Black and white photographic postcard of the singer and musician Gladys Bentley dressed in a men's white tuxedo and white top hat, holding a cane at her side tucked under her arm. The phrase: "America's Greatest Sepia Player" is printed down the left side of the postcard and the phrase: "The Brown Bomber of Sophisticated Songs" is printed down the right side of the postcard.

A black-and-white photograph mounted on an album page. The photograph features Tito D'Rivera in a white jacket with bow tie and conductor's baton. His hand is on the shoulder of his young son, Paquito D'Rivera. Paquito is wearing a white suit and is holding a saxophone. The photograph is inscribed across the front.

A small flier advertising "There's a Poison Goin On...", an album by Public Enemy. On the front is a black-and-white print of children playing with toys - all but one wear gas masks. Above is the group's name and logo, and below is the name of the album. Featured prominently on the back is the group's logo of a figure in a hat as seen through a targeting scope.

A black-and-white photograph of The Fugees in New York City, 1994. The image features the three members wearing winter coats and hats and posing together in front of window through which urban buildings can be seen. Lauryn Hill is in the center, with Wyclef Jean to her proper right and Pras Michel to her proper left. Just beneath the image in the bottom right corner is the photographer's signature [David Corio]. On the verso is an inscription in graphite reading [THE FUGEES / NYC / 1994] followed by the photographer's copyright stamp in black ink and the photographer's signature in graphite with [1/25].

This costume is comprised of four (4) pieces, a jumpsuit (.1), a cape (.2), a headpiece (.3), and a pair of boots (.4ab) worn by André De Shields as The Wizard in "The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical 'Wonderful Wizard of Oz'" on Broadway.

A ticket for a 1981 performance by Stevie Wonder in Japan. The front of the ticket is predominantly blue in color with a small horizontal strip of white beneath the larger blue block; within the blue block is a line of large black text which reads [STEVIE WONDER]. The other text is written in Japanese characters with cardinal numbers. To the left of the ticket's main body is a perforated edge with the ticket stub is still attached. The stub is white with black text. The back of the ticket has additional information in black text on white paper. A partial stamp is visible on the left side.

An Epiphone guitar and a TKL Products Corp. case owned by James Brown. The six-string acoustic guitar is Epiphone model EJ-200NA and has a maple body and a spruce top and neck. The guitar also features gold colored metal hardware and a set maple neck with a crown inlay on a rosewood fingerboard. The serial number of the guitar is Y207183. The guitar is inscribed and signed by several famous individuals in black permanent marker on the front, sides and back of the body. All of the messages are to James Brown and offer praise and thanks. Two of the individuals who signed the guitar are Casey Kasem and Ozzy Osbourne.The guitar case is black with a black cloth lined interior. The clasp and hinges are made of brass colored metal. The TKL Products Corp. logo is on the outside of the case next to the handle. A logo is also on the inside of the case next to the top hinge where the guitar’s neck would be placed.Transcribed by Digital Volunteers

Felton W. Williams Jr. was born on January 3, 1934, in Tupelo, Mississippi. In 1943 his family moved to Detroit, where they attended the same House of God Church as fellow steel guitar pioneer Maurice “Ted” Beard. Williams began playing lap steel in 1947, and by 1952 had played for many large church assemblies in Detroit, Toledo, Ohio, Kansas City, Missouri, and Nashville, Tennessee. In 1956 Williams began working as electrician for Ford Motor Company, a job he would have until retirement in 1994. He used his skills as an electrician to build amplifiers and steel guitars. Williams also taught steel guitar to youth from the church, and had a recording studio in his basement, where he recorded many gospel records for local singers. He was respected in the Sacred Steel community as an innovator, recording artist, studio owner, producer, instructor and inventor.Williams built this steel guitar between 1961 and 1963. It is the first guitar he built, and was his main instrument until he could afford to buy a new guitar in 1970.A console steel guitar consisting of a wood base with two (2) seven-string assemblies attached, the rear mounted higher than the front. There are four (4) steel tube legs that attach to the bottom of the guitar, forming a console. Between the string assemblies are power and sound controls mounted to aluminum plates. The guitar is packed in a black, vinyl-covered case with steel corners.

This black and white photograph depicts Carmen McRae performing with a band. Shown from the waist up, she stands close to a microphone with her head slightly turned and her eyes closed. She wears a short sleeved striped shirt. Visible behind her are several musicians. A man in a dark suit sits at a piano. Next to him is a man in a light colored suit playing the bass, and a man sitting in a drum set. Behind the men is a sign on the wall with text that reads "BOP CITY." On the back of the photograph is a green sticker with handwritten text that reads "#13."

A baton used by Dr. Issac Ben Greggs, the Director of the Southern University - Baton Rouge marching band nicknamed "the Human Jukebox." The baton has a white plastic stick and a varnished, light brown wooden handle that is smoothly rounded at its base. The stick of the baton tapers towards the tip, away from the handle. Dr. Greggs used the baton to direct The Human Jukebox during games and performances.