Collections : [Archives of African American Music and Culture]

Archives of African American Music and Culture

Archives of African American Music and Culture

Smith Research Center, Rooms 180-181
2805 East 10th Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47408-2601, United States
Visit Archives of African American Music and Culture
812-855-8547
The Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC) is a repository for materials covering a wide range of African American musical idioms and cultural expressions from the post-World War II era. Highlights include interviews, researcher documentation, and publicity materials featuring Black performers, artists, radio personalities, and music industry executives.

Search Constraints

Start Over You searched for: Campus Indiana University Bloomington Remove constraint Campus: Indiana University Bloomington Level Collection Remove constraint Level: Collection Repository Archives of African American Music and Culture Remove constraint Repository: Archives of African American Music and Culture Year 1800 to 1999 Remove constraint Year: <span class="from" data-blrl-begin="1800">1800</span> to <span class="to" data-blrl-end="1999">1999</span>

Search Results

 
Dranes, Arizona
The collection consists primarily of contracts and correspondence between Arizona Dranes and the Consolidated Music Publishing House (owner of the Chicago OKeh Records franchise) from 1926-1929. Contracts for Nov. 15, 1926, include one song not commercially released (and possibly not recorded), "He's Got Better Things for You." Also included are articles about Dranes and this collection by the donor, Malcolm Shaw, and gospel historian Dr. Daniel E. Walker.
 
Smithsonian Productions
Production materials documenting Smithsonian's thirteen-part program on the role of radio in transforming the African American community in the twentieth century. The program was produced in 1996 by Jacquie Gales Webb for Smithsonian Productions, with assistance from the AAAMC. The collection contains over 400 hours of interviews and historical aircheck tapes in addition to articles, research files, program scripts, and transcripts. The audio interviews feature conversations with over 150 well-known disc jockeys, radio professionals, record company executives, journalists, and scholars. The historical airchecks include station identifications and jingles, radio interviews with prominent Black figures, coverage of historical events, and programs highlighting or influenced by the contributions of Black performers, disc jockeys, and other important persons in radio.
 

12. Calloway Collection, 1966-2014 10 document cases (5.11 linear feet)

Larson, Gloria
This collection documents the careers of the Calloway family including brothers Reggie, Vincent, and Gregory and their mother Gloria Calloway Larson, who variously formed and/or managed the groups Sunchild, Midnight Star, Calloway and Sharp. Included are personal papers, correspondence, business and financial records, tour itineraries, publicity materials, press clippings, programs, photographs, and time-based media in both published and unpublished audio and video formats.
 
Maults-By, Carl
The materials in this collection relate to Carl MaultsBy's activities as a composer, arranger, conductor, organist, keyboardist, singer, author and former music industry executive. Included are scores and recordings of his compositions as well as concert programs, photographs, notated music, sound recordings, videos and information about his performances and recordings.
 

16. Charles Connor Collection, circa 1950s-2007, bulk 1985-2007 1 document case (0.42 linear feet)

Connor, Charles
Materials documenting the period Charles Connor, known as "Little Richard's original drummer," spent on the road with Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Dee Clark, Larry Williams, Chuck Willis, and others. Included are more recent articles, interviews, and audio recordings of Connor and an unpublished book manuscript.
 

17. Charles E. Sykes Motown Collection, 1957-2003 1 document case (0.42 linear feet)

Sykes, Charles E.
Research on the Motown Record Corp., including photographs, Motown-related videos and television programs, and audio and video interviews with vocalists, instrumentalists, arrangers, songwriters, producers, technical staff, management, and consumers. Interviews include Thomas "Beans" Bowles (saxophonist and first road manager of the Motor Town Revue), Maxwell Powell (image specialist at Motown's Division of Artist Development), Bobby Rogers and Ronald White (vocalists with the Miracles), Sylvia Moy (songwriter), and Michael McLean (audio technician).
 

18. Craig Seymour Collection, 1968-2006 7 document cases (2.94 linear feet)

Seymour, Craig
The collection consists of articles, clippings, and interviews compiled during research for Seymour's book, Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross (2004), and subsequent research on topics related to R&B musicians, black music genres, the black gay community and gay musicians. Also included are audiocassettes containing interviews conducted by Seymour with Luther Vandross, various R&B musicians and record company personnel, as well as a large collection of mixtapes and commercial CDs.
 
Francis, Panama
A collection of 13 photos copied from the personal collection of David "Panama" Francis for use by Portia K. Maultsby and the Smithsonian Institution for the 1986 symposium and accompanying booklet and exhibition, Rhythm and Blues, 1945-1955. Francis participated as a panelist. The original photographs may now be in the possession of the Smithsonian Institution.
 

23. Deborah Smith Pollard Collection, 1979-2015 7 document cases (7.33 linear feet)

Pollard, Deborah Smith
The Deborah Smith Pollard collection includes more than 200 gospel music magazines and other publications from the 1980s to 2000s. The collection also includes Pollard's gospel music television specials, over 50 interviews she conducted with gospel artists and industry figures, airchecks of Pollard's radio program "Strong Inspirations" and radio programs hosted by other announcers.
 

24. Denise Dalphond Detroit Techno Collection, 1979-2012 5 document cases (2.26 linear feet)

Dalphond, Denise M. M.
A collection of recorded interviews and transcripts, photographs, press clippings, posters, and research materials related to Detroit techno music. The bulk of the collection materials span the years 2007-2011 and include audio and written interviews with notable Detroit techno artists such as Derrick May, Juan Atkins, Carl Craig, Mike Banks, Anthony Shakir. Also included are video footage from Movement Festival and photographs from Dalphond's dissertation research.
 
Gilreath, Eddie
Eddie Gilreath was one of the first African American music industry professionals to hold executive level marketing and sales positions with major record labels including Motown, Warner Bros., Elektra Entertainment, Geffen, and MCA/Universal Distribution, promoting major artists across multiple genres. Included are personal papers and correspondence, marketing reports, press clippings, photographs, certified gold and platinum album plaques, clothing, and time-based media in both published and unpublished audio and video formats.
 

30. Edith Casteleyn Dutch Gospel Choirs Collection, 1981-2019 3 document cases (2.9 linear feet)

Casteleyn, Edith
Includes the personal papers of Edith Casteleyn, founder and director of Dutch community gospel choirs in the Netherlands, as well as scrapbooks, recordings, videos, clippings, programs, publicity materials, and photographs documenting the Soesterberg Gospel Choir, Friendship Gospel Choir, Life Line Gospel Choir, Alive! Gospel Choir, Rainbow Gospel Singers, and other choirs directed by Casteleyn.
 

31. Evelyn Simpson-Curenton Collection, 1964-2021 1 document case (1.25 linear feet)

Simpson-Curenton, Evelyn, 1953-
This collection spans the active career (1964-) of Evelyn Simpson-Curenton as well as holds materials highlighting the renowned Singing Simpsons, and Evelyn's sister, Joy Simpson. It consists of CDRs, LPs, DVDs, and home-video tapes; along with several concert programs, photographs, personal letters and more.
 

32. Extensions of the Tradition concert series, 1994-2017 1 document case (0.21 linear feet)

African American Arts Institute (Indiana University, Bloomington)
Extensions of the Tradition is an annual event featuring a concert of music by black composers with related exhibits and programs, co-sponsored by Indiana University's African American Arts Institute, the AAAMC, and the Jacobs School of Music. The event is documented through program booklets, flyers, photographs, and video and audio recordings.
 

34. George Nelson Collection, approximately 1950-1982 98 photographs (black & white ; 8 x 10 in.)

Nelson, George, 1924-2003
Collection consists of black and white photographs from the 1950s through the early 1980s related to KYOK in Houston. Including are images documenting the activities of KYOK's deejays in the studio and surrounding communities, particularly in connection with listener contests and station-sponsored events such as dances and the "We Love You" concert. Also included are photographs of KYOK publicity materials and publicity photographs of many of the rhythm and blues artists, jazz, and blues artists featured on the station.
 
Robinson, Gertrude Rivers
The papers of Gertrude Rivers Robinson contain music manuscripts and sketches, correspondence, press clippings, class notes and coursework, lecture materials, audio recordings, photographs, slides, films and videos documenting her life and career as a composer, ethnomusicologist and pedagogue, including her research on the Balinese gamelan tradition.
 

40. Jack Gibson Collection, 1942-2000 19 document cases (12 linear feet)

Gibson, Jack
Jack "The Rapper" Gibson was a pioneer in Black radio, as well as an innovator, a leader, and a mentor to many in the radio and music industries. His work as a Black radio deejay spanned the early days of Black radio in the 1940s through the Civil Rights Movement, and included stints at WERD-Atlanta, WLOU-Louisville, WMBM-Miami, WCIN-Cincinnati, and WABQ-Cleveland. After retiring from radio in 1961, he became a successful music industry executive working for Motown, Decca, and Stax Records. In 1976, he launched the industry magazine Jack the Rapper, the oldest Black trade publication targeted to radio, and for the next twenty years organized the annual "Jack the Rapper's Family Affair," a Black music convention drawing generations of performers and music industry executives. His professionalism, continuous fight for racial equality and justice, and endearing human qualities made him a legend in the industry. This collection documents his long career in radio and music through personal correspondence, clippings, memorabilia, photographs, publicity materials, airchecks, interviews, lecture materials, and over 500 issues of his trade magazine "Jack the Rapper's Mello Yello."
 

43. Jocko Henderson Collection, 1971-2003 1 document case (0.21 linear feet)

Henderson, Douglas Wendell, 1918-2000
Doug "Jocko" Henderson was a pioneering "rapping" deejay primarily associated with Philadelphia radio station WDAS in the 1970s. Collection primarily documents Henderson's Get Ready company, which published materials to be used in schools to teach American history, spelling, and the dangers of drug abuse using rap lyrics. Also included is material documenting Henderson's bid for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in Pennsylvania. Materials include audiocassettes, teaching manuals, correspondence, photographs, business cards, press clippings, flyers, and other memorabilia.
 
Otis, Johnny, 1921-2012
Original video masters for thirteen Johnny Otis Show television programs, taped in a Los Angeles studio by Griffiths circa 1975 and featuring such guest artists as Delmar "Mighty Mouth" Evans, Marie Adams & the Three Tons of Joy, Joe Turner, Shuggie Otis, Pee Wee Crayton, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. Also included are five hours of unedited footage from Johnny Otis's Oldies But Goodies musical revue, a live show in L.A. that featured popular artists of the rock & roll era lip-synching to their hit recordings. Taped by Griffith from 1975-1977, over 100 songs are performed by artists such as Emma James, Richard Berry, the Penguins, the Coasters, Shirley & Lee, Ted Taylor, Bobby Day, and the Medallions.
 

47. Johnny Otis Collection, 1949-2012 1 records carton

Otis, Johnny, 1921-2012
Approximately 800 radio aircheck tapes of radio programs of black popular music (live and prerecorded), hosted by Johnny Otis, and featuring live interviews with blues and rhythm & blues artists from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Artists interviewed include Little Esther Phillips, Al Frazier, Mary Wells, Zola Taylor, the Coasters, Horace Silver, the Robins, Etta James, Big Jay McNeely, Bobby Day, Bumps Blackwell, Pee Wee Crayton, Jimmy McCracklin, and Joe Liggins. Also included are photographs, memorabilia, books, and compact discs.
 

49. Karen Shearer Collection, 1935-1996, bulk 1974-1992 53 document cases (22 linear feet)

Shearer, Karen
Collection consists primarily of interview transcripts, program transcripts, and artist publicity materials used in the production of the Westwood One Radio programs Special Edition, That's Country Music, Rock Chronicles, My Top Ten, and History of Rock 'n Roll. It also contains materials from various specials including programs on Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, and the Rolling Stones.
 

50. Katherine Lewis Collection, approximately 1949-1999 7 photographs (black & white ; 8 x 10 in.)

Lewis, Katherine, 1929-2010
Collection consists of materials related to Lewis's work at the WERD radio station in the 1950s and '60s. Founded by Jesse B. Blayton, Sr. in October 1949 in Atlanta, Georgia, WERD was the first black owned and operated radio station in the United States. The collection materials comprise 7 black and white and 7 color photographs documenting WERD's early history. Content includes the exterior of the WERD studio building, publications related to WERD such as photographs of an issue of The Printed WERD, and a portrait of J.B. Blayton Sr.