Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Virgil Whyte "All-Girl" Band Collection

Summary
Virgil Whyte "All-Girl" Band Collection
Virgil Whyte "All-Girl" Band Collection
Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0503
Creators:
Kovan, Florice Whyte
Whyte, Virgil (bandleader)
Dates:
1942-1948, 1991-1993
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
3 Cubic feet
11 boxes
Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
Includes 7 VHS videotapes and 1 audio tape produced by Florice Whyte Kovan, containing interviews and recollections by some band members. Studio portraits and snapshot photographs in 3 scrapbooks, which also contain display advertisements and newspaper clippings from about the band, 1940s. Snapshots include documentation of the band's travels and leisure activities while on the road, including swimming, horseback riding, etc. Packaged hotel soap bars collected by Betty Hansen during the bands' touring documents their itinerary, as do picture postcards written by Alice Smaus Jacoby.
Arrangement
Arrangement
The collection is divided into seven series.
Series 1: Unmounted snapshots
Series 2: Scrapbooks
Series 3: Alice Smaus Jacoby's postcards
Series 4: Packaged soap samples
Series 5: Audiovisual Materials
Series 6: Framed Portrait Photoprints
Series 7: Oversized Photoprints
The scrapbook pages are arranged in original order, apparently partly chronological, but series 1 snapshots are in topical order.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Founded 1942 in Racine, Wis., by Virgil Whyte, his "all-girl" band was composed of young Racine women. Whyte was instructor, manager, and the initial leader on drums; later his sister Alice took over as drummer. After initial success in Racine and elsewhere in Wisconsin, the band began to accept engagements in other parts of the country, eventually touring the U.S. The band's success drew other acts and performers, including Jill Fontaine and the Wilford Mae Trio, Sam Hearn (known as "Schlepperman"), the Woodson Sisters, and Paul La Verre and Bro. They did U.S.O. tours, entertaining servicemen.
The principal donor, a free-lance researcher and writer, is the daughter of Virgil Whyte.
Administration
Author
David E. Haberstich with Forrest MacCormack
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by Florice Kovan, 1993.
Custodial History
Two donors, Doris Nilo and Betty Hansen, transferred their personal scrapbooks to Florice Kovan in 1993. Ms. Kovan then donated the videotapes and audiotape made by her and conveyed the scrapbooks on behalf of the other donors, to the Archives Center. In 1994 Mrs. Jacoby sent her postcards to Ms. Kovan, who delivered them to the museum on Mrs. Jacoby's behalf.
Digital Content
Virgil Whyte "All-Girl" Band Collection
Virgil Whyte "All-Girl" Band Collection
More …
Using the Collection
Preferred Citation
Virgil Whyte's "All-Girl" Band Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Travel photography -- 1940-1950 -- U.S. Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Barracks -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Railroad passenger cars Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Horseback riding -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Postage stamps Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Videotapes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tap dancers -- 1940-1950 Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Audiotapes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Singers -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Postcards Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Comedians -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Soap -- Packaged Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jazz musicians -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Band music -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
World War, 1939-1945 -- Musicians Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Horses -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women musicians -- 1930-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Beaches -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Swimming pools -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Swimming -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jazz -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Labels Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Letterheads Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Announcements Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Racine (Wis.) -- 1940-1950 Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Portraits -- Women Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photomechanical prints Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin -- 1940-1950 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Packages Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Diaries Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Virgil Whyte's "All-Girl" Band Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United Service Organizations (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu