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Please contact the Booth Family Center for Special Collections for assistance with accessing these materials.

William Grant Still from Katherine Biddle., 01/01/1939-12/31/1940

 File — Box: 20, Folder: 52
Identifier: 72630

Collection-level Scope and Content Note

From the Collection:

The papers of Katherine Biddle are organized into nine series: 1. Individuals - Correspondence with notable individuals, including composers, musicians, poets and writers (see biographical note below for a list of names). 2. Alphabetical correspondence - Frequent correspondents, arranged by name. 3. Chronological correspondence - Arranged alphabetically by year. 4. Literary associations, publications and publishers - Related correspondence files. Of particular note are files relating to the Library of Congress. 5. Major works - Correspondence and files relating to published works, “Outside of the World” (1930); “Bright Mariner” (1933); T”ime Has No Shadow” (1936); “Lament for the Stolen” (1938); “Plain Chant for America” (1942); “The Other Journey” (1959); and “Sojourner Truth” (c.1948). 6. Manuscripts - Poetry, articles and reviews, lectures and radio talks. 7. Subject and personal files - Includes research material on topics of personal interest, biographical information, appointment books. 8. Photographs - Of special interest are several scrapbooks and loose leaves from scrapbooks containing photographs of Katherine Biddle and the Biddle family. This series includes clippings of journal and newspaper reviews of Biddle's works. 9. Music scores - The collection includes several autograph music scores, as well as sheet music, by well-known composers, Will Marion Cook, Aaron Copland, Robert Nathaniel Dett, Esther B. Frost, Mary Howe, Elmo Russ, Sydney King Russell, and William Grant Still. Note that correspondence with Francis Biddle has been processed in the third part of the Biddle Family Papers, entitled, Biddle Family Letters.

Dates

  • 01/01/1939-12/31/1940

Collection-level Access Restrictions

Access to this collection is by permission from the Biddle family. Please contact Booth Family Center for Special Collections for further information.

Collections stored off site require a minimum of three days for retrieval. For use of all manuscripts collections, researchers are advised to contact the Booth Family Center for Special Collections in advance of any visit.

Extent

From the Collection: 34 Linear Feet (65 Hollinger boxes)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Container Summary

Typed carbons and autograph drafts of correspondence from Katherine Biddle to William Grant Still, primarily regarding the composition and preparation for the performance of his music for her choral poem, "And They Lynched Him from a Tree" (in June 1940 at the Lewisohn Stadium, New York, by the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Artur Rodzinski and sung by Louise Burge). Includes references to George Biddle, Louise Burge, Alain Locke, Artur Rodzinski, and Leopold Stokowski.

Subjects and Associated Physical Materials

STILL, WILLIAM GRANT - CORRES. FROM BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1939-40: Typed Letter Signed

BIDDLE, KATHERINE - CORRES. TO STILL, WILLIAM GRANT 1939-40: Typed Letter Signed

BIDDLE, KATHERINE - "AND THEY LYNCHED HIM..." REFERENCE 1939-40: Typed Letter Signed

BIDDLE, GEORGE - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1939-40: Typed Letter Signed

BURGE, LOUISE - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1940: Typed Letter Signed

LOCKE, ALAIN - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1940: Typed Letter Signed

RODZINSKI, ARTUR - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1940: Typed Letter Signed

STOKOWSKI, LEOPOLD - REFERENCE BY BIDDLE, KATHERINE 1940: Typed Letter Signed

Repository Details

Part of the Georgetown University Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
Lauinger Library, 5th Floor
37th and O Streets, N.W.
Washington DC 20057