Photograph by
Joyce, James A., American
Subject of
Hawkins, Bill, American, 1909 - 1975
Williams, Mary Lou, American, 1910 - 1981
Breckenridge, Paul, American
Burkhardt Brewing Company, American, 1933 - 1956
WEW, American, founded 1922
Date
1948-1958
Medium
silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
Dimensions
H x W (Sheet): 5 × 7 1/8 in. (12.7 × 18.1 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. Breckenridge is depicted on the far left, Williams at center, and Hawkins on the far right. Breckenridge is smiling, facing the viewer, and looking down at an advertisement for Burkhardt’s Beer that he holds in his hands. 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 small white text, [IT’S EASY! / IT’S FUN! / TAKE A CARD!], above a small, encircled, five-pointed star logo and additional small white text that reads [THE BURKHARDT BREWING CO. AKRON, OHIO]. Breckenridge is wearing a medium-toned, corduroy, button down shirt over a white undershirt and medium-toned trousers. He has a thick mustache and his head is slightly tilted towards Williams. Williams is depicted in profile facing Breckenridge. She is holding a promotional bottle of Burkhart Beer attached to a small cardboard cutout of a bulldog in her proper right hand and is smiling and looking towards the advertisement in Breckenridge’s hands. 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 a paw draped over her proper right shoulder. Hawkins is also depicted in profile facing Breckenridge. 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. He is holding another promotional bottle of Burkhart Beer attached to a cardboard cutout in his proper right hand. In the background are two windows set into the wood panel walls inside Hawkin’s recording studio. In the bottom right corner is a photographer’s mark with black text that reads [James A. Joyce / PHOTOGRAPHER / CLEVELAND, OHIO]. The photograph has a white border and a landscape orientation. The back of the photo is white and plain with a photographer’s stamp at the center and two inscriptions. The black ink stamp reads [JAMES A. JOYCE / PHOTOGRAPHER / TY 1-0748 CLEVELAND, OHIO] and the red pencil inscriptions in the top right quadrant read [Paul Breckenridge / Mary Lou Williams].
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
2018.91.2.33
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown – Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd516d038e9-537b-4b2b-aafc-30fe5ad9a2b4

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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