NMAAHC Collections Search

Laquer disc of Billie Holiday master recordings

Recorded by: Holiday, Billie, American, 1915 - 1959
Produced by: Granz, Norman, 1918 - 2001
Written by: Arlen, Harold, American, 1905 - 1986; Koehler, Ted L., American, 1894 - 1973; Kern, Jerome, American, 1885 - 1945; Hammerstein, Oscar II, American, 1895 - 1960; Romberg, Sigmund, Hungarian, 1887 - 1951; Harbach, Otto Abels, American, 1873 - 1963

Medium: Instantaneous Transcription Disc (a): lacquer on aluminum;; Disc Sleeve (b): ink on paper
Dimensions: Diameter: 16 in. (40.6 cm)

Type: phonograph records

Place depicted: 444 Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date: 1952

Caption: This transcription disc, dated 1952, has master recordings of Billie Holiday. Holiday sings “My Man”, “Lover Come Back To Me”, Stormy Weather and Yesterdays. Details of the recording process are heard with the technician listing takes, Holiday singing a retake of Stormy Weather, as well as making a note to herself before singing. The sound quality of the master recording disc is exceptional.
Description: An instantaneous transcription disc, the label notes the Client as Norman Granz, the Artist as Billie Holiday, and the Date as 7/28/52. The record contains the master recordings of the songs "My Man," "Lover Come Back to Me," "Stormy Weather," and "Yesterdays."; Consists of: Instantaneous Transcription Disc (a) and Original Disc Sleeve (b).; 2010.50.2a: Instantaneous transcription disc.; The recording on side 1 begins with a man listing the take of the first recording, "C 839 take 6." The first song on the recording is "My Man." As a man lists the take for the next song, "C 840 take 4," Billie Holiday can be heard making a quick note before she begins to sing "Just press off because [Inaudible]" She then sings "Lover Come Back to Me."; The recording on side 2 begins with a man listing the take "C 841 take 2." Billie Holiday begins singing "Stormy Weather," but the song is cut short after approximately 20 seconds. The take is re-listed as "C 841 take 3." Holiday then begins again with "Stormy Weather." The listing of the second song on the recording is distorted, but should be C 842 take 2. Holiday then sings "Yesterdays."; 2010.50.2b: Original disc sleeve. audiodiscs / Audio Device Inc. / 444 Madison Avenue / New York, N.Y.

Topic: African American; Jazz (Music)

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number: 2010.50.2ab

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification: Media Arts-Audio Recordings
Exhibition: Musical Crossroads
On View: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 053

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Photograph of Negro History Week display at The Emporium

Photograph by: Unidentified
Subject of: Albrier, Frances M., American, 1898 - 1987; San Francisco Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women, founded 1945; National Council of Negro Women, founded 1935

Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
Dimensions: H x W: 9 13/16 x 8 in. (25 x 20.3 cm)

Type: photographs

Date: February 19, 1957

Caption: This document is part of a scrapbook that was compiled in 1956 and 1957 by Frances Albrier during her term as president of the San Francisco Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). The scrapbook highlights the Chapter’s efforts to register voters and educate Bay Area residents on the importance of voting as a part of the Citizenship Education Project which was jointly sponsored by the NCNW and the National Urban League.
Description: A black-and-white photograph of the first display for Negro History Week in The Emporium in San Francisco, CA mounted on faded green construction paper. The photograph depicting a single display case holding a quilt, American flag, photographs, books, and album covers was installed by Francis Albrier. The photograph and construction paper are adhered to page six (6) in Frances Albrier's scrapbook (2010.60.1).

Topic: African American; Education; Line 22. Historical artifacts; Photography; Politics (Practical); Social reform; United States--History; Women

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Frances Albrier Collection

Object number: 2010.60.1.6

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification: Media Arts-Photography

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Letter to Frances Albrier from Stokely Carmichael about the Black United Front

Written by: Carmichael, Stokely, Trinidadian American, 1941 - 1998
Received by: Albrier, Frances M., American, 1898 - 1987
Subject of: National Black United Front, American, founded 1970s

Medium: ink on paper (fiber product)
Dimensions: H x W: 11 x 8 1/2 in. (27.9 x 21.6 cm)

Type: letters (correspondence)

Place depicted: Oakland, Richmond, California, United States, North and Central America

Date: 1950s

Description: A typewritten letter by Gloria Foster on behalf of Stokely Carmichael inviting Frances Albrier, "Dear Friend," to an organizational meeting for the Black United Front in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Topic: African American; Activism; Correspondence

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Frances Albrier Collection

Object number: 2010.60.33

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification: Documents and Published Materials

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Overcoming Barriers in Education

Written by: Dr. Jackson, Ida Louise, American, 1902 - 1996
Published by: University of California, Berkeley, American, founded 1868
Subject of: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, founded 1908

Medium: ink on paper
Dimensions: 11 1/4 x 8 1/4 x 7/8 in. (28.6 x 21 x 2.2 cm)

Type: books

Place printed: Berkeley, Alameda County, California, United States, North and Central America

Date: 1984-1985; published 1990

Description: A hardcover book titled "Overcoming Barriers in Education" written by Dr. Ida Louise Jackson. The cover is blue with gold lettering along the spine. The first page of the book is signed and dated by the author.

Topic: African American; Education; Sororities; Women

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Historical Society of Washington, DC and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Object number: 2013.133.3.31

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification: Documents and Published Materials-Published Works

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Cassette of Last Poets performance at Auburn Correctional Facility

Recorded by: The Last Poets, American, founded 1968
Owned by: El-Hadi, Suliaman, American, 1936 - 1995

Medium: plastic and tape
Dimensions: H x W x D: 2 9/16 × 4 × 1/2 in. (6.5 × 10.2 × 1.3 cm)

Type: audio cassettes

Place depicted: Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date: April 29, 1978

Description: Black cassette tape with white and pink label. Handwritten information appears on both sides of cassette tape. Side 1 of cassette tape has handwritten information reading, [THE Last PoEts & M.P.C. At/AubuRn CoRRECtional Facility/#2/4-29-78]. Side 2 of cassette tape has handwritten information reading, [PoEts & M.P.C.].

Topic: African American; Hip hop (Music); Prisons; Spoken word (Poetry)

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Qaddafi El-Hadi in memory of Suliaman El-Hadi

Object number: 2014.40.6

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification: Media Arts-Audio Recordings

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Photograph of Denyce Graves wearing a Donna Langman designed dress for "Carmen"

Photograph by: Unidentified
Subject of: Graves, Denyce, American, born 1964

Medium: ink on photographic paper
Dimensions: H x W: 5 x 3 in. (12.7 x 7.6 cm)

Type: color photographs; portraits

Place depicted: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America

Date: 2012

Description: Full color photograph of American mezzo-soprano opera singer, Denyce Graves, wearing a pink and black satin flamenco-style designed by Donna Langman for Act IV in the Washington National Opera's production of "Carmen". This candid photograph of Graves in costume appears to have been taken while backstage.

Topic: African American; Costume; Local and regional; Musical Theatre; Opera (Music); Photography; Singers (Musicians)

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Denyce Graves

Object number: 2012.49.3

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification: Media Arts-Photography

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Postcard advertising Niggy Tardust First Show Ever

Created by: Williams, Saul, American, born 1972
Subject of: Lichtenstein, Roy, American, 1923 - 1997

Medium: ink on paper
Dimensions: H x W: 4 1/16 × 6 1/16 in. (10.3 × 15.4 cm)

Type: postcards

Place printed: Austin, Travis County, Texas, United States, North and Central America

Date: 2008

Description: The front of the postcard features four artworks by Roy Lichtenstein in each quadrant of the postcard. The reproduced artwork in the upper left corner, originally entitled "Forget it! Forget Me!” depicts the proper left side of a man's face with a woman in the background. A callout is above the woman and to the right of the man [BUT SWEETIE, / I GOT US TICKETS!]. The reproduced work in the upper right corner is "Kiss V." The image depicts a man and woman embracing, with the woman on the left side and the man on the right. The woman is seen crying with her proper right hand grasping the man's proper left shoulder. The reproduced work in the lower left corner is from the work "Ohhh...Alright..." with black text replacing the original words [SO BETH, WHAT / HAPPENED / TO TOM?]. The image depicts a red haired woman talking into the black handset of a telephone. In the lower right corner is the work "Oh, Jeff... I love you, too... But..." with the original text replaced by [TOM WHO?! / GIRLFRIEND, / IT'S ALL ABOUT / JAMAL NOW!!]. The image depicts a blond haired woman talking into the white handset of a telephone. In the middle of the quadrants at the center it lists the artists featured in the advertised gallery in stylized font [saul williams is now / NIGGY TARDUST / FIRST SHOW EVER/ w"/" the NOISETTES, EARL GREY HOUND / GAME REBELLION, THE EXIT, THE THIRST, AFROBOTS]. Above the top two quadrants to right is black text [Matrix Presents Afro-Punk]. In the lower right corner is a column of text with the venue information [Wednesday 12th March / VICE aka EXODUS / 304 6th St. / Austin, TX, 78701 / Tel. 512-477-7523]. To the left of the column of text is a red logo advertising the car manufacturer Toyota and the car called the Matrix. The logo includes the Toyota symbol to the left of text [TOYOTA / MATRIX]. In a circle in the lower left quadrant is the time for the event [7PM / SHARP!!]. The circle has a thick black rim. On the reverse of the postcard is a black, white, and blue illustration in the style of Lichtenstein. The image depicts a woman with black hair crying. She raises her proper right hand to her proper right cheek. Above her head, right of center in the top half of the image, is a thought bubble with black text [OH GOD! WHY CAN'T / MY BOYFRIEND BE / AFRO-PUNK?!]. In the lower right corner of the image is a black and white illustration of a man who looks at the woman. Surrounding the illustration is a thick black border. Behind both figures, is a blue background with white polka dots.