Finding Aid for Willie T. Summerville and Summerville Family Papers, 1930-2019 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

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Collection Overview

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

Scope and Contents of the Materials

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.

Collection Historical Note

Willie T. Summerville (1944-2017) was born in Sunshine, Arkansas. He attended Arkansas AM&N College and the University of Illinois, where he graduated with a B.S. in Music Education and a M.S. in Music Education, respectively. As a music educator, Summerville taught for over 30 years in the Champaign and Urbana public school systems as music teacher at Thornburn School and Brookens Junior High, Choral Music Director of the Urbana Middle School 8th Grade Chorus, and Director of the Urbana High School Concert Choir. He also frequently led workshops and music clinics in Churches and Schools across the country. After retiring from public school teaching, he taught courses at Parkland College, Millikin University, and the University of Illinois within the African American Studies department. An active member and deacon of the Canaan Baptist Church, Summerville served there in many roles such as treasurer and Minister of Music. He received numerous awards and other recognitions throughout his life, both for his music education and for his community service.

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Acquisition Source: Shandra Summerville

Acquisition Method: Gift

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Professional Teaching Materials, 1942-2017],
[Series 2: Church papers, 1947-2011],
[Series 3: Scores and Sheet Music, 1919-2017],
[Series 4: Audio-visual Recordings, 1967-2016],
[Series 5: Personal Papers and Photographs, 1945-2017],
[All]

Series 1: Professional Teaching Materials, 1942-2017

Consists of lesson plans, teaching materials, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and certificates related to the teaching career of Willie T. Summerville. Beginning with his early career teaching music programs at elementary schools like Lincoln-Thornburn School and Brooken Junior High, through his many years at Urbana Middle and High Schools, and finally teaching college courses at Parkland College, Millikin University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The series is organized into two subseries: Subseries 1, Elementary and Secondary School Papers; Subseries 2, College and University Papers. Both subseries are organized chronologically.

Sub-Series 1: Elementary and Secondary School Papers, 1967-2017

Consists of teaching materials, newspaper clippings, correspondence, certificates, programs, and administrative papers pertaining to Willie T. Summerville's elementary and secondary school teaching positions from 1967-2017. Organized chronologically.

Box 1

Folder 1: Lincoln-Thornburn Schools lesson plans, 1967
Folder 2: Elementary school lesson plans, 1967-1968
Folder 3: Teaching materials and newpaperclippings, 1967-1970
Folder 4: Music festivals and Yearbook, 1971-1972
Folder 5: Newspaper clippings, 1971-1972
Folder 6: Letters, programs, articles, 1972-1977
Folder 7: Teaching materials, 1977-1978
Folder 8: Teaching materials, correspondence, programs, 1980-1989
Folder 9: Teaching materials and The Herald newspaper, 1988-1989
Folder 10: Teaching materials and newspaper clippings, 1990-1992
Folder 11: Teaching materials and letter of reference, 1993
Folder 12: Correspondence, certificates, programs, newspapers, 1994-1999
Folder 13: Administrative materials, correspondence, newpapers, 2000-2002
Folder 14: Quality Mentoring Seminar, 2003
Folder 15: Administrative papers, correspondence, programs, 2002-2003
Folder 16: Urbana High School Advisory Groups, 2003
Folder 17: Practical Strategies Seminar and reunion program, 2003
Folder 18: Programs, correspondence, teaching materials, 2004-2010
Folder 19: Correspondence, newspapers, programs, 2011-2017

Box 2

Folder 1: Pedagogical materials, handwritten notes, undated
Folder 2: K-12 student work, newspaper clippings, varsity letters, W.E.B DuBois flash drive, undated
Folder 3: Certificates and Thank you cards, undated
Folder 4: Rehearsal Guide for the Choral Director and Music Educators' National Conference, 1977-1978
Folder 5: Progressive Harmony and Metronome Techniques, 1942-1947
Folder 6: Making Friends with Music: Progress and At Home and Abroad, 1940-1949
Folder 7: World of Popular Music: Afro American and Urbana High School Rosemary, 1966, 1996
Folder 8: Urbana High School Rosemary, 1998

Oversize Portfolio Case 1: Summerville Oversize Items, 1988-2013

Item 3: Print of a Sketch by Bennie Drake, 1988: Print of a black/sepia and white sketch by Bennie Drake, Summerville's colleague from Urbana Middle School.

Sub-Series 2: College and University Papers, 1970-2017

Consists of teaching materials, newspaper clippings, correspondence, certificates, programs, and administrative papers pertaining to Willie T. Summerville's College and University teaching positions from 1970-2017. Organized chronologically.

Box 2

Folder 9: "Exploring Singing Styles and Historical Settings of African American Music", undated
Folder 10: Black Chorus Concerts, 1970-1982
Folder 11: Black Chorus Concerts, 1983-2007
Folder 12: Fax and correspondence, 2009
Folder 13: Class Record Book-AFRO 498 and Community Engagement, 2011-2102
Folder 14: Hinds Community College Tour, 2014

Box 3

Folder 1: Programs, Teaching Materials, Resume, 1990-2006: Musical "Sarafina!" Program; A Black Sacred Music Symposium and Concert: The Music, the Methods, the Message; Parkland College Presents: Sing Gospel!; Schiller Institute: The African-American Spiritual and the Resurrection of Classical Art; Heidelberg College-Community Chorus; Illinois State University 143rd Annual Commencement; Milikin University ME 414, exams; Amendment to the Myron A. and Jewel A, Ash Endowment Fund Agreement; University of Illinois Concert Choir Russia Tour; Parkland College: One Voice, Greater World Fall Choral Concert; Letter of Application-Resume-Professional History; Minority Requirement Calendar; Black & Minority Student Organizational Roster; African American Outreach Teach: Stress Management Packet
Folder 2: Roster of Black Student Organizations-Correspondence, 2006: Roster of Black Student Organizations; Appeal Letter for Black Student Organization Assistance; Correspondence; MENC Book Proposal Guidelines; Notification of Appointment; African American Studies and Research Program Directory; Darlene Clark Hines bio; Criterion Standards for Contextualizing Teaching and Learning about People of African Descent; Email correspondence
Folder 3: Resume-The History Makers, 2006: Resume; University of Illinois Task Force on Civic Commitment in the 21st Century: Request for Proposals; Grant Proposal for Afro Continuing Education Music Class; "Harmonizing Races & Cultures Through the Use of The New African American Hymnal and Select Gospel Music"; Letters of Commitment; African American Studies 101: History of Black America 1619-Present syllabus; Afro/Anth 261: Introduction to the African Diaspora syllabus; hand written notes; Fall 2006 Course Descriptions; Salina Journal October 3, 2006; The History Makers
Folder 4: Ollie Watts Davis Vocal Institute, African American Studies Program, 2006: Ollie Watts Davis Vocal Institute; volunteer fliers; Grow Your Own Teachers Initiative; Majors and Minors Fair; grant review; African America Studies & Research Program Year in Review; African America Studies & Research Program: Black Women, Gender, Family, and Community
Folder 5: Administrative documents and correspondence, 2007
Folder 6: Course Evaluations and Academic Professional Review, 2007: Millikin University Elementary Skills and Methods of Music course evaluations; Afro 498 course evaluations; Academic Professional Review Willie T. Summerville
Folder 7: Teaching Materials, 2007: "Harmonizing Races & Cultures Through the Usage of African American Hymnal & Select Gospel Music" syllabus; "Singing with Children"; "Black Music of the Early 20th Century" slides; "A Brief and Incomplete History of Resistance at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign"; African American music research
Folder 8: Summer institutes, correspondence, programs, 2007: African American Studies and Research Program Summer Institute; Kufundisha Institute: "Memory is Power: Restoring Our Learning Tradition for Cultural Well-Being"; Lesson plan for Kufundisha Institute; "Planning Summer Institute" meeting notes; Academic sick-leave report; correspondence; Hinds Community College Choir Midwest Tour Agenda; Afro 498 Harmonizing Differences through African American Sacred Music concert program; African American Studies and Research Program End of Year Celebration program, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Choir concert program
Folder 9: Teaching Materials, 2008: Afro 498 WS: Special Topics, Harmonizing Differences Through African American Music, syllabus; Exploring Singing Styles & Historical Settings of African American Sacred Music, syllabus; Millikin University, ME 414: Music Skills and Methods, syllabus and course materials
Folder 10: OLLI course materials, administrative documents, programs, 2008: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) lesson plans and highlights; adminstrative documents and correspondence; University of Illinois Black Alumi Renunion program; concert programs
Folder 11: Administrative documents, certificate, programs, teaching materials, 2009: Administrative documents; certificate; concert program; Afro 498, lesson plans; The Music, the Method, and the Message: Observations on 2009 Black Sacred Music Symposium; Ninth Black Sacred Music Symposium and Concert program; Illustrating Innovation: Black Congratulatory 2009
Folder 12: Administrative records and class materials, 2010: Community Engagement Research and Service at University of Illinois; Historical Overview of Equity and Diversity lunch; Tenth Black Sacred Music Symposium and Concert program; concert programs; ME 414: Millikin University, Musical Skills and Methods syllabus; Afro 498: Harmonizing Difference Using African American Sacred Music, syllabus, student work, and course evaluations; adminsitrative documents and correspondence
Folder 13: ME 414 course materials and student work, 2012: Millikin University ME 414: Music Skills and Methods course materials and student work
Folder 14: "Fun with the Recorder," correspondence, Welcome Home Illinois Black Alumni Reunion program, 2012
Folder 15: Concert program, administrative papers, teaching materials, 2013-2014: Restoration: Eleventh Black Sacred Music Symposium and Concert program, administrative papers, Afro 498: Harmonizing Select Differences, teaching materials
Folder 16: Teaching materials, administrative documents, concert programs, 2015: Afro 498 WTS/WS: Special Topics: "Harmonizing Select Differences"; 2015 Itinerary for the Midwest Tour for the Hinds Community College Choir; 2015 ML King Burgess-Freiberg Humanitarian award Selection Committee; correspondence; concert programs; The Twelfth Black Sacred Music Symposium and Concert
Folder 17: Teaching materials, administrative documents, correspondence, 2016-2017: Afro 498 WS: Special Topics "Harmonizing Select Differences" course materials; 2016 Hinds Community College Annual Midwestern Choir Tour, itinerary; administrative documents and correspondence

Box 56

Folder 1: Black Sacred Music Symposium Posters, 1991-1995