Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Hudson, Annette Starr Bruce. and Starr, Henry, 1899-1962.
- Abstract:
- The Annette Starr Bruce Hudson papers consist of photographs, correspondence, brochures, programs, newspapers clippings, awards, and ephemera documenting her career as an instructor of dance, modeling and charm classes.
- Extent:
- 5.75 linear feet (7 boxes + 2 oversized boxes)
- Language:
- Languages represented in the collection: English
- Preferred citation:
-
Annette Starr Bruce Hudson papers, MS 47, African American Museum amp; Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Annette Starr Bruce Hudson papers consist of photographs, correspondence, brochures, programs, newspapers clippings, awards, ephemera, fashion designs documenting her career as an instructor of dance, modeling and charm classes. The papers are organized into four series: Annette Starr Bruce Hudson, Henry Starr, Elmer G. Starr, and Assorted printed material. A majority of the papers are photographs related to Hudson's work as a charm class instructor at DeFremery Recreation Center and Annette's Studio of Transformation in Oakland, California in the 1950s. The Annette Starr Bruce Hudson series is organized into biographical material, professional activities, and photographs. Biographical material includes a funeral program from Hudson's service and Hudson's high school yearbook, junior high newsletter, and report card. Professional activities include a brochure for Annette's Studio of Transformation, assorted charm class and fashion show programs, a file related to Hudson's work as a public relations officer for Studio West in Los Angeles, California, and newspaper clippings related to her charm classes and a file of newspaper clippings of her "People! Places! And Things! " column in the The California Voice. Photographs are arranged into seven sub-series: Charm and modeling classes, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Photograph album, Starr family photographs, Los Angeles, Tom Bradley, and Assorted.
The Henry Starr series includes Browning & Starr concert programs in the United States and Europe, Henry Starr's high school diploma, newspaper clippings documenting his music career, and 34 photographs. The Elmer G. Starr series includes Starr's address book and an inscribed 1945 brochure of A real box office Snow musical marine movie stars. The assorted printed material series has an assortment of WPA and Golden Gate Exposition musical and theater programs from the 1940s, masonic programs, two sketches of a man and a woman, an assortment of inspirational poems and quotations, business cards, and a scrapbook containing handbills and business cards of African American vaudeville performers.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Annette Starr Bruce Hudson (1920-2002) was born on March 16, 1920 to Elmer G. and Marguerite Starr in Oakland, California. After the death of her mother at age 7, she was largely raised by her grandmother, Mary A. Starr in Oakland, California. She attended Golden Gate Junior High School and University High School graduating in 1939. She worked as a waitress during the Golden Gate Exposition in 1939 before eventually teaching charm and etiquette classes at DeFremery Recreation Center in West Oakland beginning in 1950. After graduating from the Merle Norman Institute in 1953, she opened a Merle Norman Studio selling cosmetics and perfumes. In 1954, she opened a charm and modeling studio, Annette's Studio of Transformation, in Berkeley, California, which trained hundreds of graduates each year in personality development, voice and diction, wardrobe, modeling, makeup, hairstyling, figure control, visual poise, and social grace. In the 1950s, Hudson also wrote the social event column, "People!, Places!, and Things!", for the African American newspaper The California Voice.
In 1960, Hudson moved to Los Angeles where she worked as a Public Relations officer at the performing arts center, Studio West, and then served as the Regional Executive Director of the American Cancer Society, Los Angeles County Branch. She married funeral director Luther Hudson in 1970 and remained active in civic and community organizations, including the Church of Christian Fellowship and the NAACP and until her death in 2002.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Sean Heyliger, 08/03/2013.
- Arrangement:
-
Series I. Annette Starr Bruce Hudson Series II. Henry Starr Series III. Elmer G. Starr Series IV. Assorted photographs Series V. Assorted printed material
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Etiquette for women--History--20th century.
Etiquette--Study and teaching.
Models (Persons)--United States--History--Pictorial works.
Models (Persons)--Vocational guidance.
African Americans--California--Berkeley.
African Americans--California--History--20th century. - Names:
- Annetteโs Studio of Transformation (Berkeley, Calif.).
Church of Christian Fellowship (Los Angeles, Calif.).
Merle Norman Cosmetics--History.
Starr Family.
Hudson, Annette Starr Bruce.
Bradley, Tom, 1917-1998.
Starr, Henry, 1899-1962.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
No access restrictions. Collection is open to the public.
Materials are for use in-library only, non-circulating.
- Terms of access:
-
Permission to publish from the Annette Starr Bruce Hudson Papers must be obtained from the African American Museum amp; Library at Oakland.
- Preferred citation:
-
Annette Starr Bruce Hudson papers, MS 47, African American Museum amp; Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
659 14th StreetOakland, CA 94612, US
- Contact:
- (510) 637-0198