Photograph of Bill Hawkins with Billy Ward & His Dominoes: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black-and-white photograph of Disc Jockey Bill “Hawk” Hawkins with Billy Ward and his Dominoes. The photograph, taken inside Bill Hawkins’ Record Studio, depicts, from left to right, Billy Brown, Clyde McPhatter, Bill Hawkins, Charlie White, Billy Ward, and Joe Lamont. They are standing behind a DJ console with a turntable and a microphone. Brown, standing on the far left, is depicted wearing a medium-toned suit jacket, light-toned trousers, a white collared shirt, and a white tie. He is looking at the viewer with a serious expression on his face. To the right of Brown and slightly behind Hawkins, is McPhatter. He is wearing a dark-toned suit and a white collared shirt. His chin is lifted and he is smiling at the viewer. Hawkins is depicted at the center, smiling, and looking towards the left edge of the photograph. He has a pair of headphones over his ears with black wires draped down the front of his shirt. He is wearing a white collared shirt, dark trousers, a medium-toned tie with dark and light diagonal stripes. To the right of, and slightly behind, Hawkins is White. He is depicted looking downwards. He is wearing a dark suit with wide pinstripes and a white collared shirt. To the right of White is Ward, who is depicted facing the viewer and smiling. He is wearing a dark-toned suit and a white collared shirt. On the far right is Lamont. Lamont is depicted smiling and looking downwards. He is wearing a medium-toned jacket and a white collared shirt. Leaning on the front of the turntable is a black sign with white text in varying fonts that reads, [See and Hear / Bill HawKins' / Show / 5:45 - 6:45 / Radio Station / WDOK [1260?]] / O[---?]]. Also leaning on the turntable, is an open display box with compartment dividers filled with a white plate, white utensils, and small white bowls and dishes. The other items on the table in front of the turntable include a display bottle of [Burkhardt’s / mug ale] attached to a cardboard cutout of a dog, a can of Burkhardt’s, a metal mixer with a glass mixing bowl, two [Hopalong / Cassidy] radios, a serving tray with an ice bucket and highball glasses, and a [Kromex / [---?] / Kakover] cake saver. In the bottom right corner is the photographer’s mark in black text that reads [JAMES A. JOYCE / PHOTOGRAPHER / CLEVELAND, OHIO]. The photograph has a white border and a landscape orientation. The back of the photograph is white with an upside-down photographer’s stamp at the center and a pencil inscription. The black ink stamp at the center reads [PHOTO BY / JIMMY JOYCE / 2222 EAST 29TH ST. / CLEVELAND 6, OHIO]. Just above the stamp is a pencil inscription that reads [Dominoes].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1954
• Photograph by: James A. Joyce, American
• Subject of: Bill Hawkins, American, 1909 - 1975
• Subject of: Billy Ward, American, 1921 - 2002
• Subject of: Clyde McPhatter, American, 1932 - 1972
• Subject of: Charlie White, American, died 2005
• Subject of: Billy Brown, American, died 2005
• Subject of: Joe Lamont, American, died 1998
• Subject of: Billy Ward & His Dominoes, American, 1950s-1960s
• Type: photographs
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 8 1/8 × 10 in. (20.6 × 25.4 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 8 3/8 × 9 7/8 in. (21.3 × 25.1 cm)
• Place captured: Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
• Place printed: Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Radio
• Topic: Rhythm and blues (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2018.91.2.18
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of W. Allen Taylor, son of "Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins," The First Black Disc Jockey of Cleveland, Ohio
• 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: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.