- Correspondence, 1924-1982, n.d.
-
- Originals are in other repositories, including Yale, from which permission to copy must be obtained.
- Includes photocopies of personal letters between Still and Alain Locke as well as letters between Still and Charles Burch. Correspondence between Verna Arvey and Carl Van Vechten is also included. Van Vechten was interested in photographing Still as well as acquiring Still manuscripts for the James Weldon Johnson Collection at Yale University. Arranged chronologically.
- Box 1 1924, June-1982, July, n.d. (3 folders)
- Diaries, 1928-1979.
- Contains photocopies of the diaries and daybooks of Still and Verna Arvey. Still's diary entries, especially from 1930, disclose information about his relationship with his first wife Grace Bundy and family financial struggles. The diaries also provide some insights into the progression of his compositions. Arvey's five-year diaries or daybooks record her daily activities. Arvey's earlier daybooks are more complete than the copies from the 1970s. Arranged in chronological order.
- Box 1
- Still, Verna Arvey, 1928-1979 (5 folders)
- Still, William Grant, 1930; 1939 (2 folders)
- Scrapbooks, 1877-1973, n.d. (bulk 1953-1973).
- Photocopies of Verna Arvey's "Racial-political-historical" scrapbook. The scrapbook primarily consists of articles from the Los Angeles Herald And Express and chronicles various major political events, especially the McCarthy investigations. Arranged chronologically.
- Box 2 1877-1954, Mar. (8 folders)
- Box 3 1957, May 11-1968, July 21 (8 folders)
- Box 4 1968, Oct. 15-1973, Jan. 23, n.d. (7 folders)
- Printed Material, 1930-1992, n.d.
- Includes programs and advertisements for various performances of William Grant Still's music. Primarily original materials with some photocopies. Arranged in chronological order by year.
- Box 4 1930-1949, 1940s
- Box 5 1954-1986 (8 folders)
- Box 6 1987-1992, n.d. (4 folders)
- Clippings, 1926-1989, n.d.
- Includes photocopies and originals of newspaper reviews of Still's music and performances of his works.
- Box 6 1926-1992, n.d. (5 folders)
- Miscellaneous Series, 1936-1989, n.d.
- Includes copies of Still and Avery's wills and other legal documents, a statement of royalties, a puzzle, and proclamations recognizing Still. Chiefly photocopies. Arranged chronologically by year.
- Box 6 1936-1991, n.d.
- Box 7 n.d
- Writings, 1929-1992, n.d.
- Primarily articles by Still and Verna Arvey, as well as books by Arvey and Judith Anne Still. Also included is an article by Langston Hughes pertaining to the libretto he wrote for Troubled Island, and articles by Alain Locke. Includes original publications and photocopies, no manuscript drafts are present. Primarily, articles and shorter works are arranged in chronological order by year and precede the books which are also arranged chronologically.
- Box 7
- 1929-1985 (6 folders)
- Box 8
- 1986-1992, n.d. (3 folders)
- 1941, Choreographic Music (2 folders)
- 1984, In One Lifetime
- Box 9 1990, William Grant Still: A Voice High-Sounding (4 folders)
Pictures, 1911-1949, n.d.
Contains black and white images of Still and his family. Some of the images capture moments in Still's professional career. Arranged in chronological order by year.
- Box 9 1911-1949, n.d. (2 folders)
Music, 1921-1991, n.d
Comprised of the following subseries:
- Ballets
- Ballets
- Ballets (Oversize)
- Cantatas
- Cantatas
- Cantatas (Oversize)
- Chamber Music
- Chamber Music
- Chamber Music (Oversize)
- Operas
- Operas
- Operas (Oversize)
- Orchestra
- Orchestra
- Orchestra (Oversize)
- Piano
- Piano
- Piano (Oversize)
- Songs
- Spirituals
- Spiritual Arrangements
- Spiritual Arrangements Oversize)
- Symphonies
- Symphonies
- Symphonies (Oversize)
- Miscellaneous
- Miscellaneous
- Miscellaneous (Oversize)
The subseries reflect the various genres of music composed by William Grant Still. The subseries are arranged alphabetically and within each subseries the compositions are alphabetically by title. A complete list of the works within each genre has been prepared by a graduate student from the Duke University Department of Music and is in an information folder. The arrangement of the works in this collection is based upon that document, but does not follow it exactly. For further information, please consult a reference archivist. This series is comprised primarily of photocopies.
Ballets Subseries
See also Ballets (Oversize)
- Ballets, 1941, n.d (Oversize materials, 1933-1938, n.d.)
- Includes the composer's notes for La Guiablesse and the arrangement and play for The Sorcerer
- Box 10 D-S, 1941, n.d.
See also Cantatas (Oversize)
- Cantatas, 1931
- Contains a J. Fischer and Bro. original of And They Lynched Him on A Tree.
- Box 10 A, 1931
See also Chamber Music (Oversize)
- Chamber Music, 1936-1964, (Oversize materials, 1936-1966, n.d.)
- Arrangements of Still's compositions by Anthony Griggs and Thomas Smith are included.
- Box 10 A-W, 1936-1991, n.d. (3 folders)
See also Operas (Oversize)
- Operas, 1976, n.d (Oversize materials, 1936-1963, n.d.)
- Included is a signed and inscribed copy of Bayou Legend and a conductor's score for The Pillar. Librettists for the various works include Bruce Forsythe, Langston Hughes, Frank Sherwood, and Verna Arvey.
- Box 10
- A Bayou Legend, n.d. (Libretto only)
- Troubled Island, 1976 (4 folders) (Libretto by Langston Hughes)
- Troubled Island, n.d. ((Libretto only)
See also Orchestra (Oversize)
- Orchestras, 1937-1991, n.d. (Oversize materials, 1935-1959)
- Includes an original publication of Wood Notes and works by other composers which were orchestrated by Still.
- Box 11 C-S, 1937-1991, n.d. (2 folders)
See also Piano (Oversize)
- Piano, 1916-1972
- Contains pieces primarily written for piano instrumentation.
- Box 11 F-S, 1916-1972
- Songs, 1928-1973, n.d. (Oversize materials 1923-1943, n.d.)
- Contains Songs of Separations, for which lyrics
were written by Langston Hughes, Arna Bontemps, Countee Cullen, and others. Other lyricists include Kate Chapin and Verna Arvey. Also includes From the Hearts of Women, Plainchant for America, Breath of A Rose, and a collection of Still's songs in Twelve Negro Spirituals published Handy Brothers Publishing. Also contains folk songs composed by Still.
- Box 11
- A-W, 1928-1973, n.d. (4 folders)
See also Spirituals (Oversize)
- Spiritual arrangements, 1938-1981, n.d (Oversize materials, 1941,
n.d.)
- Includes an original of Ah Got a Home In-A Dat Rock printed by Charles Pace and W.C. Handy. Lyrics for some works were written by Verna Arvey. Contains some fragments.
- Box 11A-W, 1938-1981, n.d (2 folders)
See also Symphonies (Oversize)
- Symphonies, n.d (Oversize materials 1928-1946, n.d.)
- Includes full symphonies and symphonic poems, such as Darker America and Kaintuck. The composer's notes for Symphony No. 2 are present.
- Box 11 A-S, n.d.
See also Miscellaneous (Oversize)
- Miscellaneous, n.d (Oversize materials 1947-1975, n.d.)
- Contains band suites, solos pieces, sketches for Stormy Weather, children's music, and fragments. Arranged alphabetically by title.
- Box 11 A-S, n.d. (2 folders)
OVERSIZE MATERIALS
MUSIC SERIES
See also Ballets (not oversize)
- Box 12 B-T, 1933-1938, n.d. (5 folders)
See also Cantatas (not oversize)
- Box 13 A, 1931
See also Chamber Music (not oversize)
- Box 13 B-V, 1936-1966, n.d. (5 folders)
See also Operas (not oversize)
- Box 14
- A Bayou Legend, n.d. (7 folders)
- Blue Steel, n.d. (3 folders)
- Box 15
- Blue Steel, n.d. (4 folders)
- Costaso, 1950 (4 folders)
- Box 16
- Costaso, 1950 (3 folders)
- From the Furnace of the Sun, 1936
- Highway 1, U.S.A., 1963, n.d. (4 folders)
- Box 17
- Minette Fontaine, n.d. (6 folders)
- Mota, n.d. (4 folders)
- Box 18
- Mota, n.d. (3 folders)
- The Pillar, 1955, n.d. (6 folders)
- Box 19
- Troubled Island, n.d. (7 folders)
- Box 20
- Troubled Island, n.d. (2 folders)
See also Orchestra (not oversize)
- Box 20
- A-Am, 1935-1949, n.d. (4 folders)
- Box 21
- Ar-O, 1922-1959, n.d. (7 folders)
- Box 22
- Pa-Y, 1921-1959, n.d. (5 folders)
See also Piano Music (not oversize)
- Box 22
- A, n.d.
- A-F, 1923-1928, n.d.
- Box 23
- L-W, 1937-1943, n.d. (6 folders)
See also Spirituals (not oversize)
- Box 24
- G-S, 1941, n.d.
See also Symphonies (not oversize)
- Box 24
- A-S, 1928-1946, n.d. (4 folders)
- Box 25
- S, n.d. (2 folders)
See also Miscellaneous (not oversize)
- Box 25
- A-S, 1947-1975, n.d. (3 folders)
- Recordings, 1935-1991, n.d.
- Primarily recordings of Still's music in audio cassettes, compact disc, and phonograph record formats. The recordings have been grouped together according to their respective formats. Recordings are arranged alphabetically within each format. The performing artists have been noted when they could be readily identified. Arranged alphabetically within each recording format.
- Box 26
- Biography in Sound: Leopold Stowkowski, Stowkowski, Leopold, 1954
- Calvacade of American Music, 1940 (4 tapes)
- Ecosphere, Agus, Ayke, et al., 1991
- Minette Fontaine, n.d. (2 tapes)
- The Music of William Grant Still, (2 tapes)
- Oboist Peter Christ, Christ, Peter with the Crystal Chamber Soloists, 1979
- Our Musical Past-Vol. 5, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, 1935
- Natalie Hinderas plays Piano Music, Hinderas, Natalie, n.d.
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, n.d
- Symphony No. 4, The Denver Symphony, n.d.
- Troubled Island, n.d. (2 tapes)
- William Grant Still, 1895-1978, The North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, et al. not before 1978
- William Grant Still Conducts William Grant Still, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, 1984
- William Grant Still Piano Music, Dominguez, Albert, n.d.
- William Grant Still: Strings, Keyboard and Harp, Kaufman, Louis et al., n.d.
- William Grant Still: Voices and Piano, William Grant Still Performing
Arts Society, n.d.
- Box 26
- Africa: Piano Music of William Grant Still,Oldham, Denver, 1991
- Lenox Avenue: The Music of William Grant Still, The CBS Symphony Orchestra et al., 1991
- Louis Kaufmann, Violin: Historic Recordings of 20th Century American Works, Kaufman, Louis, 1990
- Oboist Peter Christ, Christ, Peter with the Crystal Chamber soloists, 1986
- Our Musical Past- Vol. 5, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, 1935
- Walk as Children, Northern Arizona University Chorale, 1991
- Works by William Grant Still, Videmus, 1990
- Box 27
- Art Songs by Black Composers, 1980 (2 LPs)
- CBS Record' Black Composers Series, 1987, (9 LPs)
- William Grant Still 1895-1978, Ozark Chamber Players of the University Arkansas
- William Grant Still Conducts William Grant Still, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, 1984
- William Grant Still: Piano Music, Albert Dominguez, 1987
- William Grant Still: Strings, Keyboard and Harp, Louis Kaufmann et al., 1987
Miscellaneous
- OC:I:1 Writings, 1950
- Box 11
- Printed Material, 1991, n.d.
Processed by: Daniel Daily. Assisted by: Boyd Gibson, Sandra Hack Polaski, Stephen Zank, Rachel Sullivan, and Sallie Locke
Completed: October 1, 1993