Holdings University Library Technical Departments Sousa Archives and Center f... Finding Aid Holdings University Library Technical Departments Sousa Archives and Center f... Finding Aid By Scott Schwartz, Kelly Carlson, Noah Lenstra, Lindsay Musil, Sandy Kroeker, Nolan Vallier
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: 39.65 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.
The Sousa Archives began with John Philip Sousa's donation of his band library to the University Bands in 1933. From 1933 to 1994, the Sousa Band Library was referred to as the Sousa Library and Museum, and was managed by the University Bands. In 1994, the management and care of the paper records was transferred to the University Library and the museum became the Sousa Archives for Band Research. Managed by Phyllis Danner, the archives' collection management policy was limited to wind band records. In 2003 the responsibility for the preservation of the music instruments and artifacts was fully transferred to the University Library. In 2004, Scott Schwartz became the director and change the name to the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music. In that same year, the Center received a congressional proclaimation, declairing that the month of November would be designated as American Music Month. Since then, SACAM has celebrated this event 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 Uniting 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.
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
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