Musician William Henson "Billy" Butler (1903-1981) was a conductor, violinist, and travel writer. The collection consists of two audio recordings relating to Butler's career as a travel writer and travel agent, dating from circa 1947 to 1959.
Musician William Henson "Billy" Butler (1903-1981) was a conductor, violinist, and travel writer.
Born in New York City, Butler was classically trained at the David Mannes Music School, and at Chicago Musical College, where he graduated in 1929. He arranged music for prominent African American musicians of the early jazz era such as Eubie Blake. Butler also conducted the orchestra for several musical revues, including Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1939 and Rhapsody in Black, and Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake's Shuffle Along.
After encountering Jim Crow laws while traveling as a working musician, Butler compiled a directory of public accommodations that welcomed African Americans, and, in 1947, began publishing it annually under the title Travelguide. Later, he expanded the directory to include foreign countries. Butler also wrote a travel column for the Pittsburgh Courier in the 1950s, and acted as executive director of King Travel Organization, Inc., a travel agency based in New York City that catered to travelers of African descent. Butler died in New York City in 1981.
The collection consists of two audio recordings relating to Butler's career as a travel writer and travel agent, dating from circa 1947 to 1959. They are organized alphabetically by title. The recordings are vinyl records of radio interviews with William H. Butler, including one conducted by George Schuyler, a radio journalist and writer.
Bill Lenszler, 1985.
Collection inventoried by Christopher Arena. Collection processed and described by Lyric Evans-Hunter, archivist. Finding aid published in 2025.
See the Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books Division for the William H. Butler papers, Sc MG 225.
See the Photographs and Prints Division for the William H. Butler photograph collection, Sc Photo William H. Butler Collection.
See the Schuyler Family audio collection, Sc MIRS Schuyler 1978-27, for additional episodes of The Negro World with George Schuyler.
At the time of publishing, one vinyl record is not available pending digitization, and one vinyl record is not available pending conservation.