady  Search this

Mounce, John D. 1938-2003  Search this

Stoneman, Ernest V  Search this

Sutphin, Vernon  Search this

New Lost City Ramblers  Search this

Virginia Mountain Boys  Search this

Stoneman Family (musical group)  Search this

Iron Mountain String Band  Search this

Physical description:

1 sound disc : digital ; 4 3/4 in

Culture:

Americans  Search this

African American  Search this

Mormons  Search this

Anglo-American  Search this

Type:

Musical sound recordings

Place:

United States

North Carolina

Georgia

Missouri

Virginia

New York

Memphis (Tenn.)

Tennessee

New York (N.Y.)

Utah

Seattle (Wash.)

Washington

Louisiana

Deep Gap (N.C.)

Oklahoma

Idaho

California

Colorado

Date:

2006

Topic:

Sounds  Search this

Documentary  Search this

Railroads  Search this

Railroads--Songs and music  Search this

Folksong revival  Search this

Folk songs  Search this

String band  Search this

Blues (Music)  Search this

Work songs  Search this

Bluegrass music  Search this

Topical songs  Search this

Folk music  Search this

Violin  Search this

Guitar  Search this

Harmonica  Search this

Railroads--Trains  Search this

Local number:

SF-CFP-CD-40192-7

Smithsonian Folkways 40192

Restrictions & Rights:

Restrictions on access. rrr

Data Source:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_353184

Artist:

Cotten, Elizabeth  Search this

Seeger, Pete 1919-2014  Search this

Physical description:

1 sound-tape reel : analog ; 3 in

Type:

Musical sound recordings

Local number:

FW-ASCH-3RR-6063

Restrictions & Rights:

Restrictions on access. Listening only. No Duplication Allowed

Data Source:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_355261

Performer:

Seeger, Pete 1919-2014  Search this

Physical description:

1 phonograph record : analog, 33 1/3 rpm ; 12 in

Culture:

Americans  Search this

Anglo-American  Search this

Type:

Musical sound recordings

Place:

United States

New York

Date:

1956

Topic:

Instructional  Search this

Guitar  Search this

Local number:

FW-ASCH-LP-1519

Topic 12T20

Restrictions & Rights:

Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only

See more items in:

Moses and Frances Asch Collection, 1939-1986 228428

Data Source:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_315288

Performer:

Seeger, Pete 1919-2014  Search this

Physical description:

1 phonograph record : analog, 33 1/3 rpm ; 12 in

Culture:

Americans  Search this

Anglo-American  Search this

Type:

Musical sound recordings

Place:

United States

New York

Topic:

Instructional  Search this

Banjo  Search this

Local number:

FW-ASCH-LP-1528

Topic 10T23

Restrictions & Rights:

Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only

See more items in:

Moses and Frances Asch Collection, 1939-1986 228428

Data Source:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_315296

Performer:

Seeger, Pete 1919-2014  Search this

Physical description:

1 phonograph record : analog, 45 rpm ; 7 in

Culture:

Americans  Search this

Anglo-American  Search this

Type:

Musical sound recordings

Place:

United States

New York

Date:

1968

Topic:

Folk songs  Search this

Banjo  Search this

Local number:

FW-ASCH-45-4556

Topic 33

Restrictions & Rights:

Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only

See more items in:

Moses and Frances Asch Collection, 1939-1986 228428

Data Source:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_317117

Performer:

Seeger, Pete 1919-2014  Search this

Physical description:

1 phonograph record : analog, 45 rpm ; 7 in

Culture:

Americans  Search this

Anglo-American  Search this

Type:

Musical sound recordings

Place:

United States

New York

Date:

1967

Topic:

Folk songs  Search this

Folksong revival  Search this

Music  Search this

Banjo  Search this

Local number:

FW-ASCH-45-4566

Scholastic 0600

Restrictions & Rights:

Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only, See Notes.

See more items in:

Moses and Frances Asch Collection, 1939-1986 228428

Data Source:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_317127

Creator:

Seeger, Pete 1919-2014  Search this

Physical description:

1 phonograph record : analog, 33 1/3 rpm ; 12 in

Culture:

Americans  Search this

Type:

Musical sound recordings

Place:

United States

New York

Date:

1977

Topic:

Folksong revival  Search this

Topical songs  Search this

Folk songs  Search this

Environmental issues  Search this

Local number:

Sound House 1022

Restrictions & Rights:

Restrictions on access. Listening only. No Duplication Allowed

Data Source:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_358102

Creator:

Seeger, Pete 1919-2014  Search this

Physical description:

1 phonograph record : analog, 33 1/3 rpm ; 12 in

Culture:

Americans  Search this

Type:

Musical sound recordings

Place:

United States

New York

Date:

1974

Topic:

Folksong revival  Search this

Topical songs  Search this

Folk songs  Search this

Environmental issues  Search this

Local number:

Sound House 1001

Restrictions & Rights:

Restrictions on access. Listening only. No Duplication Allowed

Data Source:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_arc_358127