00605 BLACK MUSIC EDUCATORS OF THE TWIN CITIES: An Inventory of Their Records at the Minnesota Historical Society Finding aid prepared by Dennis Meissner Minnesota Historical Society

St. Paul MN.

Manuscripts Collection

Finding aid encoded by Dennis Meissner August 8, 2005Finding aid written inEnglish August 2008Converted from EAD Version 1.0 to Version 2002 by Monica Manny Ralston, Daniel Sher, and Joyce Chapman. OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION Minnesota Historical Society Black Music Educators of the Twin Cities (Minn.). Organization records. 1973-1994 (bulk 1980-1986). Administrative records, historical and publicity materials, and programmatic materials documenting the most active and influential years of an association formed by African American music teachers to provide outreach, assistance, and promotion for young Black musicians and composers in Minnesota. 3.0 cu. ft. (3 boxes). See Detailed Description for shelf locations. HISTORY OF THE BLACK MUSIC EDUCATORS OF THE TWIN CITIES

The Black Music Educators of the Twin Cities (BMETC) was created as an outreach program to provide assistance for young black musicians. Founded in 1974 by African-American musicians and teachers in the Twin Cities, the goal of the organization was to promote black musicians, composers, and students of music through scholarships and access to instruments and instructors. The BMETC was a branch of the National Association of Negro Musicians, the country's oldest African American cultural organization, but over time developed into an autonomous organization. The BMETC ceased its operations in 1994.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE RECORDS

This collection documents the programmatic side of the association, focusing on its most active operating years. The bulk of this material comes from the early to mid-1980s. The collection is divided into two sections: Administrative Files and Scrapbooks. The materials in these sections include: correspondence, member information, mailings, announcements for BMETC events, news clippings, and photographs.

ARRANGEMENT OF THE RECORDS

These documents are organized into the following sections:

Administrative Files Scrapbooks OTHER FINDING AIDS

A print version of this finding aid is available in the repository; filed in ALPHA notebooks under the heading: Black Music Educators of the Twin Cities (Minn.).

CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics: African American composers -- Minnesota. African American musicians -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. African American teachers -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Minorities -- Education -- Minnesota. Music -- Instruction and study -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Persons: Southall, Geneva H. Organizations: National Association of Negro Musicians (U.S.). Occupations: Teachers -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Black Music Educators of the Twin Cities Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples

Accession Information:

Accession number: 16,066

Processing Information:

Processed by: Kit Smemo, August 2005

Catalog ID number: 3705473

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION Administrative Records

The Administrative Files compile a wide array of material from the early 1970s through the late 1980s. Correspondence between board members, publicity materials, other print issuances, news clippings, and photographs highlight the organization's growth and expansion from an informal University of Minnesota group into a charter member of the National Association of Negro Musicians. These files also document the vibrant African American musical community in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area.

144.E,15.1B 1 General files, 1973-1992. 28 folders.

The General Files are an undifferentiated repository of administrative miscellany and print materials created each year. The annual files include correspondence, meeting minutes, Religious Advisory Board records, mailings to members, news clippings, press releases, photographs, and event programs and publicity materials. They provide a good general sense of what was going on in the organization in any given year.

144.E.15.2F 2 General files, 1993-1994. 11 folders. Membership lists and related materials, 1988-1993. Stationery forms, undated. Photographs, undated.

Color snapshots, mostly of members, events, and students.

Scrapbooks

These volumes provide a more in-depth and organized overview of each year's activities. They contain many of the same sort of materials found in the general files, though with a heavier emphasis on publicity fliers, programs, and photographs.

144.E.15.2F 2 Scrapbooks, 1974-1983. 3 volumes. 144.E.15.3B 3 Scrapbooks, 1984-1987. 4 volumes.