Title: Willie T. Summerville and Summerville Family Papers, 1930-2019
ID: 15/42/20
Extent: 37.0 cubic feet
Arrangement: Organized in five series, divided to reflect Summerville's two primary careers as music educator and religious leader. Series 1, Education Materials, has two subseries: Sub-series 1, Elementary and Secondary School Papers; and Sub-series 2, College and University Papers. Series 1 consists of materials relating to Summerville's career as a music educator. Series 2, Church Papers, relates to his career as a religious leader in the Canaan Baptist Church. Series 3, Scores and Sheet Music has six sub-series arranged topically, suggesting the context in which the music was used: Sub-series 1, General Music; Sub-series 2, Pedagogical Music; Sub-series 3, Sacred Music; and Sub-series 4, Hymnals; Subseries 5, Shape-note Gospel Song Books; Subseries 6, Workshop Music and Programs. Series 4, Audio-Visual Recordings, has three sub-series: Sub-series 1, Education Audio-Visual Recordings; Sub-series 2: Church Audio-Visual Recordings; Sub-series 3: Commercial Recordings. Series 5: Personal and Family Papers and Photographs, includes four sub-series: Sub-series 1, Personal and Family Papers and Photographs; Sub-series 2, Personal Education Materials; Sub-series 3, Personal Study Books and Materials; Sub-series 4, Valerian A. Summerville's Personal Papers.
Date Acquired: 01/13/2020
Consists of music, audio-visual recordings, photographs, event programs, correspondence, awards and other recognitions, personal notes, pedagogical materials, and administrative records documenting Willie T. Summerville's careers as a music educator in the Urbana public school system, and a deacon, treasurer, and music minister at the Canaan Baptist Church. The collection also reflects the numerous workshops and seminars he led across the country, and his courses taught at Parkland College, Millikin University, and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign as the campus and community affairs specialist in the Department of African-American Studies. Of particular interest are the substantial collections of gospel music (sheet music and recordings), and newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence relating to the Urbana High School Concert Choir's 1999 trip to Rome.
Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Acquisition Source: Shandra Summerville
Acquisition Method: Gift