Apollo Theater Cards - Frank Schiffman Apollo Theater Collection (Set 2)

The Apollo Theater hosted numerous performances by popular entertainers who were primarily African-American, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Smokey Robinson, and the Temptations from the early 1930s to the present. In 1934, Frank Schiffman became the first manager of the Apollo Theater. Soon thereafter, he became co-owner, and retained the management position until the early 1960s. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Schiffman's sons, Jack and Robert assisted him with the management of the Apollo, and later took over management when Frank Schiffman's retired. To manage the Theater, the Schiffmans kept a number of different types of records, including “booking cards,” organized by the name of the artist, which detail the dates of performances; fees paid; and brief, but often quite candid, opinions on the quality of the performances, the performers and their drawing power (or lack of it). These helped the Schiffmans to determine future bookings and contracts. We're seeking your help to make these cards more useful for research and exploration; learn how to transcribe them here. You can also explore more in the catalog record of the Frank Schiffman Apollo Collection from the Archives Center at National Museum of American History.