- Subject of
- Jolson, Al, American, died 1950
- Composed by
- Mitchell, Sidney D., American, 1888 - 1942
- Gottler, Archie, American, 1896 - 1959
- Meyer, George W., American, 1884 - 1959
- Published by
- M. Witmark & Sons, American, 1886 - 1929
- Owned by
- McDonald, Vernon Sugg, American, 1906 - 1982
- Date
- 1930
- Medium
- ink on paper
- Dimensions
- H x W: 11 7/8 × 1/16 in. (30.2 × 0.2 cm)
- Description
- Sheet music for the song "Little Sunshine" from the film Big Boy starring Al Jolson. The front cover of sheet music features a large black and white photo of Al Jolson's face in blackface set against an orange background. Black type on top portion of the cover reads: [LITTLE SUNSHINE / WARNER BROS. PRESENT / AL JOLSON / IN / "BIG BOY"]. Type near bottom right corner of the cover reads: [WORDS & MUSIC BY / SIDNEY MITCHELL / ARCHIE GOTTLER / AND / GEO. W. MEYER]. Underneath, is the publisher’s information which reads: [M. WITMARK & SONS / NEW YORK / MADE IN U S A]. Type in bottom left corner reads: [TOMORROW / IS ANOTHER DAY / LITTLE / SUNSHINE / LIZA / LEE / HOORAY FOR / BABY AND ME / WITH BANJO, UKULELE / GUITAR & MANDOLA / ACCOMPANIMENT.]. [Vernon Mcd. / 404] is handwritten, in pencil, at the top of the cover. The interior of the front cover has an additional song in black ink. The interior of the sheet music contains three pages of sheet music, in black ink, for Big Boy. The back cover has a black and white photograph of Dorothy Mackaill and a few bars of music.
- Statement
- Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
- Place collected
- Sugg McDonald House, Sonora, California, United States, North and Central America
- Place printed
- New York, United States, North and Central America
- Type
- sheet music
- Topic
- Actors
- Blackface
- Minstrel (Music)
- Stereotypes
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Sylvia Alden Roberts
- Object number
- 2014.275.16
- Restrictions & Rights
- Unknown - Restrictions Possible
- Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.