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Creator
Segal, Edith, 1902-
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 122
Physical description
4 linear ft.
Language
In English with some print material in Hebrew and/or Yiddish
Preferred Citation

Edith Segal papers, Dance Collection, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations.

Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

The papers contain a wide variety of materials of potential interest to a scholar of Edith Segal's lifelong dance career or of leftist political activism in dance.

Biographical/historical information

Edith Segal was an American dancer, teacher and writer. Born in 1902 on the lower east side of New York City, her father was a cigar maker and an active union member. Her mother ran a small business out of the house as a hairdresser and maker of wigs for observant Jewish women.

Her first recollection of dancing was in the streets to the music of organ grinders. Her formal training began at the Henry Street Settlement where she studied music and dance. At age 14 she auditioned to be a scholarship student at the Neighborhood Playhouse on Grand Street where she also performed in numerous productions. There, for the next twelve years, she immersed herself in all the theater arts including music, singing, costume and stagecraft as well as dance.

Her work in dance was always closely allied to her political activism. In the 1920s and 30s, she directed the Nature Friends Dance Group, the Red Dancers and the Dance Group of the Needle Trades Workers Industrial Union. She was also the Social Director at Unity House, the vacation resort of the ILGWU. For much of the 1930s through the 1970s Segal taught at Camp Kinderland.

In the 1950s Segal gave her support to many friends who were persecuted for their political beliefs during this period of anti-communist sentiment. She herself was asked to appear before a New York Commission holding hearing on communist influence in summer camps. During this time she also began to publish her poetry. Eventually she published more than ten books of poetry, three of them for children. Throughout her career, she also wrote and lectured on dance.

Segal remained active in the arts and political communities up until her death in 1997.

Scope and arrangement

The Edith Segal Papers document her professional life as a dancer, choreographer, writer and political activist. The collection contains a wide variety of materials of potential interest to a scholar of Segal's lifelong dance career or of leftist political activism in dance.

The papers are organized into six series. Series I, A and B will be of interest to those looking for the raw material of her creative work. Subseries C contains both in process and completed lectures and essays including some 15 pages of personal memories and self-described highlights of her life.

Series II contains a variety of dance related correspondence, some of a business nature as well as personal tributes from people whose lives were touched by Segal's artistry and commitment. Series III contains programs, announcements and press material that give a chronological sense of her work as well as two subject focused folders, one on the Neighborhood Playhouse and one on the National Dance Congress of 1936.

The reviews and articles in Series IV also include a lengthy interview with Paul Sporn for a project on the federal patronage of the arts in Michigan during the depression. There is a folder of letters and corrections relating to this interview in the correspondence series.

Series V contains programs and pamphlets Edith Segal collected.

Series VI contains one scrapbook documenting the summer of 1924 at Unity House, the summer resort of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU).

Separated from the collection were books and dance manuals added to the book holdings of the Dance Collection. They are described in the separation list.

The Edith Segal Papers are arranged in two series:

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Received from the estate of Edith Segal, April 1998.

Processing information

Processed by Susan Kraft; machine-readable finding aid created by Susan Kraft.

Separated material

  • American Folk Dances and Singing Games. Edited by the Educational Activities Department, Junior Section, International Workers Order.*MGS (U.S.) 99-1137
  • Anderson, Chris. Hires Throws a Square Dance.*MGS (U.S.) 99-1176
  • Bergman, Marion. Russian American Song and Dance Book. *MGS (Russian) 99-2465
  • Bowers, Ethel. Parties, Musical Mixers and Simple Square Dances.*MGS (U.S.) 80-1882
  • Delakova, Katya and Fred Berk. Jewish Folk Dance Book.*MGS (Jewish)
  • Farwell, Jane. Noch Ein Mal. *MGS (German) 99-1198
  • Folk Dance Syllabus Number One. Edited by Michael Herman.*MGS (General)
  • Folk Dances for All. Collected and arranged by Michael Herman. *MGS (General)
  • The Handy Play Party Book. Edited by Lynn Rohrbough.*MGS (U.S.) 99-1277
  • Hipps, R. Harold. A World of Fun: Manual of Instructions.*MGS (General) 99-1175
  • Lapson, Dvora. Jewish Dances the Year 'Round.*MGS (Jewish) 99-1279
  • Lapson, Dvora. Dances for Jewish Festivals. [Typescript]*MGS (Jewish) 99-1281
  • Lapson, Dvora. How to do Israeli folk dances*MGS (Israeli) 99-1278
  • Lilley, Agnes. How to make costumes for school plays and pageants.*MGRS 99-1173
  • Liefer, Fred. The Folk Dance Memorizer. 75 Dances at a Glance.*MGS (General)
  • Liefer, Fred. The L'il Abner Official Square Dance Handbook.*MGS (U.S.)
  • Lovett, Benjamin B. Good Morning; Music, Calls and Directions for Old Time Dancing as Revived by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ford*MGWM
  • Mayes, Elaine (photographer). When I Dance.*MGTI 99-1177
  • Mayo, Margot. The American Square Dance*MGS (U.S.)
  • McNair, Ralph J. Western Square Dances*MGS (U.S.)
  • Piute Pete. The Square Dance Party Book*MGS (General)
  • Robertson, Marion. La Boutique Fantasque.*MGTZ (Boutique Fantasque)
  • Sturman, Rivkah.10 Folk Dances for All Ages.*MGS (Israeli) 82-4200
  • Sturman, Rivkah. 10 Israeli Folk Dances.*MGS (Israeli) 99-1174
  • Zahava, Ruth. Jewish Dances.*MGS (Jewish) 99-1280
  • Workers dance League Bulletin*MGZA
  • New Dance*MGZA
  • Promenade*MGZA
  • Arts in Childhood*MGZA
  • TAC*MGZA
  • New Theatre*MGZA

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor