Contract between Count Basie and Richard Wright regarding "King Joe": Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A single-paged letter to Count Basie from Richard Wright with a contract concerning royalties and shared monies for the collaboration on the song "King Joe," about the boxer Joe Louis. The document is typed on white paper with a William Morris Agency letterhead. Across the top is printed [NEW YORK LONDON CHICAGO HOLLYWOOD] with two holes punched at center. At top center is the William Morris logo and address for the New York office. The letter is dated [November 14, 1941,] and is addressed to [Count Basie, New York, New York,] It is signed [Very truly yours,] with Richard Wright's signature at center right. At left below Wright's signature is Count Basie's signature with a header reading [AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED']. At bottom center is printed [CABLE: "WILLMORRIS" NEW YORK. "WILLHOLLY" HOLLYWOOD]. The reverse of the document is blank.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1941
• Written by: William Morris Agency, American, 1898 - 2009
• Signed by: Richard Wright, American, 1908 - 1960
• Signed by: Count Basie, American, 1904 - 1984
• Subject of: Joe Louis, American, 1914 - 1981
• Type: contracts
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W: 11 × 8 1/2 in. (27.9 × 21.6 cm)
• Place made: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Business
• Topic: Communication
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Object number: 2014.3.20.1
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Paxton and Rachel Baker
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.