Earl Robinson photograph collection

Earl Robinson photograph collection, circa 1930-1991

Overview of the Collection

Collector: Robinson, Earl, 1910-1991
Title: Earl Robinson photograph collection
Dates: circa 1930-1991 (inclusive)
19251991
Quantity: 1067 photographic prints
13 slides
137 negatives
Collection Number: PH0419
Summary: Photographs of performances and other events, of family and friends, and promotional photographs
Repository: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions: The collection is open to the public.
Additional Reference Guides
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Earl Hawley Robinson (1910-1991) was a composer and musician. Both his performances and his compositions were influenced by folk music. He was born in Seattle in 1910, and attended the University of Washington, graduating in 1933 with a B.A. in music and a teaching degree. In the 1930s he moved to New York and was involved with, among other things, the Federal Theatre Project, and Camp Unity in Wingdale, New York. In the early 1940s, he worked in radio with singers and musicians Paul Robeson, Pete Seeger and Burl Ives. He moved to California in 1943 and wrote songs and scores for films. After 1947, he was "graylisted" because of his left-wing political views and no longer received offers to work on films. In 1961, he moved back to New York where he continued to write and collaborate on many songs and perform in concerts. In 1965, he moved to California where he pursued work in films and continued to compose music. His best known compositions are "Joe Hill," "Ballad for Americans," "The House I Live In," and "Black and White."

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection consists of photographs and some slides that trace Robinson's early and later career including "Camp Unity," "The People, Yes" and various concerts in New York. Also included are various informal snapshots of friends and family and promotional portraits of Earl Robinson.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Processing Note

The photographs were relocated from the Earl Robinson Papers, Accession No. 4240-008 in the repository, in 1993.

BOX CONTENTS

BOX 1: EARL ROBINSON - PORTRAITS INCLUDING PROMOTIONAL SHOTS AND EARLY FAMILY PHOTOS
FOLDER 1: 1 tintype. Woman and child. Robinson family? (undated)
FOLDER 2: 22 black & white photographs. Possibly early Robinson family photographs. Mostly unidentified. (undated)
FOLDER 3: 18 black & white photographs. Photographs of Earl Robinson adolescence to early adult. ( - 1940s)
FOLDER 4: 26 black & white photographs. Photographs of Earl Robinson as adult. (1950s -)
FOLDER 5: 20 black & white photographs. Promotional pictures and pictures of Earl Robinson. (circa 1970s- )
FOLDER 6: 27 black & white photographs. Portraits of Earl Robinson by Adja. (undated)
FOLDER 7: 20 black & white photographs. Portraits of Earl Robinson by Adja. (undated) (35mm negatives available for some. See Box 5)
FOLDER 8: 124 black & white photographs (proof sheets). Earl Robinson portraits. (undated)
FOLDER 9: 48 black & white photographs (proof sheets). Earl Robinson portraits. (undated) (35mm negatives available for some. See Box 5)
FOLDER 10: 37 black & white photographs (proof sheets). Earl Robinson portraits. (undated) (35mm negatives available for some. See Box 5)
FOLDER 11: 7 black & white informal snapshots. Earl Robinson portraits. (undated) (35mm negatives available for some. See Box 5)
FOLDER 12: 20 black & white informal snapshots. Earl Robinson portraits. (undated) (35mm negatives available for some. See Box 5)
FOLDER 13: 6 black & white snapshots. Earl Robinson portraits. (undated)
FOLDER 14: 2 color snapshots of Earl Robinson. (undated) (negatives available for some. See Box 5)
FOLDER 15: 14 color promotional pictures. (1960s-1980s?)
FOLDER 16: 63 color snapshots of Robinson and friends. (1950s- 1980s)
FOLDER 17: 20 color snapshots of Robinson and friends. (1980s)
FOLDER 18: 50 color snapshots of Robinson and friends. (1980s)
FOLDER 19: 13 color slides. Portraits of Earl Robinson by Adja? (June 1980)

BOX 2:
EARL ROBINSON - EVENTS/ACTIVITIES
FOLDER 20: 1 black & white photograph. Earl Robinson in Yellowstone Park - mountain climbing. (1930s)
FOLDER 21: 1 black & white photograph. Earl Robinson with Sam Kennedy, L.A. (1940s)
FOLDER 22: 9 black & white photographs. Trip to Sacramento - Housing Caravan. (1946)
FOLDER 23: 1 black & white photograph. Sailing off Shelter Island. (1950s)
FOLDER 24: 2 black & white photographs. Earl Robinson in San Cristobal, Mexico. (circa 1951)
FOLDER 25: 1 color photograph. Class reunion. 50th anniversary. (1978)
FOLDER 26: 7 color photographs. Santa Barbara. (May 1980)
FOLDER 27: 43 color photographs. Robinson seventieth birthday celebration, L.A. (1980)
FOLDER 28: 10 color photographs. Robinson seventy-third birthday celebration. (1983)
FOLDER 29: 2 black & white photographs. Rosen marriage, Laguna Beach. (March 25, 1984)
FOLDER 30: 6 color photographs. New York. (1984)
FOLDER 31: 7 color photographs. Robinson seventy-fifth birthday celebration. (1985)
FOLDER 32: 7 color and black & white photographs. Memorial? (1989)
FOLDER 33: 1 color photograph. Award? Seattle. (1989)
FOLDER 34: 10 color photograph. Robinson seventy-ninth birthday celebration. (1989)
FOLDER 35: 1 color photograph. Robinson eightieth birthday celebration. (1990)
FOLDER 36: 6 color photographs. Trip to Washington D.C. (undated)

EARL ROBINSON - FAMILY PHOTOS
FOLDER 37: 25 black & white photographs. Robinson family (Earl Robinson, wife and children) snapshots. (1940s-50s)
FOLDER 38: 21 color photographs. Robinson family photographs. (1960s-80s)
FOLDER 39: 1 black & white photograph. Morris J. Robinson as child. (Earl Robinson's father and grandmother). (undated)
FOLDER 40: 4 black & white and color photographs. Hazel Robinson (Earl Robinson's mother). (1980s)
FOLDER 41: 8 color photographs. Mr. and Mrs. Morris Robinson's 60th wedding anniversary. (undated)
FOLDER 42: 5 color photographs. Duane Robinson (Earl Robinson's brother). (1980s)
FOLDER 43: 18 black & white and color photographs. Perry Robinson (Earl Robinson's son). (undated)
FOLDER 44: 1 black & white photograph. Helen Robinson (Earl Robinson's wife?) (early 1940s)
FOLDER 45: 5 color photographs. Earl and Ruth Martin Robinson. (1960s)
FOLDER 45a: 1 black & white photograph. F. Geary Anderson and wife? (Brother- in-law?). 1979.

EARL ROBINSON - FRIENDS
FOLDER 46: 4 color photographs. Adja. (undated)
FOLDER 47: 2 color photographs. Helen Berne with Earl Robinson. (July 1985); Lyn Tyrrell with Earl Robinson. undated
FOLDER 48: 2 black & white and color photographs. Leonard Van Camp. (undated)
FOLDER 49: 2 black & white and color photographs. Pete Seeger. (1983, 1990)
FOLDER 50: 2 black & white photographs. Odetta. (1987)
FOLDER 51: 1 black & white photograph. Henry C. Clarke and Julia. (1974)
FOLDER 52: 2 black & white photographs. Ardis Mack. CIO chorus bass and actor. (undated)
FOLDER 52a: 1 black & white photograph. Hanns Eisler. (undated)

BOX 3:
PERFORMANCES - DATED
FOLDER 53: 10 black & white photographs. Camp Unity Choruses. (1930s)
FOLDER 54: 1 black & white photograph. Performance. (1940s)
FOLDER 55: 1 black & white photograph. "The People, Yes". (1940)
FOLDER 56: 1 black & white photograph. "Lonesome Train". Philadelphia. (June 1945)
FOLDER 57: 3 black & white photographs. University of Denver Golf Festival. (1946)
FOLDER 58: 2 black & white photographs. At Henry Collins. (1960)
FOLDER 59: 3 black & white photographs. New York Worlds Fair, Illinois Day. (June 1965)
FOLDER 60: 1 color photograph. Brooklyn Community Chorus. Earl Robinson conductor. (1965-66)
FOLDER 61: 6 black & white photographs. Concerto for Five String Banjo and Orchestra. Premier with Boston Pops. (2/20/1967)
FOLDER 62: 1 black & white photograph. Conference. Men and women in the Arts. (1967)
FOLDER 63: 8 black & white photographs. Illinois Sesquicentennial Photos. (1968)
FOLDER 64: 2 color photographs. Unidentified performance. (1970s)
FOLDER 65: 4 black & white photographs. Woody Guthrie benefit. (1970)
FOLDER 66: 1 color photograph. Unidentified performance. (1973)
FOLDER 67: 3 color photographs. Unidentified performance. (1976)
FOLDER 68: 1 color photograph. ICC Festival, Anaheim. (Jan. 1977)
FOLDER 69: 1 color photograph. Fundraiser by 1st Unitarian Church of L.A., Santa Barbara. (1977)
FOLDER 70: 73 black & white and color photographs. Performance in New York. (June 1983)
FOLDER 71: 6 color photographs. Unidentified performance. (1985)
FOLDER 72: 2 color photographs. Radio City Music Hall Strike. (1986)
FOLDER 73: 2 color photographs. Performance in New York. (1986)
FOLDER 74: 2 color photographs. Unidentified performance. (1988)

PERFORMANCES - UNDATED
FOLDER 75: 31 color photographs. Unidentified performance with Perry. (undated)
FOLDER 76: 17 color slides and 9 color photographs. A tribute to Earl Robinson "Alive and Well Celebration". (undated)
FOLDER 77: 12 black & white and color photographs and 1 slide. Paul Robeson and Earl Robinson. (undated)
FOLDER 78: 7 black & white photographs. Unidentified performance. Lead Belly. (undated)
FOLDER 79: 2 black & white photographs. CLS Chorus, L.A. (undated)
FOLDER 80: 1 black & white photograph. People's Songs (undated)
FOLDER 81: 2 black & white photographs. Germany trip with Robinson, Martin, Landau. (undated)
FOLDER 82: 3 black & white photographs. Robinson with Arlo Guthrie and unidentified artist. (undated)
FOLDER 83: 59 black & white photographs. Unidentified performances. (undated)
FOLDER 84: 25 color photographs. Unidentified performances. (undated)

MISCELLANEOUS
FOLDER 85: 6 black & white and color photographs. Unidentified performance groups. (undated) 1 black & white photograph of Nat King Cole Trio. (undated)
FOLDER 86: 2 color photographs. University of California Theater marquee, "Earl Robinson Live"
FOLDER 87: 3 black & white photographs. Misc. pictures of guitars.
FOLDER 88: 9 black & white and color photographs. Miscellaneous, postcards, Christmas cards, etc.
FOLDER 89: 20 black & white and color photographs. Unidentified.
Folder 90: approx 20 photos & approx 25 slidesBOX 4: OVERSIZE PHOTOGRAPHS
Oversize #1: "Uptight" filming. Robinson, Booker T. Jones et al. Earl Robinson with group of men (one on crutches) outside of office? Photograph by Frank Dandridge, 1968.
Oversize #2: "Uptight" filming. Robinson, Booker T. Jones et al. Earl Robinson with man on crutches. Sign in background "Up Tight Editorial". Photograph by Frank Dandridge, 1968.
Oversize #3: "Uptight" filming. Robinson, Booker T. Jones et al. Earl Robinson with same group of men. Photograph by Frank Dandridge, 1968.
Oversize #4: "Uptight" filming. Robinson, Booker T. Jones et al. Earl Robinson with two men. Same group as above. Photograph by Frank Dandridge, 1968
Oversize #5: Portrait of Earl Robinson. (undated)
Oversize #6: Earl Robinson. Taken in 1976 near Santa Barbara
Oversize #7: Autographed portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt. Addressed to Earl Robinson.

BOX 5: Negatives
Folder 1: 14 35mm negatives for images in 1/7
Folder 2: 45 negatives for images in 1/9
Folder 3: 36 35mm negatives for images in 1/10
Folder 4: 18 35mm negatives for images in 1/11
Folder 5: 12 35mm negatives for images in 1/12
Folder 6: 10 color negatives for images in 1/14
Folder 7: 2 copy negatives of watercolors of Earl Robinson. Not printed.

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