Contract between Count Basie and Richard Wright regarding "King Joe"
date: label: Date
content: 1941
name: label: Written by
content: William Morris Agency, American, 1898 - 2009
label: Signed by
content: Richard Wright, American, 1908 - 1960
label: Signed by
content: Count Basie, American, 1904 - 1984
label: Subject of
content: Joe Louis, American, 1914 - 1981
notes: label: Description
content: A single-paged letter to Count Basie from Richard Wright with a contract concerning royalties and shared monies for the collaboration on the song "King Joe," about the boxer Joe Louis. The document is typed on white paper with a William Morris Agency letterhead. Across the top is printed [NEW YORK LONDON CHICAGO HOLLYWOOD] with two holes punched at center. At top center is the William Morris logo and address for the New York office. The letter is dated [November 14, 1941,] and is addressed to [Count Basie, New York, New York,] It is signed [Very truly yours,] with Richard Wright's signature at center right. At left below Wright's signature is Count Basie's signature with a header reading [AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED']. At bottom center is printed [CABLE: "WILLMORRIS" NEW YORK. "WILLHOLLY" HOLLYWOOD]. The reverse of the document is blank.
place: label: Place made
content: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Business
label: Topic
content: Communication
label: Topic
content: Jazz (Music)
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Documents and Manuscripts
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Paxton and Rachel Baker
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2014.3.20.1
objectType: label: Type
content: contracts
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 11 × 8 1/2 in. (27.9 × 21.6 cm)