Blondie Robinson collection of African-American Minstrel and Vaudeville photographs
A collection of 77 vintage photographs, primarily from the early 20th century, the bulk of which is dated between the years 1915 and 1925, formerly owned by Blondie Robinson, an accomplished African-American vaudeville performer of that era. The heart of this collection is comprised of photographs directly associated with Robinson himself that represent a visual composite of his professional life on stage, both as a solo performer and in collaboration with others. It offers substantive documentation about Robinson's repertoire of stage acts and his versatility as a vaudevillian -- the various characters he portrayed on stage, including blackface caricatures, his comedic sensibility, the sheer physicality of his performances, and the various costumes and props that he used. This collection also contains a significant number of photographs of other vaudeville performers, primarily but not exclusively African American, all of whom were professional associates of Robinson. Also of note in this collection are a few informal photographs of Robinson, alone and with others, some of whom are presumed to be members of Robinson's family and may even include images of his wife and daughter. Last but not least, this collection also includes useful pieces of textual information found on some of the photographs in the form of signatures, inscriptions, photographers marks, and annotations.
Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Right-side facing; stepping forward with cane in right hand; in bellhop uniform (hat on head, bowtie, brass buttons, cane, and leather shoes); San Francisco, Calif.; circa 1915-1925. Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Right-side facing; stepping forward with cane in right hand; in bellhop uniform (hat on head, bowtie, brass buttons, cane, and leather shoes); San Francisco, Calif.; circa 1915-1925. Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Right-side facing; cane in right hand; in formal attire (suit coat and pants, rimmed hat, dark-colored bowtie, cane, and leather shoes); San Francisco, Calif.; circa 1915-1925. Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Right-side facing; cane in right hand; in formal attire (suit coat and pants, rimmed hat, dark-colored bowtie, cane, and leather shoes); San Francisco, Calif.; circa 1915-1925. Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Front facing; standing on left leg only; cane in right hand; in formal attire (suit coat and pants, rimmed hat, dark-colored bowtie, cane, and leather shoes); San Francisco, Calif.; circa 1915-1925. Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Front facing; standing on left leg only; cane in right hand; in formal attire (suit coat and pants, rimmed hat, dark-colored bowtie, cane, and leather shoes); San Francisco, Calif.; circa 1915-1925. Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Left-side facing; cane in left hand; in formal attire (long tail tuxedo, top hat in right hand, light-colored bowtie, cane, gloves, spats, and leather shoes); circa 1915-1925. (copy 2) Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Left-side facing; cane in left hand; in formal attire (long tail tuxedo, top hat in right hand, light-colored bowtie, cane, gloves, spats, and leather shoes); circa 1915-1925. (copy 2) Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Left-side facing; cane in left hand; in formal attire (long tail tuxedo, top hat in right hand, light-colored bowtie, cane, gloves, spats, and leather shoes); circa 1915-1925. (copy 1) Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Left-side facing; cane in left hand; in formal attire (long tail tuxedo, top hat in right hand, light-colored bowtie, cane, gloves, spats, and leather shoes); circa 1915-1925. (copy 1) Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Left-side facing; bending over and removing glove; in cowboy costume (Stetson hat, boots, plaid shirt, striped vest, gauntlet, holster on belt, arm band, and scarf); Chicago, Ill.; circa 1920. Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Left-side facing; bending over and removing glove; in cowboy costume (Stetson hat, boots, plaid shirt, striped vest, gauntlet, holster on belt, arm band, and scarf); Chicago, Ill.; circa 1920. Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Front facing; left hand on hip; in cowboy costume (Stetson hat, boots, plaid shirt, striped vest, gauntlet, holster on belt, arm band, and scarf); Chicago, Ill.; circa 1920. (copy 2) Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Front facing; left hand on hip; in cowboy costume (Stetson hat, boots, plaid shirt, striped vest, gauntlet, holster on belt, arm band, and scarf); Chicago, Ill.; circa 1920. (copy 2) Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Front facing; left hand on hip; in cowboy costume (Stetson hat, boots, plaid shirt, striped vest, gauntlet, holster on belt, arm band, tie, and scarf); Chicago, Ill.; circa 1920.(copy 1) Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Front facing; left hand on hip; in cowboy costume (Stetson hat, boots, plaid shirt, striped vest, gauntlet, holster on belt, arm band, tie, and scarf); Chicago, Ill.; circa 1920.(copy 1) Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Left-side facing; left hand on hip; in cowboy costume (Stetson hat, boots, plaid shirt, striped vest, gauntlet, holster on belt, tie, and scarf); Chicago, Ill.; circa 1920. Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Left-side facing; left hand on hip; in cowboy costume (Stetson hat, boots, plaid shirt, striped vest, gauntlet, holster on belt, tie, and scarf); Chicago, Ill.; circa 1920. Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Front facing; grimacing; cane in right hand; in bellhop uniform, (hat, bowtie, 3 rows of brass buttons, and gloves); circa 1915-1925. Full-length image of Blondie Robinson, African American vaudeville performer (male): Front facing; grimacing; cane in right hand; in bellhop uniform, (hat, bowtie, 3 rows of brass buttons, and gloves); circa 1915-1925. Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Three-quarter length image of Bisette, African American vaudeville performer (female): Right-side facing; in formal attire (floor-length dress with lace embellishments, and wide brim hat); Chicago, Illinois; circa 1911. Three-quarter length image of Bisette, African American vaudeville performer (female): Right-side facing; in formal attire (floor-length dress with lace embellishments, and wide brim hat); Chicago, Illinois; circa 1911. Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Headshot of Billy Ward, African American performer (male): In blackface; in formal attire (light-colored jacket, vest, and tie); Little Falls, N.Y.; 1910. Headshot of Billy Ward, African American performer (male): In blackface; in formal attire (light-colored jacket, vest, and tie); Little Falls, N.Y.; 1910. Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
Baby, African American (possible Robinson's child): In carriage; wearing bonnet; in front of backdrop of scenic seascape (Cliff House, in San Francisco, Calif.); California; circa 1905-1910. Baby, African American (possible Robinson's child): In carriage; wearing bonnet; in front of backdrop of scenic seascape (Cliff House, in San Francisco, Calif.); California; circa 1905-1910. Digital object made available by : Brown University Library, John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts, Box A, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, U.S.A., (http://library.brown.edu/)
