This collection contains photographs and sound recordings by folklorist Robert Stone. These materials document the Sacred Steel gospel tradition from two African American Pentecostal churches in Florida: the House of God, Keith Dominion and the Church of the Living God, Jewell Dominion.

Originally developed for playing Hawaiian music, the steel guitar was integrated into the sacred music of two branches of the House of God, an African American Holiness Pentecostal church, in the late 1930s. Electric steel guitar music became a key part of the services, conventions, and revivals of these two sects. Sacred Steel has evolved into a distinctive genre of African American gospel music with a unique guitar style and repertoire.

9 Linear Feet 15 photograph boxes (9 linear feet), 184 audio cassettes, 27 minidiscs, 34 digital audiotapes

All requests for permission to reproduce or to publish must be submitted in writing to the Arhoolie Foundation.

Collection open for research.