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Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Guide to the Sioux City Ghosts Scrapbooks
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NMAH.AC.0634
- Creators:
-
Williams, FranklinSioux City Ghosts
- Dates:
-
1920s-1983
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
0.5 Cubic feet2 boxes
- Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
A scrapbook and a photograph album detailing the day-to-day lives on the road of a barnstorming black softball team, five posters advertising appearances of the Ghosts, and a certificate. The scrapbook, kept by one of the players, Franklin Williams, contains his handwritten history of the team, a handwritten schedule, postcards from some of the cities they played in, greeting cards, restaurant menus, scorecards, and a large number of news clippings about games. The album contains photographs of the Ghosts playing, snapshots of cities they visited, street scenes, ballparks, families and friends, and tourist attractions.
Arrangement
Arrangement
Divided into 2 series.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
The Sioux City Ghosts were an all-black fast-pitch softball team that toured the country in the 1920s and 1930s. For their pranks and antics on the field, they were often compared to basketball's Harlem Globetrotters. The team formed in 1925 as a boys' club which gathered to play softball. In 1931 they began touring. They gained a reputation and quickly drew large crowds. The team also played in Mexico and Canada. The team disbanded when World War II began, and many members served in the armed forces. After the war, few members rejoined, but the team kept going unti 1956.
Administration
Author
Cathy Keen
Processing Information
Collection processed by Cathy Keen, May 2001.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Franklin Williams, Gift, 1997.
Using the Collection
Preferred Citation
Sioux City Ghosts Scrapbooks, 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
| Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Posters -- 1930-1940 | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Clippings -- 1930-1950 | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Photograph albums -- 1920-1970 | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Scrapbooks | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Postcards -- 1930-1940 | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Sioux City (Iowa) | Geographic | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Iowa | Geographic | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Softball | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| African American athletes | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Softball players | Topical | 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
