Southern California Hot Jazz Society Button: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This button is from the Southern California Hot Jazz Society. It is made of off-white paper with orange and yellow ink covered with a clear film, on a two-piece metal button with a straight-style pin back. The button is printed:

The Southern California Hot Jazz Society was founded in 1950. The idea for this jazz society, originated in 1949 by Floyd Levin on his Jazz on Parade radio program. Considered as one of the oldest jazz clubs in the United States, SCJHS was a non-profit organization that promoted Dixieland or “Hot Jazz” music originating from New Orleans in the early 20th century. In 2016, SCHJS ceased its operations.

Floyd Levin (1922-2007) was a Los Angeles textile manufacturer who turned his passion for jazz into a second career as an influential jazz journalist and historian. His numerous reviews, profiles, and articles were published in magazines such as Down Beat, Jazz Journal International, Metronome, and American Rag. He also authored Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians. Items in this collection (2011.3086) were acquired from Levin’s attendance at Jazz Festivals, conferences, and other music events.

Materials, dates and provenance

• user: Levin, Floyd
• Object Name: button
• Physical Description: ink (overall material)
• Physical Description: metal (overall material)
• Physical Description: paper (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 2 1/4 in; x 5.715 cm
• place made: United States: California
• ID Number: 2011.3086.186
• nonaccession number: 2011.3086
• catalog number: 2011.3086.186
• Credit Line: Gift of Lucille Levin
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.