Finding Aid for University of Illinois Black Chorus Records, ca. 1917-2023 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Sandy Kroeker

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Collection Overview

Title: University of Illinois Black Chorus Records, ca. 1917-2023

ID: 12/5/88

Primary Creator: Black Chorus (1968-)

Extent: 2.75 cubic feet

Arrangement: Organized in four series: Series 1: Black Sacred Music Symposium, ca. 1991-2019; Series 2: Music, ca. 1917-2011; Series 3: Administrative Records, ca. 1981-2014; Series 4: Black Chorus Performances, ca. 1984-2023. Each series is arranged chronologically.

Date Acquired: 12/15/2023

Subjects: Choirs, Music, Vocal music

Languages: English, German, Italian

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of music, administrative records, programs, posters, awards, and photographs documenting the activities of the Black Chorus at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Biographical Note

Founded in 1968, the Black Chorus is a mixed chorus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Originally organized by four students and later sponsored by the African-American Cultural program and School of Music Choral Division, the mission of the Black Chorus is to promote African-American musical expression. To fulfill this mission, they maintain an active performance schedule, both on and off campus. They also host the Black Sacred Music Symposium biennially at UIUC, a conference dedicated to the study and performance of Black sacred music traditions.

In addition to performing at various colleges and universities throughout the country, the Black Chorus has performed at the National Black Gospel College Choir Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia; they have performed with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra and as special guests at an Orchestra Hall concert in Chicago. They perform the music of Black Americans, including Negro spirituals, anthems, formal music, traditional and contemporary gospel, jazz, and rhythm and blues. Dr. Ollie Watts Davis has been the conductor of the Black Chorus since 1981.

Subject/Index Terms

Choirs
Music
Vocal music

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Acquisition Source: Ollie Watts Davis

Acquisition Method: Transfer

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Black Sacred Music Symposium, ca. 1991-2019],
[Series 2: Music, ca. 1917-2011],
[Series 3: Administrative Records, ca. 1981-2014],
[Series 4: Black Chorus Performances, ca. 1984-2023],
[All]

Series 1: Black Sacred Music Symposium, ca. 1991-2019

Consists of programs, posters, brochures, schedules, itineraries, seminar presentations, rosters, and registration forms for the Black Sacred Music Symposium from circa 1991 to 2019.

Box 1

Folder 1: Black Sacred Music Symposium Program, 1991
Folder 2: Black Sacred Music Symposium Programs & Registration, 1993
Folder 3: Black Sacred Music Symposium Planning Binder, 1995
Folder 4: Black Sacred Music Symposium Programs & Schedules, 1995
Folder 5: Black Sacred Music Symposium Programs & Schedules, 1999
Folder 6: Black Sacred Music Symposium at West Virginia State College, 1999-2000
Folder 7: Black Sacred Music Symposium Programs & Correspondence, 2001
Folder 8: Black Sacred Music Symposium Seminars, 2001
Folder 9: Black Sacred Music Symposium Program & Schedule, 2003
Folder 10: Black Sacred Music Symposium Public Service Announcement, 2005
Folder 11: Black Sacred Music Symposium Programs & DVD, 2005
Folder 12: Black Sacred Music Symposium Speakers & Seminars, 2005
Folder 13: Black Sacred Music Symposium Programs & Schedules, 2007
Folder 14: Black Sacred Music Symposium Seminars, 2007
Folder 15: Black Sacred Music Symposium Programs & Schedules, 2009
Folder 16: Black Sacred Music Symposium Program, 2011
Folder 17: Black Sacred Music Symposium Program & Registration, 2013
Folder 18: Black Sacred Music Symposium Article, 2015
Folder 19: Black Sacred Music Symposium Program, 2017
Folder 20: Black Sacred Music Symposium at Marshall University, 2018
Folder 21: Black Sacred Music Symposium Program, 2019
Folder 22: Black Sacred Music Symposium Papers, undated

Box 3

Folder 1: Black Sacred Music Symposium Posters, 1991-1995
Folder 2: Black Sacred Music Symposium Posters, 2001-2018

Series 2: Music, ca. 1917-2011

Consists of music used by Black Chorus members for performances and coursework. Music dates from circa 1917 to 2011.

Box 1

Folder 23: 24 Negro Melodies, ca. 1917
Folder 24: Spirituals, ca. 1921-2001
Folder 25: Terms of Endowment, McCall, ca. 1927
Folder 26: German Music, ca. 1928-1995
Folder 27: "Bless this House" by Helen Taylor & May H. Brahe, ca. 1932
Folder 28: SATB Music, ca. 1934-2005
Folder 29: Music Notebook, ca. 1935-1951
Folder 30: "How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings" by Samuel Liddle, ca. 1936
Folder 31: Johnson Spirituals, ca. 1940-1991
Folder 32: Piano & Voice Music, ca. 1944-1994
Folder 33: "When I am Laid in Earth" by Henry Purcell, ca. 1951
Folder 34: Choral Octavos, ca. 1953-1997
Folder 35: Music by Hector Berlioz, ca. 1956
Folder 36: Scarlatti, Alessandro "Gia il sole dal Gange", ca. 1961
Folder 37: "Dona Nobis Pacem" by R. Vaughn Williams, ca. 1964
Folder 38: Christmas Music, ca. 1967-1978
Folder 39: Art Songs by American Women Composers, Volume 2, ca. 1969-1994
Folder 40: Schostakowitsch - Performance Copy, ca. 1970
Folder 41: Mel Bay's "Modern Guitar Method Grade 1", ca. 1972
Folder 42: Hymns, ca. 1975-1978
Folder 43: "Lift Every Voice and Sing" arr. Roland M. Carter, ca. 1978
Folder 44: "Come Ready and See Me" by Richard Hundley, ca. 1981
Folder 45: "I'm Available to You" by Carlis Moody, Jr., ca. 1988
Folder 46: Ysaye M. Barnwell "Crossings", ca. 1991
Folder 47: "The Decision" by V. Michael McKay, ca. 1992
Folder 48: "Wade in the Water" arr. Mark Hayes, ca. 1994
Folder 49: Genius Child, Music of Ricky Ian Gordon, ca. 1995
Folder 50: Black Chorus Reagon Presentation, 1999
Folder 51: "God's Favor" by Donald Lawrence, ca. 2000
Folder 52: "The Holy Place" by Ricky Dillard, ca. 2000
Folder 53: Three African-American Spirituals, arr. John Stafford II, ca. 2001
Folder 54: "We Give Glory To Your Name" by A. Jeffrey LaValley, ca. 2003
Folder 55: Stefanie Greene Music Binder, 2011
Folder 56: "Ballad for Billie" by John Harbison, undated
Folder 57: Beyone "If I Were A Boy", undated
Folder 58: CD & Lyrics "For You I Will" by Monica, undated
Folder 59: Deandre Patterson Music Binder, undated
Folder 60: "Drink to me Only with Thine Eyes" by Ben Jonson, undated
Folder 61: Early English Music, undated
Folder 62: Ernest Chausson "Poeme de l'Amour et de la Mer", undated
Folder 63: Gene Scheer "Be the Glory", undated
Folder 64: "He Is Worthy" arr. Stanley A. Spottswood, undated
Folder 65: "Here I Am" arr. K. Edward Copeland, undated
Folder 66: "High and Lifted Up" by Joseph Pace II, undated

Box 2

Folder 1: "Hold On" arr. M. Richardson, undated
Folder 2: "Hush, Somebody's Callin' My Name" arr. Brazeal W. Dennard, undated
Folder 3: Illinois State Song, undated
Folder 4: "Jesus Paid It All" by John T. Grape, undated
Folder 5: Johann Sebastian Bach "Jauchzet Gott", undated
Folder 6: Kenneth Copeland Music Writing Blank Book, undated
Folder 7: Lyrics & Translations, undated
Folder 8: Maestro Moderato's Theory Workbooks, undated
Folder 9: Maurette Brown-Clark "I Hear the Sound", undated
Folder 10: Music by Georg Friedrich Handel, undated
Folder 11: Sarah Olsen Music Binder, undated
Folder 12: Student Music, undated
Folder 13: Student Music Binder, undated
Folder 14: Student Music Binder, undated
Folder 15: Student Music Binder, undated
Folder 16: "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" by Nina Simone & Weldon J. Irvine, Jr., undated
Folder 17: "To Our God" by Judith Christie McAllister & Robert Christie, undated

Series 3: Administrative Records, ca. 1981-2014

Consists of course syllabi, rosters, financial records, correspondence, meeting minutes, audition cards, and evaluation forms documenting the administrative activities of the Black Chorus from circa 1981 to 2014.

Box 2

Folder 18: Black Chorus Rosters, ca. 1981-2008
Folder 19: Black Chorus Meeting Minutes & Notes, ca. 1985-2006
Folder 20: Black Chorus Correspondence, ca. 1986-2011
Folder 21: Course Syllabi & Itineraries, 1986-2013
Folder 22: Financial Records, 1986-2014
Folder 23: Choir Evaluation Forms, 1989-1990
Folder 24: Chorus Member Surveys, ca. 1991
Folder 25: Black Chorus Officer Positions, ca. 1993-1994
Folder 26: Student Information Sheets, ca. 1993-2014
Folder 27: Black Chorus Alumni, ca. 2007-2008
Folder 28: Black Chorus Essays, ca. 2013
Folder 29: Choral Audition Cards, undated

Series 4: Black Chorus Performances, ca. 1984-2023

Consists of programs, posters, brochures, newsclippings, and photographs from performances by the Black Chorus from circa 1984 to 2023.

Box 2

Folder 30: Black Chorus Performance Programs, ca. 1984-2018
Folder 31: Annual Fall Concert Programs, 1985-2023
Folder 32: Atlanta Itinerary, 1987
Folder 33: Black Chorus Newsclippings, ca. 1990-2000
Folder 34: Mom's Day Concert Programs, 2000-2018
Folder 35: Annual Fall Concert DVDs, 2004-2007
Folder 36: Mom's Day Concert DVDs, 2005-2007
Folder 37: Black Chorus Ruby Anniversary, 2008
Folder 38: Black Alumni Reunion, ca. 2008-2010
Folder 39: MLK Celebration Programs, 2008-2015
Folder 40: CIC Academic Conference Program & Music, 2010
Folder 41: Carol Concert Programs, 2010-2017
Folder 42: Winter Tour Programs, 2015-2016
Folder 43: Black Chorus at Illinois Summer Youth Music, 2017-2018
Folder 44: Black Chorus Recording Programs, undated
Folder 45: Black Chorus Photographs, undated
Folder 46: Event Photographs & Negatives, undated
Folder 47: Illini Union Event Photographs & Negatives, undated
Folder 48: Photographs, undated
Folder 49: Negatives of a Performance, undated
Folder 50: Negatives of a Performance, undated

Box 3

Folder 3: Black Chorus Performance Posters, 1990-2002
Folder 4: Black Chorus Newsclippings, 1992-2009
Folder 5: Black Chorus Performance Posters, 2003-2016

Oversize Portfolio Box 3

Oversize Portfolio Case 1: Black Chorus Posters, undated