Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1218
Creators:
Cron, Rosalind
International Sweethearts of Rhythm
Piney Woods School
Moon, Dixie Hardy
Hughes, Cathy
Dates:
1933-2010
bulk 1939-1946
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1 Cubic foot
4 boxes
Repository:
The International Sweethearts of Rhythm Collection focuses on the all-female, racially and ethnically diverse big band group that started in 1937 and disbanded in 1949. The collection contains news clippings, photographs, correspondence, ephemera from USO travels, and newsletters. Also included are books related to the group, as well as a tribute CD and a 33 rpm vinyl sound recording.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection consists mostly of photographs and news clippings documenting the International Sweethearts Band of Rhythm's performances, rehearsals, and travels. It also includes tribute materials to the band, including books and audio CDs.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is divided into three series.
Series 1: Piney Woods School, 1937-1944
Series 2: Rosalind Cron Materials, 1933-2005
Series 3: Dixie Hardy Moon Materials, 1935-1951

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The International Sweethearts of Rhythm were a racially and ethnically mixed swing band, all of whose members were women. They were organized in 1937 by Laurence Clifton Jones, who started the Piney Woods School near Jackson, Mississippi. He formed the band from students at Piney Woods and the band toured to raise money for the school, performing at fairs, dance halls, churches, and theaters. In 1939, the band began to tour outside of Mississippi and traveled across the American South and Midwest. In 1941 they separated from Piney Woods, started out on their own as professional musicians and relocated to Arlington, Virginia. While in Arlington, the band recruited professional musicians to replace the underage students who stayed in school. The band's venues included the Apollo Theatre and Savoy Ballroom in New York and the Howard Theatre in Washington DC They performed frequently at military bases and were quite popular during World War II. In response to requests from GIs serving overseas, the Sweethearts undertook a six month tour of Europe starting in July 1945. The tour was supported by the United Service Organization (USO) Camp Shows. The band played in Paris, France and throughout Germany, including the cities of Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Munich, and Mannheim. The group disbanded in 1949, but reunited for a reunion in 1980 at the Third Annual Women's Jazz Festival in Kansas City.
Rosalin Cron was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1925 and began playing music at nine years old. She joined the band in 1943 and primarly played the alto saxophone, but was also trained to play the clarinet and flute. Cron was a part of the overseas tour. She was with the band until 1946. Dixie Hardy Moon is the niece of founder Laurence Clifton Jones. Catherine (Cathy) Hughes, was born in 1947 in Omaha, Nebraska. She is the granddaughter of founder Laurence Clifton Jones and her mother, Helen Jones Woods (1923-2020), played the trombone with the Sweethearts. Hughes is considered a media pioneer and founder of Radio One/TV One.

Administration

Author
Sara Wheeler
Accruals
Additional materials donated by Dixie Hardy Moon in 2012 and Cathy Hughes in 2010.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated to the Archives Center in 2011 by Rosalind Cron.
Processing Information
Processed by Sara Wheeler, July 2017; supervised by Alison Oswald, archivist.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
International Sweethearts of Rhythm Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
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.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Bands (Music) -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Big band music Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Books -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Female (Musical group) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jazz -- 20th century -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Musicians Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Newspaper clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Publicity photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women musicians -- 1930-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
World War, 1939-1945 -- Art and the war Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United Service Organizations (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Woods, Helen Jones, 1923-2020 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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