Found 67 collections related to African American musicians

Cooper, Opal, 1889?-1974
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 599 Cooper
1.4 linear feet (1 archival box, 3 flat boxes)
The records contain personal and professional papers comprised of biographical materials, letters, writings, programs, music, a scrapbook and miscellaneous items. The Personal Papers consist of various forms of identification, letters and an... more
McMillan, Allan W., 1900-1991
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 206
4.88 linear feet (7 boxes)
Allan W. McMillan, a longtime columnist for The Amsterdam News and the first Black syndicated columnist, made his reputation as an entertainment writer, Broadway columnist, and publicist. The Allan W. McMillan public... more
Charlton, Melville, 1880-1973
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 92
0.5 linear feet (2 boxes)
Melville Charlton was the first African-American organist to be admitted to the American Guild of Organists. This collection contains correspondence and memorabilia documenting Charlton's seventy years as a musician.
Murphy, Frederick D., 1940-1993
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 651
7.42 linear feet (8 boxes)
The Frederick D. Murphy papers consist principally of press kits and news clippings that Murphy collected on hundreds of recording artists of popular music (primarily rhythm and blues, soul, disco, rock and roll, and other genres) and executives... more
Symphony of the New World (New York, N.Y.)
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 171
4.58 linear feet (8 boxes)
The Symphony of the New World was founded in 1964 by an interracial committee of professional musicians to provide opportunities for minorities, particularly black and Puerto Rican musicians, who were being discriminated against by the major... more
Carter, Ron, 1937-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 90
2.26 linear feet (4 boxes, 1 oversize folder)
Ron Carter is a leading jazz bassist. This collection consists mostly of scrapbooks, which contain correspondence, transcripts, music programs, and articles about him.
Heyward, Sammy, 1904-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 160
Collection reflects Heyward's professional life and activities, particularly his career as a performer; a significant portion of the collection consists of music manuscripts arranged and/or composed by him. Heyward's personal papers contain... more
Kaplan, Sidney, 1913-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 137
0.42 linear feet (1 box)
This collection documents part of an exhibition on African American musicians organized by the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. The papers consist of research material gathered by consultant Sidney Kaplan and his... more
Redman, Don
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 360
3.04 linear feet (14 boxes)
The Don Redman Papers consist principally of holograph and printed music of this jazz composer and arranger, as well as some personal and professional papers. Redman's music contains orchestral and vocal scores and parts for various instruments.... more
Bibbs, Hart Leroy
Music Division | JPB 87-44
5 items, 21 x 26 cm; 5 items, 21 x 26 cm
Photographs of Dexter Gordon, Sarah Vaughn, Arthur Jones, Brian Smith, and Sam Woodyard in performance of jazz music.
Smith, Jabbo, 1908-1991
Music Division | JPB 97-65
2.11 cubic ft. (5 boxes)
"Jabbo" Smith, born Cladys Smith in 1908 in Pembroke, Georgia, was an African-American jazz trumpeter, trombonist and singer. He died in St. Louis in 1991. The collection consists of autobiographical material; correspondence with Lorraine Gordon... more
Neilson, Kenneth P.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 218
1.29 linear feet (4 boxes)
Kenneth P. Neilson is an educator, artist, composer, author, and founder of All Seasons Art, a multimedia production center which seeks to gain exposure for developing African American and Hispanic artists. The Hughes-Neilson music collection... more
Handy, W. C. (William Christopher), 1873-1958
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 122
.3 linear feet (1 box)
Composer; cornetist; bandleader and publisher, W.C. Handy's fame rests upon his work as a composer. Handy wrote and published more than 150 songs and arrangements of folksongs, mainly spirituals and blues. The popularity of Handy's songs helped to... more
Brown, Lawrence, 1893-1972
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc Micro R-3597
4.5 linear feet; l0 microfilm reels
Composer, pianist, arranger. Brown worked as Paul Robeson's accompanist for thirty-eight years. The Lawrence Brown papers encompass correspondence reflecting Brown's wide-ranging travels, and his friendships (mostly letters written by his friends... more
Spiller, Isabele Taliferro, 1888-1974
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 62
Collection consists of a few of William Spiller's personal papers, programs, and news clippings of William and Isabele Spiller's European and American tours, 1912-1942, and of the Spiller School of Music. Bulk of papers contain material pertaining... more
Jackson, Willis
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 332
2.21 linear feet (3 boxes)
Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson was a composer, arranger, and saxophonist. The Willis Jackson papers consist principally of holograph musical compositions, mainly instrumental parts, composed and arranged by Jackson and others.
White, Clarence Cameron, 1880-1960
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc Micro R-2474
6.04 linear feet (13 boxes, 10 reels)
Clarence Cameron White was a Black violinist, composer, and teacher. This collection consists of musical scores, compositions, and librettos, correspondence, biographical information, writing, contracts, financial records, programs, sheet music,... more
White, Clarence Cameron, 1880-1960
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 492
14.08 linear feet (49 boxes)
The Clarence Cameron White papers (Additions) reflect the musical career of this composer, violinist, and music teacher, covering the last twenty years of his life, from approximately 1940 to 1960.
Perkinson, Coleridge-Taylor
Music Division | JPB 07-3
4.02 linear feet (6 boxes)
The Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson Papers document Perkinson’s career as an arranger for Motown Records artists, particularly Marvin Gaye, in the mid 1970s, and as a composer for television.
Carpenter, Elliot
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 599
The Elliot Carpenter Papers document his musical career and consists of personal and professional correspondence, handwritten music, programs, lyrics, scripts and newsclippings.
Des Verney, Bertha
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 449
.46 linear feet (2 boxes)
Bertha Des Verney was a pianist, composer, arranger, writer, singer, playwright, concert promoter, and music teacher. The Bertha Des Verney papers include programs and flyers for musical events that she was involved in, annotated musical texts,... more
Green, Jeffrey P.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 333
.33 linear feet (One archival box)
This collection consists of personal and professional papers reflecting Jenkins's career as a musician and composer, and encompasses four series: personal and professional papers; family papers; Jenkins Orphanage documents; and research material.... more
Coleman, Edward D.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 96
0.42 linear feet (1 box)
Edward D. Coleman was a musical arranger and composer. He was a member of the trio known as Day, Dawn, and Dusk. Coleman was Dawn; the other members of the trio included, at different times, Robert Carver, Augustus Dewey Simons, and Mack Smith.... more
Katz, Jonathan, 1938-
Manuscripts and Archives Division | MssCol 1621
80.83 linear feet (189 boxes, 20 tubes, 1 item). 2.9 gigabytes (490 computer files)
Jonathan Ned Katz (1938 - ) is an independent historian, author, LGBTQ rights advocate, teacher, and textile designer. His father, Bernard Katz (1901-1970), an artist and designer who worked in advertising, was an independent historian of... more
Easton, Sidney, 1885-1971
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 599
1.08 linear feet (3 boxes)
Sidney Easton (1886-1971) was an actor, playwright, and songwriter. This collection contains personal and professional papers including letters, writings by Easton, legal documents regarding his suit against 20th Century-Fox Corporation, and... more
Schuyler family
Photographs and Prints Division. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture | Sc Photo Schuyler Family Collection
5127 items (4.7 cubic ft., 20 boxes). 1031 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w, some hand-col ; 26 x 21 cm. and smaller. 867 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w ; 21 x 26 cm. and smaller. 870 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w ; 9 x 9 cm. and smaller. 13 photographic prints : silver gelatin, b&w ; 28 x 52 cm. and smaller. 179 photographic prints : col ; 21 x 26 cm. and smaller. 194 photographic postcards : b&w ; 15 x 11 cm. and smaller. 30 polaroid photographic prints : b&w, some col ; 9 x 13 cm. and smaller. 28 halftone photomechanical prints : b&w, some col ; 26 x 21 cm. and smaller. 10 postcards : b&w, some col ; 9 x 14 cm. 8 x 5 cm, 1 tintype (8 x 5 cm). 109 slides : col ; 5 x 5 cm. 13 x 18 cm. and smaller, 19 color transparencies (13 x 18 cm. and smaller). 1 map : line illustration ; 24 x 30 cm. 1 pencil sketch : b&w ; 27 x 23 cm. 1 photostat : col ; 13 x 18 cm. 485 negatives : b&w ; 26 x 21 cm. and smaller. 1133 negatives : b&w ; 7 x 7 cm. and smaller. 155 negatives : col ; 7 x 7 cm. and smaller
George Samuel Schuyler (1895-1977) was an African-American journalist and author. Josephine Cogdell Schuyler (ca. 1900-1969), the daughter of a wealthy white Texas family, was an artist and writer who managed Philippa Schuyler's musical career.... more
Cumbo, Clarissa W.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 306
15.0 linear feet (41 boxes)
Marion and Clarissa Cumbo were a Black married couple based in New York City who worked as musicians and arts fundraisers. Their papers, dating from 1882 to the 1980s, contain materials related to their music careers. The collection holds... more
Cumbo, Clarissa W.
Photographs and Prints Division. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture | SCP 186088
1.79 linear feet (5 boxes)
Marion and Clarissa Cumbo were a Black married couple based in New York City who worked as musicians and arts fundraisers. The collection, dated from the 1890s to the 1980s, contains photographs depicting the Cumbos' music careers, their work with... more
Avakian, George
Music Division | JPB 14-28
56.72 linear feet (149 boxes, 6 oversize folders, 1 tube). 1.7 gigabytes (148 computer files). 2225 audio_files. 64 video_files
George Mesrop Avakian (1919-2017) was an American music producer, recording executive, artist manager, writer, and educator best known for his work with artists such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, John Cage, Alan Hovhaness, Keith... more
Rollins, Sonny
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 898
73.43 linear feet (144 boxes, 18 volumes, 18 tubes, 7 oversized folders); 37.13 gigabytes (969 computer files)
Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7th, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist. His papers, dating from the 1910s to 2015 (the bulk dates from the 1950s onward), document the musical, personal, and career development of one of... more
Indicates that portions of this collection have been
digitized and are available online.