James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection manuscript music
Collection
Call Number: JWJ MSS 355
Scope and Contents
Autograph manuscript and manuscript reproduction scores and parts for circa 50 works, most by African American composers, including music for voice and piano, chorus, band, or orchestra, 1902-1957, with most 1931-1945 or undated. Circa 20 composers are represented, including Margaret Bonds, H. T. Burleigh, William L. Dawson, George Gershwin, W. C. Handy, Hall Johnson, Ulysses Kay, Florence Price, William Grant Still, Roberta Russell Summers Stone, Howard Swanson, and Will H. Vodery. Vocal music includes texts by African American authors Countee Cullen, James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes, Alain Locke, and Bruce Nugent. Some items are inscribed by composers to Carl Van Vechten or others, and some are accompanied by correspondence between composers and Van Vechten or other related materials, 1936-1960.
Dates
- 1902 - 1957
- Majority of material found within 1931 - 1945
Creator
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials are presumed to have been donated to the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection in the early years of its establishment, 1941-1950. More information may be available in the Carl Van Vechten Papers Relating to African American Arts and Letters (JWJ MSS 1050).
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by composer name, and alphabetically by work title within each name.
Extent
8.0 Linear Feet (5 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Processing Information
Formerly cataloged as single items in the Beinecke Library’s manuscript card catalog, with call numbers beginning Vms, followed by a cutter number based on composer name. In 2021 October, catalog cards were converted to a finding aid, with standardized item-level descriptions and enhancement of composer names and work titles in conformance with the Library of Congress Name Authority File or other authoritative sources.
- African American Composers
- African American women composers
- American literature -- African American authors -- 20th century.
- Band music -- Scores
- Composers -- United States
- Harlem Renaissance
- Music by African American composers -- 20th century
- Musicals
- Musicals -- United States -- Scores.
- Orchestra music -- Scores
- Parts (Music)
- Photographs
- Scores
- Songs
- Songs with piano
- Symphonies
- Symphonies -- Scores
- Women composers -- United States
Creator
- Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Bonds, Margaret, 1913-1972
- Bonds, Margaret (Songs of the seasons)
- Burleigh, H. T. (Harry Thacker), 1866-1949
- Burleigh, H. T. (Harry Thacker), 1866-1949. (Passionale. Your eyes so deep.)
- Coleridge-Taylor, Samuel, 1875-1912
- Coleridge-Taylor, Samuel, 1875-1912. (Scenes from The song of Hiawatha.)
- Cullen, Countee, 1903-1946
- Dawson, William L. (William Levi), 1899-1990
- Dawson, William L. (William Levi), 1899-1990. (Out in the fields.)
- Gershwin, George, 1898-1937
- Gershwin, George, 1898-1937. (Show girl.)
- Handy, W. C. (William Christopher), 1873-1958
- Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967
- Johnson, Hall, 1888-1970
- Johnson, James Weldon, 1871-1938
- Locke, Alain, 1885-1954
- Nugent, Bruce, 1906-1987
- Kay, Ulysses, 1917-1995
- Price, Florence, 1887-1953
- Still, William Grant, 1895-1978
- Still, William Grant, 1895-1978. (Kaintuck')
- Still, William Grant, 1895-1978. (Sahdji)
- Still, William Grant, 1895-1978. (Voice of the Lord)
- Stone, Roberta Russell Summers, 1886-
- Sullivan, Maxine, 1911-1987
- Swanson, Howard, 1907-1978
- Swanson, Howard, 1907-1978. (Short symphony.)
- Van Vechten, Carl, 1880-1964
- Vodery, Will H.
- Title
- Guide to the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection manuscript music
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Karen Spicher
- Date
- 2021 October
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written English.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.