.
By Scott Schwartz and Carol Berthold
Collection Overview
Title: Willie T. Summerville and Summerville Family Papers, 1930-2019
ID: 15/42/20
Primary Creator: Summerville, Willie (1944-2017)
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. Sub-series 1 and 2 are arranged chronologically.
Series 2) Church Papers, relates to his career as a religious leader in the Canaan Baptist Church. Materials are arranged chronologically.
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, Sub-series 4) Hymnals, Sub-series 5) Shape-note Gospel Song Books, and Subseries 6) Workshop Music and Programs. Each sub-series is arranged alphabetically by title.
Series 4) Audio-Visual Recordings, has three sub-series: Sub-series 1) Education Audio-Visual Recordings, Sub-series 2) Church Audio-Visual Recordings, and Sub-series 3) Commercial Recordings. Materials are organized by media type and then chronologically.
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, and Sub-series 4) Valerian A. Summerville's Personal Papers. Each sub-series is arranged by type or title of event and then chronologically, when possible.
Date Acquired: 01/13/2020
Subjects: African-Americans, Alumni, Awards, Baptists, Bible, Black Chorus, Black History, Black Students, Black Studies, Calendars, Choral music, Choral singing -- Instruction and study, Church music, Course Materials, Gospel Music, High School Music, High Schools, Marching Illini, Music instruction, Music teachers, Sacred music, Urbana, Illinois, Vocal music
Formats/Genres: Correspondence, Photographs, Scrapbooks, Sound Recordings
Languages: English
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.
Biographical Note
Willie Thomas Summerville (1944-2017) was born in Sunshine, Arkansas, the son of Moses and Lenora Summerville. He attended T.W. Daniel High School in Crossett, Arkansas, where he participated in both the chorus and band, graduating in 1962. Following this, Summerville was admitted to Arkansas AM&N College, a historically Black college which is now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Here he served as a drum major in the marching band. After graduating in 1966, he had the opportunity to teach at Tuskegee University, but instead came to the University of Illinois, performing tuba in the Marching Illini and singing in both the men's concert choir and Black Chorus. He graduated with his Masters in Music Education in 1967.
Summerville taught for over 30 years in the Champaign and Urbana public school systems including posts as a general music teacher at Thornburn School and Brookens Junior High, as the Choral Music Director of the Urbana Middle School 8th Grade Chorus, and finally as the Director of the Urbana High School Concert Choir. He took the Urbana Concert Choir to Rome in 1999 and to Carnegie Hall in 2002. He also frequently led workshops and music clinics in Churches and Schools across the country. After retiring from public school teaching in 2005, 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 in Urbana, Summerville served the Baptist community in many roles including 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. Summerville died in Urbana on March 7, 2017.
Subject/Index Terms
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 2: Church papers, 1947-2011
- Series 2 includes materials documenting Summerville's work for Canaan Baptist Church, as well as other church and religious activities. Of particular interest are Summerville's personal notes pretaining to religious study and events held at Canaan, administrative documents for the church, and numerous programs for church services and music performances in which Summerville participated. Also included are Bibles that Summerville collected, correspondence related to church activity, and several newspaper clippings detailing Summerville's work.
- Box 4
- Folder 1: Holy Bible Red Letter Edition, 1947
- Folder 2: Certificates and church programs, 1965-1970
- Folder 3: Bible Adventures, Grades 5-6 and church programs, 1971-1972
- Folder 4: The News Gazette Churches Section, January 22, 1972
- Folder 5: Church Programs, Songs Lists, Notes, and Foundations for Faith No. 5, 1972-1973
- Folder 6: Holy Bible New International Version, 1973
- Folder 7: The News Gazette St. Luke Youth Choir, March 3, 1973
- Folder 8: Church Budgets and Programs, Correspondence, Rosters, Workshop Schedules, 1974-1975
- Folder 9: Church Service and Workshop Programs, Meeting Plan, 1976-1977
- Folder 10: The Ryrie Study Bible, 1978
- Folder 11: Correspondence, Notes, and Programs, 1978
- Folder 12: Holy Bible: The New King James Version, 1979
- Folder 13: Canaan Programs and Souvenir Journal, 1979-1980
- Folder 14: Lessons on Christian Living and Successful Home Cell Groups, 1980-1981
- Folder 15: Bible Expositor and Illuminator Spring and Winter Quarter, 1981-1882
- Folder 16: Canaan Baptist Church Papers and Programs, 1982-1983
- Folder 17: Correspondence, Certificates, and Church Programs, 1983
- Folder 18: The News Gazette Gospel Music in Champaign-Urbana, December 28, 1984
- Folder 19: Concert and Workshop Programs, Certificate of Appreciation, Notes, 1984-1986
- Box 5
- Folder 1: Church Workshop and Concert Programs, Notes, 1987
- Folder 2: Canaan Yearbook, Budget, and Calendar, 1987
- Folder 3: The Everyday Bible, 1987
- Folder 4: Church Workshop and Concert Programs, Notes, 1988
- Folder 5: Canaan Yearbook, Anniversary Celebration Program, Notes, 1988
- Folder 6: Church Programs and Budgets, Recital Programs, Bible Study Notes, 1988-1989
- Folder 7: Sunday School and Bible Study Notes, Church Event Programs, 1990
- Folder 8: Bible Study Notes, Canaan Yearbook, Black History Bowl Information Sheets, 1990
- Folder 9: Crossett Club and Founder's Day Programs, Beyond Roots: In Search of Blacks in the Bible, 1990-1991
- Folder 10: Rehearsal and Workshop Notes, Programs, Canaan Yearbook, 1991-1992
- Folder 11: Workshop, Festival, and Church Programs, Correspondence, 1993
- Folder 12: NAACP Certificate, Notes, Church Directory, 1994-1995
- Folder 13: Canaan Annual Report, Copyright Registration, Notes, 1996-1997
- Folder 14: Church Administration and Bible Study Notes, 1997
- Folder 15: Canaan Annual Report, Notes, Correspondence, 1997-1999
- Folder 16: Discipleship Student Manual, Correspondence, Certificates, Programs, 2000-2001
- Folder 17: Notes, Workshop Program, Canaan Annual Report, 2001
- Folder 18: New Spirit Filled Life Bible, 2002
- Folder 19: Church Programs, Notes, Religious Publications, 2002
- Folder 20: Programs, Notes, Canaan Annual Report, 2002
- Folder 21: The News Gazette Church Ministries a Story of Success, August 22, 2002
- Folder 22: Articles, Workshop and Recital Programs, Certificates, 2003
- Folder 23: Notes, Church and Concert Programs, 2003
- Folder 24: Church and Workshop Programs, Calendars, Correspondence, and Church Records, 2004
- Folder 25: Church and Workshop Programs, Correspondence, 2005
- Folder 26: Church and Workshop Programs, Correspondence, Administrative Documents, 2005
- Box 6
- Folder 1: Canaan Annual Report, Notes, Correspondence, Programs, 2006
- Folder 2: Church Administrative Documents, Notes, Correspondence, Programs, 2006
- Folder 3: Church Administrative Documents, Church Programs, Notes, 2006
- Folder 4: Salina Journal Choir Gets Singing, Life Lessons, October 30, 2006
- Folder 5: Church Administrative Documents, Notes, Programs, Correspondence, Certificate, 2007
- Folder 6: Canaan Administrative Documents, Correspondence, 2007
- Folder 7: Administrative Documents and Correspondence, 2007
- Folder 8: Canaan Administrative Workshop and Financial Documents, Programs, 2008
- Folder 9: Church Programs, Canaan Administrative Documents, and Notes, 2008
- Folder 10: Bible Expositor and Illuminator, Programs, Correspondence, 2008
- Folder 11: Church Administrative Documents, Rosters, Directory, and Programs, 2009
- Folder 12: A Year with the Bible Booklet, Krannert Center and Church Program, 2010
- Folder 13: The Leader Newspaper Gospel Concert, April 19, 2010
- Folder 14: Notes, Correspondence, Reunion Program, 2010
- Folder 15: Disciplines: A Book of Daily Devotions and Bible Expositor and Illuminator, 2010
- Folder 16: Notes, Correspondence, Canaan Administrative Documents, Programs, 2011
- Folder 17: Disciplines: A Book of Daily Devotions, 2012
- Folder 18: Correspondence and Programs, 2012
- Folder 19: Notes, Correspondence, Programs, Administrative Documents, 2013
- Folder 20: Take Time or Time Will Take You, 2014
- Folder 21: Church Administrative Documents, Programs, Notes, Correspondence, 2014
- Folder 22: Correspondence, Workshop Itineraries, Rehearsal Notes, 2014
- Folder 23: Bible Expositor and Illuminator Spring and Summer Quarters, 2014
- Folder 24: Canaan Service Award, 2014
- Folder 25: Itineraries, Notes, Correspondence, Programs, 2015
- Folder 26: Church Administrative Documents, Correspondence, Programs, Rehearsal Notes, 2015-2016
- Folder 27: Programs, Correspondence, Certificate of Appreciation, 2016
- Folder 28: Programs, Notes, Church Rosters and Administrative Documents, undated
- Folder 29: Notes, Canaan Administrative Documents, Programs, undated
- Folder 30: Notes, Church Budgets and Rosters, Programs, undated
- Folder 31: Workshop Program, Articles and Study Materials, undated
- Folder 32: Church Event and Study Group Notes, 2007-2011
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]
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