Scrapbooks (1934-1954) containing correspondence, clippings, photographs, programs, and other material related to Lewis S. Bullock's work developing and conducting community choruses formed in rural Eastern North Carolina towns in the 1930s, the Eastern Carolina Symphonic Choral Association, the North Carolina Symphonic Choir, the International Male Chorus in the U.S. Army during World War II and the American Male Chorus which was formed after the war ended and finally disbanded in 1954.
Biographical/historical information
Lewis S. Bullock, a native of Detroit, Michigan, grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he attended Western State Teachers College for a year and then graduated from Westminster Choir College in Ithaca, New York, and later Princeton, New Jersey. In the mid-1930s after his college days, he was invited to Eastern North Carolina to organize community choruses in rural North Carolina towns. Then he developed and conducted the Eastern Carolina Symphonic Choral Association which became the North Carolina Symphonic Choir; this choir toured in New York and California and held a 1942 Victory Tour. After the Victory Tour, he was inducted in the U.S. Army where he formed several military choirs during World War II, culminating in the development of the International Male Chorus. After the war ended, this choir returned to the United States and performed at hospitals in California before the members were discharged from the Army. Mr. Bullock then formed the American Male Chorus which played at Carnegie Hall in 1947 and had a National Good Will Tour before it disbanded in 1954.
Administrative information
Custodial History
November 12, 1991 (unprocessed), 11 volumes; Scrapbooks (1934-1942), containing correspondence, clippings, photographs, and other materials for community choruses, the Eastern Carolina Symphonic Choral Association, and the North Carolina Symphonic Choir. Donor: Mr. and Mrs. Lewis S. Bullock.
November 26, 1991 (unprocessed addition 1), 11 volumes; Scrapbooks (1945-1954), containing correspondence, clippings, photographs, programs, and other materials for the International Male Chorus and and the American Male Chorus. Donor: Mr. and Mrs. Lewis S. Bullock.
April 15, 1992 (unprocessed addition 2), ca. 300 items, 4 volumes; Papers (1941-1954), including correspondence, clippings, photographs, programs, and scrapbooks for American Male Chorus and the North Carolina Symphonic Choir. Donor: Mr. & Mrs. Lewis S. Bullock.
February 26, 1996 (unprocessed addition 3), 2 volumes; Tour book (1946) and reunion album (1978) for International Male Chorus. Donor: Mr. and Mrs. Lewis S. Bullock.
November 26, 2012 (unprocessed addition 4), 2 items, 0.002 cubic feet; Records include programs for the Fifth Annual Spring Music Festival of the Eastern Carolina Symphonic Choral Association held in Greenville, NC, on May 6th through May 10th, 1940, and for the 1941 Trans-Continental Tour of the North Carolina Symphonic Choir. Donor: David Hursh.
August 21, 2015 (unprocessed addition 5), 0.002 cubic feet; Records include copies of promotional materials and clippings for the National Goodwill Tour of the American Male Chorus (1947-1952), obituaries for Lewis Bullock (2006) and his wife Margaret Jones Bullock (2003), and a transcription done by Mr. Shafer of the 5th interview in the East Carolina Manuscript Collection's oral history series (OH0134) with Mr. Bullock. Donor: David M. Shafer.
Source of acquisition
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis S. Bullock
Gift of David Hursh
Gift of David M. Shafer
Processing information
Encoded by Apex Data Services
Copyright notice
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.