Manuscript Resources on The History of Music, Drama, and Other Performing Arts
This guide describes manuscript resources in the Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections that document performing arts history. Most of the collections relate to music, with smaller numbers dealing with theater, and a few dealing with dance. Geographically, most of the collections center around Louisiana, with many reflecting the rich cultural history of New Orleans and its diverse French and American cultural streams. Baton Rouge and other cities and towns are documented to a lesser degree. The cultural life of rural Louisiana is reflected in plantation collections containing sheet music, playbills, and other evidence of cultural activity.
The collections include papers of music and drama teachers, composers and writers, and performers. They also contain papers of those who sat in the audiences of musical and other performances and commented on them in letters and diaries, or compiled collections of programs and other ephemera dealing with the performances they witnessed. Finally, they contain papers of researchers who wrote about music and theater history.
Though extensive, the resources listed in this guide form a small part of the totality of materials documenting performing arts history in LSU's Special Collections. An exhaustive search of available inventories of manuscript collections would turn up additional important documentation. The Rare Book Collections contain a wide variety of relevant imprints, and include an extensive database of uncataloged sheet music. Similarly, the Louisiana Collection contains additional imprints on the performing arts, specifically related to Louisiana and the Lower Mississippi Valley. A folder containing several music history finding aids in addition to this one is available at the Special Collections reference desk.
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Lieutaud, Albert Louis. Collection, 1650, 1801-1965. 10 linear ft. Location: U:247-250, OS:L, 34:8-14.. Collection consists of letters, Christmas cards, receipts, printed material, sketches, photographic prints, and sheet music concerning various subjects in New Orleans and Louisiana history; the career of R.J. Morgan, a 19th-century English actor in the United States; railroad transportation in the United States; the American Civil War; and Lieutaud's own literary works and his work as an art and manuscript dealer. About two-thirds of the collection consists of about 140 presentation copies of books and pamphlets on Louisiana topics given to Lieutaud. Partly in French. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 1407, 1700, 1771, 1784, 1853, 1936, 2046, 2211, 2369, 2469. Referenced in Guides: New Orleans to 1861, Performing arts, Transportation, New Orleans in the Civil War, New Orleans 1866-, Civil War, French, Literature
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Long, Earl Kemp, 1895-1960. Recording, 1961. 1 sound disc. Location: LP 11075, vault:12. Governor of Louisiana, 1939-1940, 1948-1952, and 1956-1960. 'The Last of the Red Hot Papas' as recorded by Earl Long. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 2624. |
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Long, Huey P. See also: Huey P. Long collection. Referenced in Guides: Performing arts
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Long, Huey Pierce, 1893-1935, Papers, 1927-1935. 9 items. Location: MISC.:L. Governor of Louisiana (1928-1932), U.S. senator (1932-1935). Papers include letters (some photocopies) and bills pertaining to Louisiana legislature, broadside, cartoon, and sheet music of 'Every Man a King.' For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 557, 1240, 1350, 1956. |
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Louisiana African-American spiritual lyrics, 1932. 1 typescript. Location: Misc. This typescript contains the words to five African-American spirituals submitted to James McMillan, librarian at Louisiana State University, by Mrs. Harold A. Arnett of Baton Rouge, La. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 4386. Referenced in Guides: Performing arts, African Americans
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Louisiana Film and Television Scripts Collection, 1941-1994. 0.65 linear feet. Location: A.98. The materials in this collection contain movie scripts for films and television shows either shot in or are based on the State of Louisiana. This collection contains eight movie scripts (one has two separate drafts) and three television episode scripts from production companies like 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Warner Bros. and United Artists for media either produced in the State of Louisiana or set in the region. Mss. 4343 Referenced in Guides: Performing arts, New Orleans 1866-
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Louisiana Folklife Program project files, 1973-2013 (1979-2007). 44 linear ft. (manuscript materials), 30 linear ft. (sound recordings), 3 linear ft. (video tapes). Location: 63:1-35, 33:9-13, 109:26-31, OS:L, L:45-50, 115:24-30, L:2a-4a, AA:. The Louisiana Folklife Program is one of the programs of the Division of the Arts. The mandate of the Folklife Program is to identify, document, preserve, and present Louisiana's traditional cultures. Collection includes correspondence, financial documents and papers, grant drafts. Also included are Folklife Program publications data, printed materials, newspaper clippings, posters, photographs, oral history recordings, videos, and contracts with musicians and craftspeople and completed applications, different commissions' minutes and materials, and correspondence and documentation on different folklife projects and folklife festivals. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 4730. |
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Louisiana Folklore Society. Records, 1956-2014. 2 linear ft. Location: UU:262. Organization of folklorists, academics, teachers, and others interested in the study, preservation, and promotion of Louisiana folk culture. The records include correspondence, programs, minutes, financial records, and subject files relating to organization projects, publications, and meetings. Mss. 4168. |
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Louisiana Music Teachers Association Records, 1954-2007, (bulk: 1980-2005). 4.0 linear ft. Location: 111:14; 111:26-28. Professional organization of Louisiana music teachers. Records include correspondence, published materials, subject files, membership documents, photographs, newsletters, guidebooks, minutes, reports, and other administrative records. The records highlight the LMTA's structure and activities and its relationship to local, state, and regional affiliates of the Music Teachers National Association. For further information see online catalog. Mss. 2626, 2813. |
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Louisiana Music Teachers Association. Papers, 1954-1971. 91 items. Location: E:Imprints, 6:65. Papers of the Louisiana Music Teachers Association include newsletters, questionnaires, and papers pertaining to conventions, membership, and professional activities. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 2626, 2813. Referenced in Guides: Performing arts, Education
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