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 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 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