Manuscript of Shirley Verrett interview written by Lisa Hoffman: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

One (1) 28-page typescript draft for the story of opera singer Shirley Verrett, written by Lisa Hoffman, 1968. This manuscript features black typewritten text throughout and is a narration of the personal interview of Shirley Verrett and her husband Louis Lo Monaco, at their home on Riverside Drive, New York City. On pages 1 through 6 (a-f), Hoffman recounts the casual interview conversation with Verrett and Lo Monaco about makeup, fashion, health, and the couple’s familial backgrounds. On pages 6 through 14 (f-n), the conversation shifts to focus on Verrett’s upbringing between New Orleans and Los Angeles, her college years, musical experiences, and the start of her musical successes, upon moving to New York. On pages 14 through 28 (f-bb), the conversation shifts again to the subject of Verrett and Lo Monaco’s relationship, Verrett’s journey in healing through communication, and the couple’s friendships. There are self-editing marks by Lisa Hoffman throughout. This manuscript is the complementary first part of a large set of pages written by Hoffman in her Shirley Verrett interview collection.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1968
• Written by: Lisa Hoffman, American
• Subject of: Shirley Verrett, American, 1931 - 2010
• Type: manuscripts
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W (a-bb): 11 × 8 1/2 in. (27.9 × 21.6 cm)
• Place made: New York, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Families
• Topic: Journalism
• Topic: Mass media
• Topic: Music
• Topic: Musicians
• Topic: Opera (Music)
• Topic: Race relations
• Object number: 2024.35.2.1a-bb
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• 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: © Lisa Hoffman Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.