Brief Description of Collection
Title:James Edward Saunders Photograph Collection, c. 1940-1974
Collection Number:P5
Provenance:The Ohio Historical Society acquired the James Edward Saunders Photograph Collection as a gift of James Edward Saunders, Columbus, Ohio, in October 1974.
Extent:.25 cubic foot (1 box)
Repository
Ohio Historical Society
1982 Velma Avenue
Columbus, OH 43211
(614) 297-2510
Access:This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Ohio Historical Society.
Property rights:The Ohio Historical Society owns the property rights to this collection.
Copyrights:James Edward Saunders has dedicated such copyrights as he possesses in this collection to the public. Consideration of all other copyrights is the responsibility of the author and publisher.
Citation:Researchers are requested to cite collection name, collection number, and the Ohio Historical Society in all footnote and bibliographic references.
Transfer:One photograph of the Ohio Avenue Day Nursery was transferred to SC 4472 in October 1983.
Processed by:Kathleen McIntyre, October 1983
Encoded by:Elizabeth Nelson
James Edward (Eddie) Saunders was born in Covington, Kentucky, in 1909. He graduated from Garnett High School in Charleston, West Virginia, and attended West Virginia State University and Wanzer Vocal School. After graduation he toured the country as a gospel singer with the Kings of Harmony and in 1937 moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he formed his own group, the Gospel Trumpets.
Saunders joined radio station WHKC (later WTVN) in 1944 and inaugurated programs titled "Helping Hand" and "Swanee Hour." He became central Ohio's first black disc jockey when he hosted "Chatter Platter" on WRFD radio in 1947. In 1948 he joined radio station WVKO, Columbus's first and only black station. Saunders continued to play gospel music but also programmed rhythm and blues, the first disc jockey to do so in the area. He worked at WVKO until 1979 when he became semi-retired, hosting only one radio program on Sunday mornings. Active within the Columbus community Saunders has received honors from the National Urban League, the Ohio General Assembly, the Columbus City Council, and other organizations.
Source:Interview with Eddie Saunders, November 1983; Columbus Citizen Journal, October 26, 1978.
The James Edward Saunders Photograph Collection contains 168 black and white photographs that span the years from ca. 1940 to 1974 and occupy one-quarter cubic foot. The photographs are arranged by subject, the majority being 8" x 10" publicity shots.
Detailed Description of Collection
Box 1:
Folder 1: Saunders, ca. 1940-1970 (10 items)
The photos of Saunders in folder one include candid and posed shots; many of the candids depict him hosting record hops.
Folder 2: Saunders in radio station, ca. 1940-1970 (21 items)
Folder two contains pictures of Saunders in radio stations, both at WVKO and other stations, including shots with his father and wife as well as alone.
Folder 3: Saunders with entertainment personalities, ca. 1950-1960 (30 items)
Folder 4: Entertainment personalities, ca. 1940-1950 (36 items)
Although folders three and four contain pictures of singers and sports figures who are familiar to the general public, the majority of the photographs are of less well known gospel singers and groups. Entertainment personalities in these two folders include:
William "Count" Basie
The Bradford Specials
Ruth Brown
Winni Brown
Eddie Chamblee
Ezzard Charles
Dorothy Clarke
The Classics
Nat "King" Cole
Eddie "Jay" Colton
Sammy Davis Jr.
The Dixie Hummingbirds
Bill Doggett
Hattye Easley
Billy Eckstine
Edward "Duke" Ellington
The Flying Cloud Quintet
The Golden Gate Quartet
Lionel Hampton
Mahalia Jackson
Stan Kenton
The Kings of Harmony
Frankie Laine
Joe Liggins
Brother Joe May
The Memphis Slim Quartet
Roy Milton
The Nicholas Brothers
The Ohio Gospel Singers
The Original Gospel Harmonettes
The Orioles Quartet
Esther Overstreet
Henry Payden
The Pilgrim Travelers
Arthur Prysock
Jackie Robinson
Glenn T. Settle
George Shearing
The Soul Stirrers
The Staple Singers
Reece "Goose" Tatum
Sonny Thompson
The Turner Gospel Singers
Carl Van-Moon
Sarah Vaughan
The Voices of Love
"Jersey" Joe Walcott
Ann Walder
Clara Ward
Lois Waterford
Nancy Wilson
Wings Over Jordan
Stevie Wonder
Folder 5: Saunders with political figures, ca. 1950-1970 (19 items)
The political figures pictured in folder five include such national, state, and local figures as:
Samuel L. Devine (U.S. Representative)
Thomas H. Herbert (Ohio Supreme Court Justice)
Hubert H. Humphrey (U.S. Vice President)
Lyndon B. Johnson (U.S. President)
Frank J. Lausche (Governor)
Thomas Moody (Mayor of Columbus)
Richard M. Nixon (U.S. President)
James A. Rhodes (Governor)
Maynard E. Sensenbrenner (Mayor of Columbus)
Folder 6: Saunders with others, ca. 1950-1974 (40 items)
Saunders appears with many unidentified local groups and people in the photographs in folder six. The groups that are identified include the Frontiers of America Club, a Columbus chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and the quartet union of the Refuge Baptist Church.
Folder 7: Miscellaneous, ca. 1950-1970 (12 items)
Folder seven includes pictures of Saunders with other employees of WVKO shots of Saunders with groups of unidentified children and teenagers, and a group of Columbus's disc jockeys in 1957. The majority of photographs in folder seven are of black youths in school and at a recreation center. A photograph of the WVKO slo-pitch softball team is also included.
For questions on the Audiovisual Collections, email audiovisual@ohiohistory.org