Anacostia Community Museum Archives

Kendall Productions Records

Summary

Collection ID:
ACMA.06-055
Creators:
Kendall Productions
Dates:
1952-2006
bulk 1997-2004
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
4.6 Cubic feet
3 cartons, 2 oversized boxes
Repository:
The Kendall Productions records date from 1952-2006 with the bulk of material dating from 1997-2004 and measure 4.42 cubic feet. The records consist of material documenting the Kendall Productions documentary Dance Party: The Teenarama Story which first aired on Howard University's PBS affiliate WHUT in 2006. The records are comprised of research and production notes, government records, newspaper articles, questionnaires, photographs, letters, and scripts, accompanied by a significant amount of original media in the following formats: VHS and Beta videocassettes, audiocassettes, and audio compact discs.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The records of Kendall Productions measure 4.6 cubic feet and date from 1952 to 2006, with the bulk of material dating from 1997-2004. The records contain the administrative files, research, project files, photographs, and audiovisual material produced during the creation of the documentary Dance Party: The Teenarama Story.
Administrative records include committee records, project assessments, budget files, promotional material, correspondence, and material related to individuals working on the documentary. Material within the series directly relate to the production processes of Dance Party: The Teenarama Story. Restricted files within the series have been indicated at the folder level. The administrative records were previously scattered throughout the collection.
Research files include biographical information, the history of television broadcasting in Washington D.C., community history, background on Teenarama, and race relations from 1940 through the 1960s. The research file subjects were originally labeled by the creators, and their subject designations have been maintained where relevant. Material includes newsclippings, informational booklets, notes, pamphlets, unpublished essays or write-ups, and prints of website pages.
Project files include interview transcripts and copies of questions for interviewees, documentary scripts, event fliers, equipment request forms, and realia. Event material relates to the production of Dance Party: The Teenarama Story, and not events related to the release or showings of the finished documentary.
Photographs document people who were a part of the Teenarama show, cast reunion events, and the documentary filming or recording processes. Folder titles were given by the creators and have been maintained. They are organized alphabetically by folder title.
Audiovisual material contains 63 items, a majority of which are VHS tapes. Material includes clips and edits of Dance Party: The Teenarama Story. Objects are listed alphabetically by their labels. Playback equipment is available.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Kendall Productions Records is arranged in five series:
Series 1: Administrative Records
Series 2: Research Files
Series 3: Project Files
Series 4: Photographs
Series 5: Audiovisual Material

Historical Note

Historical Note
The documentary film Dance Party: The Teenarama Story first broadcast in 2006 on the Howard University public television station WHUT in Washington D.C. The film traced the history and development of the television show Teenarama that aired from March 7, 1963 to November 20, 1970.
Teenarama originated as the Teenarama Dance Party radio program broadcast on WOOK Radio in Washington D.C. and became a television program after WOOK Radio received a license to operate a television station. The program premiered as a teen dance show for Black teenagers in the Washington D.C. and surrounding metropolitan area, featuring popular songs. The show's programming was first created by Cal Hackett and Al Jefferson. Bob King hosted the show from 1963-1965. Following King's departure, the show rotated hosts such as Leon Isaac Kennedy, Moon Man, and Daniel "Hollywood Breeze" Clayton. Guest performers on the show included James Brown, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Major Lance, Mary Wells, Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, Billy Stewart, Martha and The Vandellas, the Supremes, and the Four Seasons, among others. The program broadcasted live six days a week, the first of its kind in the country catering specifically to a Black audience.
The documentary about Teenarama was created by Beverly Lindsay-Johnson, Herb Grimes, and the National Hand Dance Association, and was funded in part by grants through the Humanities Council of Washington D.C.,The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, The Dudley Foundation and private donations. The film uses Teenarama to tell the story of teen dance television shows, youth and pop culture, race, and television history. The documentary is narrated by Martha Reeves of Martha and The Vandellas.

Administration

Author
Max Howell
Sponsor
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Beverly Lindsey-Johnson in 2006.
Processing Information
In 2016, with funding provided by the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund, the Archives at the Anacostia Community Museum implemented the use of minimal level processing standards to increase information about and facilitate access to more of our collections. For this subject, minimal processing included arrangement to the folder level, based on prior processing and preservation action, with retention of the pre-existing arrangement when possible, if applicable. Otherwise, an order was imposed by the Processing Archivist. Some materials were consolidated to eliminate excess bulk but items within folders were not arranged further. The guide may or may not include a more refined lists of folder contents. Non-archival housing was replaced for long-term stability, but staples and other fasteners have not all been removed.
Minimal level processing and machine-readable finding aid completed by Max Howell, 2017 July. The initial collection record was produced by Carrie Gehrer in 2011.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Conditions Governing Access note
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Preferred Citation note
Kendall Productions records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Beverly Lindsey-Johnson.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Photographic prints Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
African American radio stations Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scripts (documents) Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Notes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Audiocassettes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Television stations Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Compact discs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Research Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Teen television programs Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
African Americans -- Social life and customs Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Questionnaires Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
African Americans on television Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century. Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Federal government records Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dance Party: the Teenarama Story (television program) Title Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Teenarama (television program) Title Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dance in motion pictures, television, etc. Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Washington (D.C.) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Videocassettes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Anacostia Community Museum Archives
1901 Fort Place, SE
Washington, D.C. 20020
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-4853
ACMArchives@si.edu