DeLarverié, Stormé, 1920-2014
Photographs and Prints Division. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture | SCP 186079
1.67 linear feet (4 boxes)
The Stormé DeLarverié photographs document DeLarverié's long career as a singer and gay rights activist from the 1950s until her death in 2014. The collection contains personal and professional photographs, including candid pictures of DeLarverié...
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The Stormé DeLarverié photographs document DeLarverié's long career as a singer and gay rights activist from the 1950s until her death in 2014. The collection contains personal and professional photographs, including candid pictures of DeLarverié at events and parties, at home and perfomances, including her role as the Master of Ceremonies for the Jewel Box Review, the first integrated traveling, drag, nightclub act.
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Yuen, Lily, 1908-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 643
.4 linear feet (1 flat box)
Lily Yuen was a singer and dancer, who also considered herself a comedienne, performer of novelty songs, parodies and specialty acts, as well as an emcee, during the 1920's and 1930's. She was a principal in the Brownskin Models, an annual touring...
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Lily Yuen was a singer and dancer, who also considered herself a comedienne, performer of novelty songs, parodies and specialty acts, as well as an emcee, during the 1920's and 1930's. She was a principal in the Brownskin Models, an annual touring revue produced by Irvin C. Miller in which her sister, Libo, also appeared. Yuen performed in "Broadway Rastus," "Fast and Furious" and "Yeah Man." Lily Yuen, also known as "Hoy Hoy" and "Pontop," was born in Georgia and lived her adult life in New York City. The Lily Yuen Papers provides some documentation of the dancing and entertainment career of this revue performer, in addition to containing personal family papers. A small number of papers pertain to Yuen's mother, brother, husband, and her sister and colleague, Libo (Olivia) Yuen. Of interest are two manuscript joke books containing hundreds of jokes, many titled, often about the relationship between men and women. There are also programs for the Brownskin Models, "Fast and Furious" and "Yeah Man," and sheet and manuscript music, some with parts, and most annotated, including "Can't Believe" and "Why Do I Lie to Myself About You?" A scrapbook of newsclippings documents Yuen's career as a Brownskin Model during the group's nationwide tours (1926-1930). The scrapbook emphasizes Yuen's fellow dancer, Blanche Thompson, who was a principal dancer in Brownskin Models, as well as Florence Mills of "Bye Bye Blackbirds" fame. Yuen's sister, Libo, is also mentioned in the scrapbook as a dancer.
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Miller, Flournoy E., 1886-1971
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 599
1.3 linear feet (4 archival boxes)
Flournoy Miller (1889-1971) was an actor, comedian, playwright, lyricist and producer. Collection contains personal papers that include biographical information and correspondence; professional papers, including contracts, memberships, writings...
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Flournoy Miller (1889-1971) was an actor, comedian, playwright, lyricist and producer. Collection contains personal papers that include biographical information and correspondence; professional papers, including contracts, memberships, writings and production files.
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Bledsoe, Jules, 1898-1943
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 255
1.17 linear feet (4 boxes)
Singer and actor Jules Bledsoe created the role of Jo and the interpretation of the song "Old Man River" in the original production of
Show Boat (1927). This collection consists of correspondence, contracts, musical...
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Singer and actor Jules Bledsoe created the role of Jo and the interpretation of the song "Old Man River" in the original production of
Show Boat (1927). This collection consists of correspondence, contracts, musical compositions, legal documents, financial records, programs, broadsides, and news clippings documenting Bledsoe's professional career, particularly in Europe.
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Angelou, Maya
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 830
200.83 linear feet (408 boxes)
Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was one of the most renowned and celebrated voices in American literature. The Maya Angelou papers consist of original manuscripts, computer generated typescripts, galleys, and proofs of published work as well as...
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Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was one of the most renowned and celebrated voices in American literature. The Maya Angelou papers consist of original manuscripts, computer generated typescripts, galleys, and proofs of published work as well as manuscripts for unpublished work and dozens of poems. Additionally, there is personal and professional correspondence, teaching files, printed matter, and materials from public and academic appearances and engagements.
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Miller, Henry (Henry D.)
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 756
4.37 linear feet (11 boxes)
A veteran theater artist of the 1960s and 1970s civil rights inspired Black theater movement, Henry Miller has directed a number of plays in the African American drama canon. Between 1962 and 1992, Miller founded three Black theater companies: the...
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A veteran theater artist of the 1960s and 1970s civil rights inspired Black theater movement, Henry Miller has directed a number of plays in the African American drama canon. Between 1962 and 1992, Miller founded three Black theater companies: the Joseph Patterson Players (1962-1965), the Afro-American Repertory Theatre Company (1971-1978) and the James Baldwin Writers' Workshop Theater (1992-2002). The Henry Miller Theater collection chronicles Miller's work in theater, film, and television as an artist and scholar and spans the period 1957-2005.
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Hemphill, Essex
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 832
0.83 linear feet (2 boxes)
The Essex Hemphill and Wayson Jones Collection documents the collaboration and friendship of poet (Hemphill) and musician (Jones), and their artistic endeavors to foreground the experiences of Black gay life in the United States.
Jones, Judd, 1931-2011
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 846
1.42 linear feet (2 boxes)
Judd Jones was an African American actor, singer, dancer, and director whose career was centered in New York City. The Judd Jones papers document his theatrical career.
Butler, William H. (William Henson), 1903-1981
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 225
0.83 linear feet (2 boxes)
"Billy" Butler was a musical arranger, conductor, violinist, and travel editor of the
Pittsburgh Courier. A graduate of Chicago Musical College, Butler worked with J. Rosamond Johnson, Eubie Blake, and other prominent...
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"Billy" Butler was a musical arranger, conductor, violinist, and travel editor of the
Pittsburgh Courier. A graduate of Chicago Musical College, Butler worked with J. Rosamond Johnson, Eubie Blake, and other prominent African American musicians of the period. He also conducted several musical revues, including Lew Leslie's
Blackbirds of 1939,
Rhapsody in Black, and Sissle and Blake's
Shuffle Along. In 1947, Butler started
Travelguide, a directory of public accommodations in the United States which catered to people of African descent. The list was later expanded to include foreign countries. Butler was also co-owner of King Travel Organization, Inc., a New York City agency which specifically catered to travelers of African descent. The William H. Butler papers include correspondence and printed material relating to Butler's musical career; articles by Butler on African American music and musicians; a scrapbook containing reviews of the Lew Leslie musicals in which he appeared; orchestral parts for
Blackbirds of 1939 and
Rhapsody in Black; holograph scores by Butler; a folder of lyrics; and a playscript by Butler entitled "Let's Forget Papa".
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Negro Actors Guild of America
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 259
18.83 linear feet (40 boxes)
The Negro Actors Guild (NAG) was formed in 1936 and began operation in 1937 in New York City as a welfare and benevolent organization for Black performers. The Negro Actors Guild (NAG) records document the functions and activities of this...
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The Negro Actors Guild (NAG) was formed in 1936 and began operation in 1937 in New York City as a welfare and benevolent organization for Black performers. The Negro Actors Guild (NAG) records document the functions and activities of this professional organization.
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McClendon, Rose, 1884-1936
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 524
6 linear feet (2 flat boxes)
Rose McClendon was one of the most famous black dramatic actresses of the 1920s and 1930s. Although she did not become a professional actor until she was in her thirties, she consistently won critical acclaim for many of her acting roles and...
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Rose McClendon was one of the most famous black dramatic actresses of the 1920s and 1930s. Although she did not become a professional actor until she was in her thirties, she consistently won critical acclaim for many of her acting roles and influenced the careers of many aspiring black actors of the period.
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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....
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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. There is also music and lyrics by other composers most notably Tadd Dameron's "For Europeans Only." A ledger (1931-1932) lists members of the Don Redman Orchestra a.k.a. Don Redman and His Orchestra, for that period together with salaries, scheduled appearances and copyright information. Two scrapbooks document the activities of the Orchestra and other groups which Redman assembled for European tours during the 1940's. The collection also includes biographical information, programs, newsclippings, and an autograph book signed by celebrities. Of interest are two letters written by Louis Armstrong (1939, 1945), one mentioning two songs for which he wants Redman to make dance arrangements.
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Simms, Hilda, 1918-1994
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 539
27.86 linear feet (59 boxes, 4 volumes)
Hilda Simms (1920-1994) was an actress best known for playing the title role in the American Negro Theater production of
Anna Lucasta that moved successfully to Broadway in 1944. Her acting career also included film,...
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Hilda Simms (1920-1994) was an actress best known for playing the title role in the American Negro Theater production of
Anna Lucasta that moved successfully to Broadway in 1944. Her acting career also included film, television, and radio broadcasts. The Hilda Simms papers date from the 1930s to 1994 (bulk dates 1940s-1950s) and document her career as an actress; her work on creative arts and drug treatment programs in New York; and her personal life.
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Hillman, George Abraham
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 588
0.46 linear feet (2 boxes)
The Hillman family papers provide documentation on the performance careers of four members of this family. Included are a notebook containing George A. Hillman's monologues and news clippings discussing the vaudeville performances of George and...
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The Hillman family papers provide documentation on the performance careers of four members of this family. Included are a notebook containing George A. Hillman's monologues and news clippings discussing the vaudeville performances of George and his wife, Ethel Riddick Hillman, and scrapbooks of news clippings and programs illustrating the tap dancing careers of their sons, George I. and Christopher Hillman, known as the Hillman Brothers, (1930s-1940s). Another scrapbook provides information about George I. Hillman's performance in
Curley McDimple (1968).
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Glenn, Willam H.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 599
1 vol
William H. Glenn and Walter Jenkins (Glenn & Jenkins) were a popular comedy team who performed on the vaudeville circuit and toured the United States, Canada, and London during the 1920s and 1930s. They became renowned for their black face...
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William H. Glenn and Walter Jenkins (Glenn & Jenkins) were a popular comedy team who performed on the vaudeville circuit and toured the United States, Canada, and London during the 1920s and 1930s. They became renowned for their black face routines, "Working for the Railway" and "The Broom Dance.". The contents of the scrapbook includes reviews and advertisments of their comedy routines dating from 1922 to 1949 and 1962. The scrapbook also contains notes, flyers, photographs, telegrams, greeting cards, and copies of their pay stubs.
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O'Neal, Frederick, 1905-1992
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 427
22.2 linear feet (45 archival boxes)
The Frederick O'Neal Papers document the theatrical, labor, and civic activities of this actor and labor leader, mostly from the 1940s through the 1990s. The collection consists primarily of personal papers, correspondence, speeches and addresses,...
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The Frederick O'Neal Papers document the theatrical, labor, and civic activities of this actor and labor leader, mostly from the 1940s through the 1990s. The collection consists primarily of personal papers, correspondence, speeches and addresses, writing, and information about the theatrical productions in which he appeared. There are also research materials about the 19th century African-American actor, Ira Aldridge, and files pertaining to the many organizations with which O'Neal was associated.
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Washington, Fredi, 1903-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc Micro R-5002
The Fredi Washington Papers, 1922-1941, 1981, n.d., reflect both her private life and her professional career as an actress and activist.
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.
Truesdale, Ernest Tad, 1926-1988
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 103
0.63 linear feet (2 boxes, 1 oversize folder)
Ernest Truesdale, whose stage name was Tad Truesdale, was a dancer, choreographer, actor, writer, producer, and director. This collection primarily documents the performer's professional career and includes biographical information, playscripts,...
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Ernest Truesdale, whose stage name was Tad Truesdale, was a dancer, choreographer, actor, writer, producer, and director. This collection primarily documents the performer's professional career and includes biographical information, playscripts, news clippings, reviews, programs, correspondence, and financial records.
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Sydnor, Earl, 1907-1989
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 382
.7 linear feet (1 archival box, 1 oversize)
Actor, Earl Sydnor appeared on and off-Broadway, on television, and in film. He began his acting career after performing with the New Jersey Federal Theatre Company. Throughout his career, he worked with Katherine Dunham, Ethel Waters, Henry...
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Actor, Earl Sydnor appeared on and off-Broadway, on television, and in film. He began his acting career after performing with the New Jersey Federal Theatre Company. Throughout his career, he worked with Katherine Dunham, Ethel Waters, Henry Fonda, James Earl Jones, and Lou Gossett, Jr. in various plays such as "Cabin in the Sky," "Kiss The Boys Goodbye," "First Monday in October" and the films, "The Emperor Jones" and "Take A Giant Step." As a young man Sydnor wrote poetry and several of his poems were published in black literary magazines. Sydnor died on July 9, 1989. Papers documenting the acting career of Earl Sydnor. The papers are divided in two series, Personal and Professional, which include correspondence, biographical material, newspaper articles and reviews, and playbills. Additionally, there are two scrapbooks dealing with his acting career and service in the Army Air Force in 1943. A third scrapbook relates to his appearance, with his wife Virginia, in "The American Home" magazine in 1945, which became a controversial issue because the magazine had never featured blacks before.
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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...
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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 and business associates); personal papers; travel file consisting mostly of itineraries for tours; financial records comprised largely of royalty and earnings statements; programs for Brown and other artists; scrapbooks of news clippings and telegrams covering the Brown and Paul Robeson concert years (1928-1968); news clippings of concert reviews; and original scores and sheet music written by Brown and other composers. Papers relate to Brown's life and times, including World War I, Harlem Renaissance, World War II, spirituals, and his collaborator, Paul Robeson. Correspondents include Amanda Aldridge, Ethel Gardner Dingle, Jannett Hamlyn, Roland Hayes, Langston Hughes, Zaidee Jackson, William Lawrence, John Payne, Paul and Eslanda Robeson, Clara Rockmore, Robert Rockmore, Mrs. Corinne Sawyer (Brown's landlady), and Greta and I. W. Sequeira.
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Whipper, Leigh R. (Leigh Rollin), 1877-1975
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 47
Correspondence, plays, poems, sketches, and song lyrics by Whipper and others, including a musical comedy by Whipper and Porter Grainger entitled "We's Risin': A Story of the Simple Life in the Souls of Black Folk." Majority of the correspondence...
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Correspondence, plays, poems, sketches, and song lyrics by Whipper and others, including a musical comedy by Whipper and Porter Grainger entitled "We's Risin': A Story of the Simple Life in the Souls of Black Folk." Majority of the correspondence is congratulatory. Also, photographs and scrapbook of highlights in Whipper's career and programs, autograph books, and contracts pertaining to his career.
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Horne, Lena
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 326
Collection consists predominantly of material relating to Lena Horne's one woman Broadway production and national and international tour of "Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music" (1981-1984). Papers contain fan mail, a small amount of business,...
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Collection consists predominantly of material relating to Lena Horne's one woman Broadway production and national and international tour of "Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music" (1981-1984). Papers contain fan mail, a small amount of business, personal and family correspondence; press coverage (newspaper and magazine clippings and audio and video reviews); publicity and public relations material; programs; financial data and certificates (proclamations, awards and honors).
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Marriott, John, 1893-1977
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 149
3.58 linear feet (10 boxes)
John Marriott was an African American actor whose theater, film, and television credits extended over fifty years. The John Marriott papers reflect Marriott's acting career in theater, movies, and television commercials.
Freeman, Kenn, 1917-1991
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 262
2.5 linear feet (3 boxes)
The Kenn Freeman Papers, 1930-1988 document Freeman's life as an actor, singer/dancer, writer/director, and costume and set designer. The collection consists of three series; Personal Papers, Professional Papers, and Family Papers, and include...
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The Kenn Freeman Papers, 1930-1988 document Freeman's life as an actor, singer/dancer, writer/director, and costume and set designer. The collection consists of three series; Personal Papers, Professional Papers, and Family Papers, and include correspondence, programs, flyers, contracts, writings, scripts, sheet music, scrapbooks, and autograph albums. Correspondence between Kenn and Bea Freeman forms an important part of both the Personal Papers and Family Papers series. The letters show the close personal and professional relationship between mother and son. The bulk of the correspondence covers the years, 1937 to 1950, and was written primarily during the years Kenn was in the United States Navy or in England or when either of them was on tour with a production.
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LaPrince, Robert, 1945-1994
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 563
13 linear feet (13 record cartons)
African-American arts aficionado Robert LaPrince was known primarily as the founder and president of the National Council for Culture and Art (NCCA), a non-profit, charitable, educational public service and artist support organization. NCCA's two...
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African-American arts aficionado Robert LaPrince was known primarily as the founder and president of the National Council for Culture and Art (NCCA), a non-profit, charitable, educational public service and artist support organization. NCCA's two touchstone programs, the Monarch Awards and Opening Night, honored and featured a variety of established upcoming people of color in the performing arts. Prior to founding NCCA, LaPrince obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh (1976) in sociology, and worked for the National Council of Negro Women. As an educator, he worked as an adjunct professor at Hunter College, Medgar Evers College, York College and the University of Pittsburgh in the 1970s and 1980s. LaPrince was also a social worker and teacher for the New York City Board of Education in the 1980s. The Robert LaPrince/National Council on Culture and Art (NCCA) Records are divided into two series, Personal and Professional. The bulk of the collection consists of the records of the NCCA and includes board agendas, minutes, reports and correspondence; planning files for the Monarch Awards and Opening Night programs, correspondence, contracts, financial records, fliers, grant proposals, artist information files, and news clippings.
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Schultz, Chiz
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 396
The Charles H. "Chiz" Schultz collection documents film and television projects, either created by or featuring black artists which Schultz produced or considered for production. The collection also documents Schultz's employment with Belafonte...
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The Charles H. "Chiz" Schultz collection documents film and television projects, either created by or featuring black artists which Schultz produced or considered for production. The collection also documents Schultz's employment with Belafonte Enterprises Inc., as well as his own production companies: Chiz Schultz Inc. and Fireside Entertainment Corporations.
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Kennedy, Jay Richard
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 617
0.63 linear feet (2 boxes)
Jay Richard Kennedy, author, composer, and publisher, was an entertainer and civil rights activist. He also was Harry Belafonte's manager and agent from 1955 to 1956. Born Samuel Richard Solomonick of Jewish immigrant parents in the Bronx in 1911,...
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Jay Richard Kennedy, author, composer, and publisher, was an entertainer and civil rights activist. He also was Harry Belafonte's manager and agent from 1955 to 1956. Born Samuel Richard Solomonick of Jewish immigrant parents in the Bronx in 1911, Kennedy was a union organizer and the circulation manager of the Communist Party's
Daily Worker. He left the Communist Party after the 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact, and started a new career as a writer, entertainer's agent, and stock broker. For a ten-year period beginning in 1956, he provided information and analysis to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on Belafonte, the American Communist Party, and the Soviet Union. He died in 1991, in Los Angeles. Kennedy's Belafonte files are divided into Agent and Informant series. The Agent files include correspondence between Belafonte and his agents, Kennedy and Jack Rollins; contracts; legal briefs; financial reports; and a termination agreement between Kennedy and Belafonte, a dispute which lingered until 1960 over the control of Shari Music Publishing. Also included are original materials and several versions of the script for the musical drama
Sing Man Sing, with lyrics and music by Kennedy and Belafonte.
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Hall, Berniece
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 725
.8 linear feet (2 archival boxes)
African-American soprano soloist, Berniece Hall made her Broadway debut in Finian's Rainbow (1953), and from 1956 to 1958 she performed in De Paur's Opera Gala. She also performed with Voices Inc. in Trumpets of the Lord (1963) at the French...
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African-American soprano soloist, Berniece Hall made her Broadway debut in Finian's Rainbow (1953), and from 1956 to 1958 she performed in De Paur's Opera Gala. She also performed with Voices Inc. in Trumpets of the Lord (1963) at the French National Festival of the Arts in Paris in 1966. After the Festival, Hall remained in Italy and toured several other European countries, performing in a variety of venues. She lived in Italy for 4 years returning to live permanently in the United States in 1970. The Berniece Hall Papers document her professional career in North America and Europe. The Personal papers are comprised of biographical information, correspondence from friends and well-wishers, and financial records. The Professional papers contain correspondence pertaining to Hall's professional life, performance schedules for various events, some materials pertaining to Voices, Inc., scripts, song lists and lyrics, programs, posters and newspaper clippings.
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Williams, Bert, 1874-1922
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 190
Volume containing lyrics to twenty songs, two of which, "Nevermo'" and "The Lee Family" were recorded by Williams on Columbia Records in 1915 and 1916 respectively. Second volume, entilted "Anecdotes, Jokes, Axioms, Proverbs, Funs and Puns..."...
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Volume containing lyrics to twenty songs, two of which, "Nevermo'" and "The Lee Family" were recorded by Williams on Columbia Records in 1915 and 1916 respectively. Second volume, entilted "Anecdotes, Jokes, Axioms, Proverbs, Funs and Puns..." contains over two hundred jokes or "lies" told by Williams and written down by Alex Rogers, a member of Williams' company. These dialectic stories, all of which contain a flavor of fable and black folklore, are primarily about rural or unsophisticated characters. They were first used by Williams in 1909 when he experimented in vaudeville as a solo performer, and later while Williams was a member of the Ziegfeld Follies.
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