Prior and Norris photograph and ephemera collection, 1886-1915

The collection consists of three parts. The first component of the collection includes photographs and ephemera relating to the career of Pat Prior and Effie Norris, and documents their life on the road while performing on the American vaudeville circuits around the turn of the century. The second part includes photographs of vaudeville stage productions, the most significant being of Fanchon and Marco productions. The third part of the collection consists of photographs of primarily vaudeville performers and vaudeville acts of the late 1800s and early 1900, including Eddie Foy and "the world's greatest finger whistler." Many of these were friends of Prior and Norris. Also included are performer postcards, which were used for publicity.

This collection contains images that depict racist and derogatory behavior. Even as the University of Washington and University Libraries condemn them, we have not edited, redacted, excised or otherwise altered these pages, no matter how shocking or offensive they may be. They reflect shameful and regrettable aspects of our nation's history, but remain included as part of an honest presentation of that history and of the primary source material. These offensive words and images also demonstrate what the members of our nation subjected to such discrimination faced in their daily lives, as well as serving as a reminder that the struggle for equity continues today.