Photograph of Disc Jockey Bill “Hawk” Hawkins, Earl Bostic, and Clyde Roberts: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black-and-white photograph of Disc Jockey Bill “Hawk” Hawkins with Earl Bostic and Clyde Roberts inside the DJ booth in Bill Hawkins’ Record Studio. Bostic is depicted on the left, Hawkins center, and Roberts on the far right. The three men are standing behind the DJ console. Bostic is wearing a button-down shirt with a pineapple pattern and suspenders. He is smiling, facing the viewer, and looking towards Hawkins. Hawkins is wearing a white collared shirt, a polka dot tie, and medium-toned trousers. He is facing the viewer but his eyes are closed and his chin is pointing slightly downwards. There is a silver tone microphone directly in front of him. Roberts is depicted facing the viewer with his proper left hand resting on the side of a turntable on the DJ console. He is wearing a white, short sleeve shirt with a plaid collar and dark trousers. His name, [Clyde], is stitched over his proper left breast pocket. In front of the console 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[?]]. The sign partially blocks both Hawkins and Bostic. Also leaning on the console, is an open display box with compartment dividers filled with a plate, utensils, and small bowls and dishes. In the background is the corner between two wood paneled walls with two large windows. Onlookers are peering through the windows. The photograph has a white border and a landscape orientation. The back of the photograph is white and playing with a black ink stamp at the center and several ink and pencil inscriptions. The back of the photograph is white with a stamp at the center and handwritten green and black ink and inscriptions in different handwriting. The black ink stamp at the center reads [PHOTO BY / JIMMY JOYCE / 2222 EAST 29TH ST. / CLEVELAND 6, OHIO]. The green ink inscriptions in the top left corner reads [Earl Bostic / Hawk / Clyde Roberts]. In the tope right quadrant is a black ink inscription that reads [EARLY TO MID 50’s].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1952
• Photograph by: James A. Joyce, American
• Subject of: Bill Hawkins, American, 1909 - 1975
• Subject of: Earl Bostic, American, 1913 - 1965
• Subject of: Clyde Roberts
• Subject of: WDOK 1260, American, 1950 - 2015
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Type: portraits
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 5 1/16 × 7 in. (12.9 × 17.8 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: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Radio
• Topic: Rhythm and blues (Music)
• Object number: 2018.91.2.34
• 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.