Collection Summary
Hall Johnson Papers
1913-1980
1913-1944
1913-1980
1913-1944
ML31.J643
Johnson, Hall, 1888-1970
approximately 100 items
3 containers
1.5 linear feet
English
Collection material in English
Music Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Hall Johnson was a choral conductor,
composer, and arranger of spirituals. Through his arrangements, writings, and
performances of the Hall Johnson Choir, he raised the profile of the African American
spiritual as a significant art form. The collection contains holograph and manuscript
scores for several of his compositions and arrangements, works by other composers,
concert programs, scripts, and legal and financial papers related to his estate. Titles
in this collection contain demeaning language.
Acquisition Information
Purchased from a manuscript dealer in 1999.
Custodial History
Upon his death, a small portion of Hall Johnson's papers became the property of Bessie
J. Pruitt, the administrator of his estate. She transferred ownership to her accountant.
Upon the accountant's death, the materials passed to his widow, and then to an unnamed
party who consigned them to a manuscript dealer.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Processing History
Jane Cross processed the Hall Johnson Papers and coded the finding aid in April
2022.
Transfers
Sixty-three discs (sound recordings) from the Hall Johnson Papers have been transferred to the Library of
Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division where they are identified as the Hall Johnson Collection (MAVIS no. 17651). An inventory of this
material is available in the Music Division's collection file.
Other Repositories
The National Museum of African American History and Culture holds the Hall Johnson
Collection formerly curated by Dr. Eugene Thamon Simpson. The University of Georgia
holds the Hall Johnson Photographs collection as well as his personal books and
recordings, and the New York Public Library holds a Hall Johnson Portrait Collection as
well as a collection of theater stills from
Run, Little Chillun
.
The Hall Johnson Collection at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
contains correspondence, clippings, music, poetry, and notes. Emory University's Hall
Johnson Collection includes clippings, photographs, programs, and scripts. The Hall
Johnson Negro Choir Collection at the Museum of Performance and Design in San Francisco
contains programs and publicity files.
Related Material
Seven arrangements by Hall Johnson can be found in the [Jessye
Norman Papers], while the [Leonard B. Smith Papers]
contain two arrangements. The [Oscar Hammerstein II
Collection] contains correspondence with Johnson. Production records for
Johnson's folk opera
Run, Little Chillun
can be found in the [Federal Theatre Project
Collection].
Johnson's
Thirty Negro Spirituals
is cataloged in M1670.J63 T5, and his
Green Pastures Spirituals
are cataloged in M1513.J6 G72. A score for piano for his work "Honor! Honor!"
is cataloged in M1671.J and his work "Swing Dat Hammer!" can be found in M2093.J.
Programs for
The Green Pastures
are cataloged in PN2093.A44 1877.
Copyright Status
Materials from the Hall Johnson Papers are governed by the Copyright Law of the United
States (Title 17, U.S.C.) and other applicable international copyright laws.
Access and Restrictions
The Hall Johnson Papers are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the
Music Division prior to visiting in order to determine whether the desired materials
will be available at that time.
Certain restrictions on using or copying materials may apply.
Online Content
The [Federal
Theatre Project] on the Library of Congress Web site contains posters and
playbills for
Run, Little Chillun
.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
[item, date, container number], Hall Johnson Papers, Music Division, Library of
Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1888 March 12
Born Francis Hall Johnson in Athens, Georgia, to The Reverend William Decker
Johnson (1842-1909) and Alice Virginia Sansom Johnson (1857-?)
1890s
Studied piano with his sister Mary Elizabeth and then James Davis
1903
Graduated from the Knox Institute in Athens
Studied at Atlanta University
1908
Graduated from Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, with a
bachelors degree
Began graduate studies in theory and composition at the University of
Pennsylvania and private violin study at the Hahn School of Music in
Philadelphia
1910
Won the Simon Haessler Prize for the best composition for chorus and
orchestra
Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a masters degree
1912
Married Polly Celeste Copening
1914
Moved to New York City
Studied composition with Percy Goetschuis, head of the theory and
composition department at the New York Institution of Musical Arts (later known
as The Juilliard School)
Performed with James Reese Europe's Orchestra for Vernon and Irene Castle's
dance salon
Established his own violin, theory, and composition studio
1918
Performed with Marion Cook's New York Syncopated Orchestra
1920
1927
Founding violist of the Negro String Quartet, later renamed the American
String Quartet, which appeared on a program with Marian Anderson and performed
with Roland Hayes at Carnegie Hall
1921
1925
Performed in the pit orchestra for
Shuffle Along
by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake
1923
Performed in the pit orchestra for
Runnin' Wild
, the show that popularized the Charleston dance
1925
Established the Hall Johnson Negro Choir, later known as the Hall Johnson
Choir
1926 March 16
First public performance of the Hall Johnson Choir, which took place at the
International House in New York
1926, 1927
Received the Holstein Prize for Composition
1930
Arranged and composed music for, and directed the Hall Johnson Choir in,
the play
The Green Pastures
by Marc Connelly, gaining national recognition
RCA Victor released the first of many recordings of the choir
1931
Received the Harmon Award for his arrangements in
The Green Pastures
1933 March 1
Premiere of his successful folk opera
Run, Little Chillun
at the New York City Lyric Theater
1934
Received an honorary doctorate in music from the Philadelphia Academy of
Music
1935 December
Death of Polly Celeste Copening Johnson
1935
1937
Run, Little Chillun
produced by the Federal Theater Project in Los Angeles
1936
The Green Pastures
was made into a film
Travelled to Hollywood with fifty singers to appear in the
production
1936
1943
Arranged and directed background music for film shorts, cartoons, and more
than thirty Hollywood films, including
Lost Horizon
,
Banjo on My Knee
,
Hearts Divided
,
Way Down South
,
Swanee
, and
Cabin in the Sky
1937
The Hall Johnson Choir performed on the soundtrack of Disney's
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1937
1939
Composed the operetta
Fi-yer!
, which was not produced during Johnson's lifetime
1938
Run, Little Chillun
produced by the Works Progress Administration at the Golden Gate
International Exposition in San Francisco
1941
Organized and conducted the Negro Festival Chorus of Los Angeles
The Hall Johnson Choir performed on the soundtrack of the Disney film
Dumbo
1946
The Hall Johnson Choir sang in the Disney film
Song of the South
Returned to New York City
Founded the Interracial Festival Chorus of New York City
1946 March 26
Cantata
Son of Man
performed at Carnegie Hall
1947
Introduced the New Artists annual concert series
1951
Sponsored by the U.S. State Department to conduct the Hall Johnson Choir in
Berlin at the International Festival of Fine Arts
Extended the tour to Hamburg, Nuremberg, and Vienna to acclaim
1951
1970
Reestablished his theory and composition studio, coached vocalists, and
continued composing and arranging for performers such as Jessye Norman, Marian
Anderson, and Robert McFerrin
1955
Hired by Disney to organize a group of singers for the
Mickey Mouse Club
television series
1965
Published his essay "Notes on the Negro Spiritual"
1970 April 19
Music publisher Carl Fischer, Inc. sponsored a Musical Tribute to Hall
Johnson
New York City Mayor John Lindsay presented Johnson with the Handel
Award
1970 April 30
Died in New York City
1975
Elected to the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame
2020
Inducted into the Athens Music Walk of Fame
Scope and Content Note
The Hall Johnson Papers span from about 1913 to 1980, with the bulk of the materials
dating from 1913 to 1944. Holograph and manuscript scores for voice and piano composed
or arranged by Johnson primarily comprise the [Music](utid10001) series. There are also vocal scores, scores for piano,
lead sheets, and sketches. Composers such as Henry Cowell, Stephen Foster, Lou Harrison,
and Robert MacGimsey are included, and there are traditional songs present as well. Most
works in this series are undated. The [Miscellany](utid10054) series contains legal and financial documents
regarding the estate of Hall Johnson as administered by Bessie J. Pruitt, a flier and
programs for the Hall Johnson Choir, two scripts, and notes.
Titles in this collection contain demeaning language.
Bibliography
Abromeit, Kathleen A., comp.
An Index to African-American Spirituals for the Solo Voice.
Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999.
Armstrong, Matthew A.
The Choral Negro Spiritual Arrangements and Compositions of Hall Johnson
Performed in The Green Pastures.
DMA diss., University of Nebraska, 2019. ProQuest (13859374).
Cuney-Hare, Maud.
Negro Musicians and Their Music.
Washington, D.C.: The Associated Publishers, 1936.
Haag, John.
"Hall Johnson."
New Georgia Encyclopedia,
Last modified January 12, 2022.
https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/hall-johnson-1888-1970/.
Jones, Randye.
"Afrocentric Voices in Classical Music: Hall Johnson."
Last modified February 10, 2016.
http://www.afrovoices.com/wp/hall-johnson-biography.
Peters, Erskine, ed.
Lyrics of the Afro-American Spiritual: A Documentary Collection.
Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1993.
Roberson, Leroy Alfred.
Hall Johnson: A Biography and an Analytical Study of Selected Songs for Solo
Voice and Piano.
DMA diss., University of Southern Mississippi, 1992. ProQuest
(9227808).
Simpson, Eugene Thamon.
Hall Johnson: His Life, His Spirit, and His Music.
Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 2008.
Southern, Eileen.
"Johnson, Hall."
Grove Music Online. New York: Oxford University Press, January 20, 2001.
https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.14406.
Toppin, Louise, comp.
"African Diaspora Music Project: Hall Johnson."
Last accessed April 11, 2022.
https://africandiasporamusicproject.org/hall_johnson
University of California, Santa Barbara.
"Discography of American Historical Recordings: Hall Johnson."
Accessed April 8, 2022.
https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/mastertalent/detail/104261/Johnson_Hall.
Wittmer, Micah.
Performing Negro Folk Culture, Performing America: Hall Johnson's Choral and
Dramatic Works (1925-1939).
PhD diss., Harvard University, 2016. ProQuest (10102891).
Organization of the Hall Johnson Papers
The collection is arranged in two series:
-
[Music, circa 1913-1960
and undated](utid10001)
-
[Miscellany,
1936-1980](utid10054)
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Cowell, Henry, 1897-1965.
Foster, Stephen Collins, 1826-1864.
Harrison, Lou, 1917-2003.
Johnson, Hall, 1888-1970--Archives.
Johnson, Hall, 1888-1970.
Johnson, Hall, 1888-1970. Works. Selections.
MacGimsey, Robert, 1898-1979.
Subjects
Choruses (Mixed chorus), Unaccompanied.
Musical sketches.
Piano music, Arranged.
Songs with piano.
Spirituals (Songs)
Titles
Hall Johnson collection, 1925-1970
Form/Genre
Arrangements (Music)
Art music.
Autographs (Manuscripts)
Concert programs.
Financial records.
Lead sheets.
Legal instruments.
Musical sketches.
Notes (Documents)
Scores.
Screenplays.
Songs.
Spirituals (Songs)
Vocal scores.
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/2014572460]
Container List
1-2
Music, circa 1913-1960 and undated
circa
1913-1960 and undated
This series primarily contains holograph and manuscript scores for voice and piano
for works composed or arranged by Hall Johnson. There are also vocal scores,
scores for piano, lead sheets, and sketches. Works present include traditional songs
and several unidentified works, as well as songs by Henry Cowell, Stephen Foster,
Lou Harrison, and Robert MacGimsey. Titles in this series contain demeaning
language.
Arranged alphabetically by composer and title therein.
Allen, Gilbert
1/1
Jesus Keeps His Little
Children, undated
undated
Manuscript score for voice and piano
Note: Dedicated to
Adrienne Moore
Cowell, Henry
Words by Dora Hagemeyer
2/1
The Coming of Light,
1938
1938
Ozalid of manuscript vocal score for SSAA
chorus
Note: Inscribed by
the composer
2/2
Into These Hollows,
1938
1938
Ozalid of manuscript score for three
voices
Note: Inscribed by
the composer
Foster, Stephen
1/2
My Old Kentucky Home,
undated
undated
Arranged by Hall Johnson
Holograph score for piano
Note: Sketch for
"Dat Suits Me" on reverse
Hall, M.
1/3
Ma Chile,
undated
undated
Manuscript score for voice and piano
Note: "To
Maudina"
Harrison, Lou
1/4
Sanctus,
undated
undated
Ozalid of manuscript score for voice and
piano
Note: Inscribed by
the composer
Johnson, Hall
1/5
Carolina Cabin,
undated
undated
Two holograph scores for voice and
piano
1/7
Cecelia,
undated
undated
Sketch
Note: Title
difficult to read, could also be "Cecilia" or "Creslia"
1/8
Crossing the Bar, 1914
January
1914 January
Poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Holograph score for voice and piano
1/31
Fiy-er. Vision Scene and July Sun Chorus (Picnic Scene),
undated
undated
Sketches; lyrics
1/9
In the Evening by the
Moonlight, undated
undated
Two holograph scores for voice and piano without
lyrics; holograph score for piano; holograph lead sheet; chorus
parts
1/10
Land O' Dreams, 1913?
1913?
Three holograph scores for voice and piano;
tenor obbligato part
Includes: Sketch
for "Bold Brigand"
1/11
Little Voice (Children's
Song), 1960
1960
Five photocopies of score for voice and
piano
1/37
Norfolk Suite. Procession,
1920
1920
Holograph score (incomplete)
1/12
A Soldier Speaks, 1944
September 21
1944 September 21
Holograph score for piano; holograph lead
sheet
1/13
Spirit Lullaby (Crooning
Song), undated
undated
Holograph vocal score for SATB chorus;
manuscript vocal parts
1/14
Spirit Lullaby (Crooning
Song), undated
undated
Manuscript vocal score for SATB
chorus
1/7
Way Up in Heaven, 1925
November 25
1925 November 25
Sketch
Note: For Roland
Hayes' concert at Carnegie Hall
1/15
Unidentified,
1916
1916
Lyric by G. Harry Boldece
Holograph score for voice and piano
(incomplete)
1/16
Unidentified sketches,
undated
undated
MacGimsey, Robert
1/17
I'm Goin' Down to the River,
undated
undated
Manuscript score for voice and piano
1/18
Old Nigger,
undated
undated
Manuscript score for voice and piano
1/19
Working Working,
undated
undated
Manuscript score for voice and piano
Thomas, Leonard
1/6
Carry Me Home,
undated
undated
Text by Clement Wood; arranged by Hall
Johnson
Holograph vocal score for male chorus;
manuscript parts
Traditional
1/20
City Called Heaven,
undated
undated
Arranged by Hall Johnson
Photocopy of manuscript vocal score for SATTBB
chorus; holograph score for piano
Includes: Sketch
for "End of the Road"
Laid in: Notes
1/25
Day Dawns with Freight to
Haul, undated
undated
Manuscript vocal score
1/21
Hold On (Keep Yo' Hand on the
Plow), undated
undated
Arranged by Hall Johnson
Manuscript score for piano
1/22
K. C. Jones,
undated
undated
Alternate title: Casey Jones
Arranged by Hall Johnson
Manuscript score for piano
1/23
Oh Heaven Is One Beautiful
Place, undated
undated
Arranged by Hall Johnson
Manuscript lead sheet
1/24
Oh Lord, Have Mercy (?),
undated
undated
Manuscript score for piano
1/25
Song of Love,
undated
undated
Manuscript vocal score
1/26
Water Boy,
undated
undated
Arranged by Hall Johnson
Holograph score for voice and piano without
lyrics; holograph orchestra parts; sketch for male voices and
orchestra
1/27
Woke Up This Morning,
undated
undated
Sketch
Unidentified
1/28
Chili'ls Lament,
undated
undated
Manuscript lead sheet
Laid in: Lyric
sheet
1/29
Foggy Bottom,
undated
undated
Manuscript score for piano
1/30
Froggy,
undated
undated
Sketch; lyrics
1/32
Great Day,
undated
undated
Sketch; lyrics
1/33
John Henry,
undated
undated
Manuscript score for voice and piano
1/34
My Sweet Little Gal,
undated
undated
Manuscript score for piano
1/30
Rocky Road, or Brody Brody,
undated
undated
Sketch
1/36
Pansy-Eyes,
undated
undated
Manuscript score for piano
1/28
Song of War,
undated
undated
Manuscript lead sheet
3
Miscellany, 1936-1980
1936-1980
This series contains a flier and three concert programs for the Hall Johnson
Choir, two scripts, notes, and legal and financial documents regarding the estate
of Hall Johnson as administered by Bessie J. Pruitt.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material.
3/1
Flier for the Hall Johnson Negro
Choir, undated
undated
3/2
Legal and financial documents,
1936, 1970-1980
1936, 1970-1980
Petition and account of Bessie J. Pruitt,
administrator of the Hall Johnson Estate; royalty statements; death
certificate; museum proposal; grave certificate
3/3
Notes,
undated
undated
3/4-6
Programs, 1930,
1938, undated
1930
1938, undated
3/7
Script, "Command Performance
U.S.A.", 1942 October 27
1942 October 27
3/8
Script, Son
of Man, undated
undated