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Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Guide to the Virgil Whyte "All-Girl" Band Collection
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NMAH.AC.0503
- Creators:
-
Kovan, Florice WhyteWhyte, Virgil (bandleader)
- Dates:
-
1942-1948, 1991-1993
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
3 Cubic feet11 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
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
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu