The Radio Committee of the Progressive Business Alliance Presents the First Anniversary of the Negro Business Hour Souvenir Program [caption title]
[Cleveland: ca. 1940]. [20]pp., including numerous photographs printed in the text. Folio. Original yellow pictorial wrappers printed in brown. Edges a bit worn and chipped, some soiling and slight wrinkling to wrappers, a few closed tears to front wrapper repaired on verso. One text leaf with short repaired closed tear to outer margin, moderate toning and light dust-soiling to text. Good. Item #4016
An informative souvenir program celebrating the first year of a Cleveland radio show designed to acquaint listeners "with the Negro-owned and operated businesses in our city." The program was operated by Cleveland's Progressive Business Alliance, an association comprised of the area's African-American business owners. The present work includes background information on the Alliance, the radio show, the Alliance's Monday Luncheon Club, the group's Womens Auxiliary, a few sections containing "Interesting Notes About Negroes in Business," a listing of the Alliance's patrons, and more. The work is profusely illustrated with photographs of the leaders of the Alliance, two group photographs of the "Negro Business Hour Chorus," and a group shot of the "Young People's Sunday Evening Hour" section. Additional photographs feature several of the area's business owners who have taken out advertisements in the work. Among the advertiser-related photographs are two full-page group shots showing the office personnel of the Dunbar Mutual Insurance Society and the People's Appliance Company, respectively. The advertisements occupy much of the present program, making the work tantamount to an African-American business directory of Cleveland in 1940. The Progressive Business Alliance was formed around 1939 by Frank C. Lyons, a Cleveland attorney; the group later changed its name to the Cleveland Business League. An ephemeral work from an important Cleveland-area African American business organization, and seemingly unrecorded, with no copies listed in OCLC.
Price: $750.00