Photograph by
Joyce, James A., American
Subject of
Hawkins, Bill, American, 1909 - 1975
Williams, Mary Lou, American, 1910 - 1981
Breckenridge, Paul, American
WDOK 1260, American, 1950 - 2015
Burkhardt Brewing Company, American, 1933 - 1956
WEW, American, founded 1922
Hawkins, Bill’ Record Studio, American
Date
November 1951
Medium
silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
Dimensions
H x W (Sheet): 5 1/16 × 7 in. (12.9 × 17.8 cm)
Description
A black-and-white photograph of Disc Jockey Bill “Hawk” Hawkins with Mary Lou Williams and Paul Breckenridge inside the DJ booth in Bill Hawkins’ Record Studio. The photograph, taken from the front window of Bill Hawkins’ Record Studio, depicts Williams and Breckenridge standing on either side of Hawkins, behind a large DJ console with a microphone and a turntable. Hawkins is depicted standing slightly behind Williams, speaking into the silver tone microphone on the console. He is wearing a white collared shirt, medium-toned trousers, and is wearing a pair of headphones over his ears with cords that dangle down the front of his shirt. Williams is depicted in three quarters profile looking towards the right edge of the photograph and also speaking into the microphone. She is wearing a dark dress with a star shaped pin at the vee of the neckline. She has a fur stole with a fox face and paw draped over her shoulders. Breckenridge, standing on the right, is facing Williams. He is wearing a medium-toned, corduroy, button down shirt over a white undershirt and medium-toned trousers. Leaning on the front of the console is a black sign with white text in varying fonts that reads, [See and Hear / Bill HawKins' / Show / 5:45 - 6:45 / Radio Station / WDOK[?] 1260-] with the bottom of the sign obscured by an ice bucket. In the background on the left are two windows and a door set into a wood panel wall inside Hawkin’s recording studio. On the right, leaning against the wall on a desk covered with stacks of records, is a cardboard advertisement for Burkhardt’s Beer. The advertisement depicts a graphic of a footed beer glass with a banner across the front and a small speaker over the foot. The text, printed in varying fonts and sizes over the graphics, reads [WRITE A / “GOLDEN / TIME” / COMMERCIAL / YOUR HOST / Burkhardt’s / Special / BEER / WEWS / SATURDAY 11 PM]. In the top right corner of the advertisement are graphics of musical notes and white text that reads [There’s a Smile / in Every Bubble!]. Printed in the bottom left corner is white text that reads [IT’S EASY! / IT’S FUN! / TAKE A CARD!] with smaller text below. The photograph has a white border and a landscape orientation. The back of the photo is white and plain with a black ink photographer’s stamp at the top center. The black ink stamp reads [JAMES A. JOYCE / PHOTOGRAPHER / TY 1-0748 CLEVELAND, OHIO].
Place captured
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
Place printed
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Photographs and Still Images
Type
gelatin silver prints
portraits
Topic
Composers (Musicians)
Instrumentalists (Musicians)
Jazz (Music)
Photography
Radio
Singers (Musicians)
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of W. Allen Taylor, son of "Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins," The First Black Disc Jockey of Cleveland, Ohio
Object number
2018.91.2.31
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown – Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd567d8949d-1195-4d1c-bb36-2a84008aa850

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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