Finding Aid for Sousa Archives and Center for American Music Administrative Files, 1914-2024 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Title: Sousa Archives and Center for American Music Administrative Files, 1914-2024

ID: 35/2/43

Primary Creator: Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Extent: 39.15 cubic feet

Arrangement:

The collection is organized in four series: Series 1) Correspondence; Series 2) Administrative Files; Series 3) Urbana-Champaign Local Music Preservation Initiative; and Series 4) Archon and Archives Space Development Files.

Series 1) is arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Series 2) is organized in six sub-series: Sub-series 1) Budget Files, Grant and Project Proposals, Staff and Committee Files, Reports, and Awards; Sub-series 2) Marketing, Conference Materials, and Research and Drafts of Articles; Sub-series 3) American Music Month and Public Engagment Files; Sub-series 4) Exhibit Captions and Labels; Sub-series 5) Collection Management Files and Closed Lead Files; and Sub-series 6) Instructional Materials and Processing Projects. Sub-series 1, 2, 5, and 6 are unarranged and Sub-series 3 and 4 are arranged chronologically. Series 3) is arranged chronologically. Series 4) is arranged chronologically.

Subjects: Bands, Music - United States, Popular Music--Illinois--Urbana-Champaign, Sousa, John Philip

Formats/Genres: Papers

Languages: English

Consists of correspondence, research notes and papers, exhibit scripts, photographs, news clippings and brochures, NEH grant proposals and project reports, and administrative files documenting the creation and management of the Sousa Archives for Band Research between 1994 and 2003. In addition there are personal papers of Phyllis Danner documenting her tenure as the University Bands Librarian prior to her tenure as the archivist for the Sousa Archives. There are also photographic copies of Sousa documents, dating as early as 1902, that were sent to Danner for her research and exhibit projects.

This collection also includes correspondence, research notes and papers, exhibit scripts, photographs, news clippings and brochures, grant proposals and project reports, and administrative files documenting the management of the Sousa Archives and Center for American Research between 2004 and 2013. This includes a large amount related to outreach and public engagement. Of significant interest are the American Music Month files which include correspondence, research, and files related to the Congressional Proclamation of American Music Month, the Sousa Sesquicentennial celebration events, the Stradivari exhibit and events, the Lincoln Bicentennial grant, exhibits, and events, the James Bond 50th Anniversary exhibits and events, and the Urbana-Champaign Local Music Preservation Initiative's oral history interview transcriptions and audio clips.

Established in 1994 as the Sousa Archives for Band Research (SABR) and renamed the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music (SACAM) in January 2004.  The Center's mission supports and facilitates research, education, and public engagement by preserving and providing access to the documentary evidence of this country's music and fine arts heritage.  Prior to 1994, the archives was referred to as the Sousa Library and Museum, and was managed by the University Bands.  In 1994 responsibility for the care of the paper records was transferred to the University Library and in 2003 the responsibility for the preservation of the music instruments and artifacts was transferred to the Library. In 2004, the Center received a congressional proclaimation, declairing that the month of November would be designated as American Music Month. Since then, the Sousa Archives has celebrated this with an annual exhibition, featuring objects and paper records from within the Center's holdings.

Since 2007, the Sousa Archives has participated in and hosted concerts during local festivals including: Granny's Porch, the Urbana Sweetcorn Festival, the CU Folk and Roots Festival, the Boneyard Arts Festival, and the CU Pride Fest. Beginning in 2013, the Archives began a local music initiative, collecting oral history interviews and records from local musicians, record producers, and concert organizers.

The Sousa Archives has also contributed to national developments in archival collection management systems, assisting in the development of both Archon and Archives Space.

Bands
Music - United States
Popular Music--Illinois--Urbana-Champaign
Sousa, John Philip

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Accruals: Additional records were added in June 20, 2005; December 1, 2014; October 4, 2019; February 6, 2024; and March 5, 2024.

Access Restrictions: None.

Acquisition Method: Records transferred to University Archives June 20, 2005.

Other Note: Pages