Guide to the Arnold Vernon Baranco Papers
Elizabeth Happy
African American Museum and Library at Oakland
659 14th Street
Oakland, California 94612
Phone: (510) 637-0198
Fax: (510) 637-0204
Email: aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org
URL: http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/locations/african-american-museum-library-oakland
© 2013
African American Museum and Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Arnold Vernon Baranco Papers
Collection number: MS 15
African American Museum and Library at Oakland
Oakland, California
- Processed by:
- Elizabeth Happy
- Date Completed:
- 09/30/1995
- Encoded by:
- Sean Heyliger
© 2013 African American Museum and Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Arnold Vernon Baranco papers
Dates: 1925-1987
Creator:
Baranco, Arnold Vernon, 1915-1987
Collection Size:
.25 linear feet
(1 box)
Repository:
African American Museum and Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Abstract: The Arnold Vernon Baranco papers include newspaper clippings, correspondence, yearbooks, WPA musical programs and photographs
related to the life and musical activities of Arnold Vernon Baranco. The collection is organized into three series: biographical,
teaching activities, musical activities, and photographs. The biographical series includes certificates, clippings, awards,
membership cards, and his high school yearbook. The teaching activities series includes a small number of letter, and the
musical programs document WPA performances given by Baranco. The photographs in the collection are related to Baranco's family,
friends, and musical activities.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
No access restrictions. Collection is open to the public.
Access Restrictions
Materials are for use in-library only, non-circulating.
Publication Rights
Permission to publish from the Arnold Vernon Baranco Papers must be obtained from the African American Museum and Library
at Oakland.
Preferred Citation
Arnold Vernon Baranco papers, MS 15, African American Museum and Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.
Biography / Administrative History
Arnold Vernon Baranco was born in Louisiana in 1915 and came to Oakland at the age of nine. He was the first African American
probation officer in Alameda County and was active as a singer and choral director. Baranco graduated from the Oakland Technical
High School in 1932 and was a member of the A Capella Choir and also earned a varsity letter on the football team. In 1936,
he graduated from
the Sacramento Junior College, where he was a tenor with their A Capella Choir. He was also elected
to Phi Iota Lambda, the Junior College Philosophy Honor Society as well at Phi Theta Kappa, a
scholastic fraternity recognizing academic merit. Between 1944-1945, he served as a sergeant in the
370th Infantry Regiment, APO # 92, stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. During that time, he sang
as a member of the USO Glee Club. After WW II, in 1948, Baranco received a degree in social
welfare from the University of California at Berkeley.
Baranco was actively involved with music throughout his life either as a singer or as a choir
director. He was an early member of the Oakland Colored Chorus, which later expanded to sixty
singers under the directorship of Elmer Keeton, who acquired its funding from the Works Progress
Administration Federal Arts Project. When Elmer Keeton died in 1947, Baranco became one of three
co-directors of the choir, renamed the Keeton Memorial Choir. In addition to singing and directing,
Baranco also taught two evening classes in singing from 1951-1952 for the
Oakland Public Schools.
In 1957, Baranco retired as probation officer. He remained active in music until his death in
1987.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Arnold Vernon Baranco papers include newspaper clippings, correspondence, yearbooks, WPA musical programs and photographs
related to the life and musical activities of Arnold Vernon Baranco. The collection is organized into three series: biographical,
teaching activities, musical activities, and photographs. The biographical series includes certificates, clippings, awards,
membership cards, and his high school yearbook. The teaching activities series includes a small number of letter, and the
musical programs document WPA performances given by Baranco. The photographs in the collection are related to Baranco's family,
friends, and musical activities.
Arrangement
Series I. Biographical
Series II. Teaching activities
Series III. Musical activities
Series IV. Photographs
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Baranco, Arnold Vernon, 1915-1987.
African Americans--Music--1900-1940.
Biographical
Physical Description: 8 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
The series includes Arnold Baranco's obituary from The Oakland Tribune. The files also include
report cards, clippings, and awards relating to his school activities from Longfellow Elementary
School through Sacramento Junior College, 1927-1936. In addition, there are some clippings on
family members: Professor H. R. Baranco, B. V. Baranco, Sr., and Dr. Raymond M. Baranco.
Arrangement
Arranged by format and thereafter by date.
Box 1:1
Newspaper clippings
1932-1987
Box 1:3
Elementary and Junior High certificates and programs
1927-1929
Box 1:4
High school certificates, programs, and report cards
1931-1932
Box 1:5
Oakland Technical High School yearbook
1932
Box 1:6
Sacramento Junior College programs and certificates
1932-1936
Box 1:7
Musical programs
1934-1936
Box 1:8
Assorted cards and awards
1932-1935
Teaching activities
Physical Description: 2 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
The folders relate to the two years between 1951-1952 when he taught choral singing and sight-singing at night for the Oakland
Public Schools. Includes his teaching contracts, promotional flyers for the classes, their rosters, and a school notice of
a tuberculosis test.
Arrangement
Arranged by format and thereafter by date.
Assorted flyers and resolutions
1951-1952
Musical activities
Physical Description: 5 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
These files contain musical programs that document Baranco's singing and
conducting activities. Two army church programs from Ft. Huachuca, Arizona list Sargent Baranco
as a member of the 370th Infantry Regiment of the U. S. Army. Also included are programs for the
WPA Federal Arts Project performances in which Baranco sang, usually with the Oakland Colored
Chorus. In a file of miscellaneous papers is an invitation from the Lieutenant-Governor of California
to attend the opening of the San Francisco-Bay Bridge on November 12,1936.
Arrangement
Arranged by format and thereafter by date.
Box 1:12
Church programs: listed
circa 1930-1962
Box 1:13
Church programs: not listed
1934-1980
Box 1:14
General programs
circa 1925-1945
Box 1:15
Assorted membership cards, postcards, and letters of recommendation
circa 1936-1955
Photographs
Physical Description: 1 folder
Series Scope and Content Summary
The photographs include images of family members, childhood, high school football team, friends, and musical performances.
Box 1:16
Unidentified women sitting in dining hall [001]
undated
Box 1:16
Unidentified woman standing in front of car [002]
undated
Box 1:16
Two unidentified children playing with ball in front yard [003]
1965
Box 1:16
Unidentified group in front of car [004]
undated
Box 1:16
Unidentified woman standing in front of car [005]
undated
Box 1:16
Unidentified woman playing in snow in the mountains [006]
circa 1920s
Box 1:16
Group photograph of Keeton Memorial Choir [007]
1964
Box 1:16
Baranco conducting choir at Woodminster Theater, Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland, California [010]
circa 1940s
Box 1:16
Group photograph of West football team, East-West game [011]
1932
Box 1:16
Keeton Memorial choir [012]
1964
Box 1:16
Boy sitting on steps watching choir singing on stage [013]
undated
Box 1:16
Group photograph of USO Glee Club at party, Ft. Huachuca, Arizona [014]
1944
Box 1:16
Arnold Baranco at microphone with USO Director Marian Washington [015]
circa 1940s
Box 1:16
USO Glee Club singing, Ft. Huachuca, Arizona [016]
1944
Box 1:16
Portrait inscribed,
To Arnold with the utmost love and happiness exclusively your Doris [017]
undated
Box 1:16
Arnold Baranco conducting the Keeton Memorial Choir [018]
1948
Box 1:16
Arnold Baranco singing at Nells Memorial Stadium, Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, also pictured: Col. Louis J. Beasley, Brigadier General
Colburn, Brigadier General Wood, Reverend Richardson, Major General E.M. Almond, Col. Edwin Hardy [019]
1944
Box 1:16
Group photograph of choir [020]
undated
Box 1:16
Arnold Baranco with unidentified woman [021]
undated
Box 1:16
Portrait of unidentified woman inscribed,
To a friend from a friend, Annie [022]
1965
Box 1:16
Unidentified woman sitting on steps [023]
1943
Box 1:16
Group photograph with 10 unidentified men and women [024]
1951
Box 1:16
Choir on stage with air balloon flying in sky above [025]
undated
Box 1:16
Choir singing outside [026]
undated
Box 1:16
Arnold Baranco with Intercultural Fellowship choir [027]
1964
Box 1:16
Choir singing outside [028]
undated
Box 1:16
Portrait of unidentified man [029]
undated
Box 1:16
Infant in front of cake with candle inscribed,
To Jenks from Arnold age 1 year [030]
undated
Box 1:16
Portrait of unidentified woman [031]
undated
