Hannah Sylvester Papers
name: label: Singer
content: Sylvester, Hannah, 1903-1973
label: Seller
content: Swann Auction Galleries
place: label: Place
content: Atlantic City (N.J.) -- 1920-1940
label: Place
content: New York (State) -- New York City
topic: label: Topic
content: African American dancers
label: Topic
content: African American music -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: African American women
label: Topic
content: African American women -- Biography
label: Topic
content: African American women singers
label: Topic
content: African American women jazz singers
label: Topic
content: Blues (Music)
label: Topic
content: Blues (Music) -- 1920-1930.
label: Topic
content: Jazz
label: Topic
content: Musical theater
label: Topic
content: Musicals -- United States.
label: Topic
content: Night clubs -- 1930-1940
label: Topic
content: Performers
label: Topic
content: Popular music -- African American influences
label: Topic
content: Sound recording industry
label: Topic
content: Vaudeville -- 1930-1940
label: Topic
content: Women dancers
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection purchased at Swann Galleries, New York City, in March 2024.
creator: label: Singer
content: Sylvester, Hannah, 1903-1973
setName: label: See more items in
content: Hannah Sylvester Papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: Papers document the personal life and professional career of Blues singer and dancer Hannah Sylvester.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: .15 Cubic feet (1 box)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1961-1962, undated
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1611
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Black-and-white photographs
label: Type
content: Notes
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is arranged in one series.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Vanessa Broussard Simmons, archivist, 2024; finding aid encoded by Meredith Clowse, intern, 2024.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Black-and-white photographs
label: Genre/Form
content: Notes
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
scopecontent: label: Content Description
content: Papers document the personal life and professional career of Hannah Sylvester [Genevia Scott], a Blues singer, who predominantly toured the northeastern part of the country and Canada performing with well-known African American bands. Her life is described in a handwritten manuscript which details her early days as a three-year girl performing for Amateur Nite in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  It follows her travels, performances, and recordings ending in 1962 with her appearances in the X-Glamour Girls Revue in New York City. There is little mention of family only noting the early deaths of her parents or in the context of her travels or work.  Also found among the materials is a discography documenting her vocal recordings primarily in the 1920s for the Pathé Actuelle, Olympic, Paramount, New Emerson, Puritan, and Spivey record labels.  In addition, there are a few photographs of Sylvester later in life.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History

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