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White (Don Lee) Collection
SPC.1900.029  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Availability of Digital Reproductions
  • Arrangement
  • Biographical Note
  • Preferred Citation
  • Related Materials
  • Sacred Music Collection
  • Scope and Contents
  • Separated Materials
  • Conditions Governing Use

  • Contributing Institution: California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
    Title: Don Lee White Collection
    Creator: White, Don Lee, -2010
    Identifier/Call Number: SPC.1900.029
    Physical Description: 39 boxes
    Physical Description: 1 folder (1 oversize folder)
    Physical Description: 31.51 Linear Feet
    Date (inclusive): 1772-2010
    Date (bulk): 1980-2010
    Abstract: This collection contains the papers, photographs, videos, and musical recordings related to organist, conductor, and musicologist Dr. Don Lee White. The collection documents African-American church music, church history, and the evolution of spiritual music in African-American churches. It also includes several compilations of hymns along with audio and video recordings of church and classical performances.
    Language of Material: English , German , Italian .

    Conditions Governing Access

    There are no access restrictions on this collection.

    Availability of Digital Reproductions

    If you would like to view some of the archival materials from this collection that have been digitized already, please visit the Sacred Music Digital Collections Database site: Don Lee White Collection .
    Please keep in mind that some of the materials in our archival collections are still in the process of being digitized and are therefore not yet available to the public.

    Arrangement

    Don Lee White Collection Series Titles

    1. Personal Papers, Scrapbooks, and Books, 1946-2009
    2. Churches, 1772-2010
    3. Music, 1967-2010
    4. Musicians and Composers, 1890-2010
    5. Church organs and Organists, 1900-2009
    6. African American History and Culture, 1922-2010
    7. Programs, 1944-2010
    8. Photographs, 1924-2010
    9. Media, 1946-2010

    Biographical Note

    Don Lee White was born in Los Angeles, CA, on October 25, 1926 and attended both Los Angeles City College and California State University, Los Angeles before earning his Master's degree in Music in 1958 from the University of Southern California (USC) where he majored in Church Music. White completed some graduate work towards his doctorate in Musical Arts at both USC and Stanford University, and was given an honorary doctorate in 1984 by the University of Monrovia, West Africa. In his early career, White was a professor of music and the college organist at Prairie View A and M University in Texas for five years. Upon his return to Los Angeles he taught organ, piano, choral music, conducting and music appreciation at California State University, Los Angeles for 27 years. White also served as the organist and musical director of the Grant African Methodist Church, Los Angeles, for over 38 years. Under his leadership, the Grant A.M.E. adult choir achieved national recognition for their musical versatility. They performed throughout the United States and recorded several albums. In 1988, White took a leave of absence from Grant A.M.E. and organized the D.L.W. Community Chorale, whose purpose is to perform the extended compositions of African American composers. White was an active member in many music organizations, among them the National Association of Negro Musicians and the American Chorale Directors Association. In addition he was often requested to give lectures and workshops across the country. He passed away on September 16, 2010.

    Preferred Citation

    For information about citing archival material, please consult the appropriate style manual or see the Citations for Archival Material guide: (https://libguides.csudh.edu/archives-citation)

    Sacred Music Collection

    This collection is part the Sacred Music Collection, also known as the Georgia and Nolan Payton Archive of Sacred Music, and is associated with the African Diaspora of Sacred Music and Musicians (ADSMM) Program . The Sacred Music Collection is made up of smaller collections that contain various primary source materials, such as sheet music, books, periodicals, photographs, audio visual materials, manuscripts, and more. ADSMM's mission is to facilitate research, preserve, and make accessible collections documenting the lives of important figures within the sacred music community as well as its influence primarily within the Los Angeles Black community.
    Interested in accessing other Sacred Music collections? If you would like to view these materials in-person, please make an appointment through the Gerth Archives and Special Collections website . If you would like to view these materials online, please visit the the Sacred Music Digital Collections Database website . Please keep in mind that some of the materials in our archival collections are still in the process of being digitized and are therefore not yet available to the public.

    Scope and Contents

    IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT THIS COLLECTION: Boxes 30-33, and 35-39 are currently NOT AVAILABLE for viewing. The entire box or a majority of the materials in these boxes have been sent out to be digitized and should be returning to the Archives shortly. Apologies for the inconvenience and feel free to reach out to us with any questions. Thank you.
    The Don Lee White Collection (1772-2010) contains material and papers documenting White's long career in African-American church music as both an organist and choir director. Most of the material revolves around his work with Los Angeles area churches, particularly his main church and choir at Grant A.M.E. Church. The Personal series includes such items as his professional writings, his transcript from USC, military record, various awards and correspondence. In the Scrapbooks series there are two scrapbooks given to White that show his personal and professional life from those who knew him, as well as a scrapbook about the history of the D.L.W. Community Chorale. The next five series involve his research on various churches. (It begins with general information and papers regarding) the African Methodist Church as a whole (Churches—AME), then delves into his more intensive research on Historic Black Churches (Churches—Historic). This series starts with a focus on the 19th century, but later opens up to include the 18th century as well. The Churches—Los Angeles series is similar to the historic series, but focuses on the Los Angeles area. To support White's studies on the churches there are two series of research material. The next series, Cultural Reference, is a small collection that focuses on African American history. The series entitled People contains White's large collection of material regarding African American musicians and singers. Two highlights of this series include records and biographies of local Los Angeles musicians, as well as an annotated biography of African American composers and arrangers that he created in 1970. A large part of the collection consists of sheet music, ranging from handwritten pieces by White and others, to choral pieces, to compilation books featuring historic spirituals. The Music Hymns series includes compilations of hymns as well as supporting material used in lectures about hymns. In addition there are a number of series to do with reference material that White collected over the years during his research. There are also several multimedia series that contain records, audiocassettes, CDs, Reel-to-Reel tapes, videotapes and DVDs. These contain performances of White's various choirs as well as musical performances he admired. Additional smaller series include Organs, which contains information about various notable organs in churches as well as African-American organists; Photographs, which mostly consists of recent photos of church performances, but also has some from White's early life; and Programs which contain various programs from performances both by White's choirs and others. Lastly there is a small collection of 3x5 floppy disks that contain various documents White used to keep track of church information and choir members. The files from those disks were transferred to a CD for ease of use.

    Separated Materials

    Books from the Don Lee White Collection were separated and added to either the Gerth Archives and Special Collections Rare Book Collection or the Cain Library collections.

    Conditions Governing Use

    All requests for permission to publish or quote from the collection must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    African Americans -- California -- Los Angeles
    African Americans -- Music
    African American choirs
    African American choral conductors
    African American churches
    Music -- Instruction and study
    Church music
    Gospel Music
    Sacred music
    Spirituals (Songs)
    Prairie View A & M University
    California State University, Los Angeles. Department of Music
    Grant AME Church (Los Angeles, Calif.)
    Second Baptist Church (Los Angeles, Calif.)
    dlw Community Chorale
    American Chorale Directors Association
    National Association of Negro Musicians (U.S.)
    Southeast Symphony Association
    Caldwell, Hansonia L. (Hansonia LaVerne), 1944-
    Hairston, Jester, 1901-2000
    McNeil, Albert
    Wilson, J. Harrison