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D.C. punk collection

 Collection 0364-SCPA-DCPUNK

The D.C. punk collection covers the period from 1981-2023; the bulk of the materials date from 1983-1987. The collection includes fliers, posters, recordings, photographs and ephemera related to the punk rock subculture in the Washington, D.C. area, which developed in the late 1970s.

Some materials in this collection might be offensive to patrons. Patrons should use their discretion when viewing materials. Please contact the curator with any questions about this.

Dates

  • 1978-2023, undated

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room during SCPA’s operating hours. Please contact the curator for an appointment or if you have questions related to digital access of the materials.

Duplication and Copyright Information

Copyright was not transferred to the University of Maryland with the gift of any copyrighted materials. All rights remain with the creators and rights holders. The University of Maryland Libraries is granted permission for the use in scholarly research by the Libraries’ patrons under fair use in Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act.

To inquire about duplication of materials for research or for publication, please contact SCPA’s curator.

Extent

1.5 Linear Feet

Historical Note

The punk rock community in the Washington, DC area emerged throughout 1976 and 1977 with the arrival of bands like the Slickee Boys, Overkill, The Look, and the Controls. By the late 1970s, other bands like the Razz, Urban Verbs, Nurses, D.Ceats, White Boy, the Shirkers, and the Penetrators had helped to build a small but thriving scene in the area. The ascent of the groundbreaking DC hardcore punk band Bad Brains as the 1970s ebbed into the 1980s launched a new era for the scene as bands inspired by Bad Brains -- Minor Threat, Government Issue, The Faith, Scream, Void and many others -- established DC as a punk scene of international consequence. The scene has continued to thrive through the decades, with bands that called the DC area home, like Rites of Spring, Dag Nasty, Bikini Kill, the Nation of Ulysses, Jawbox, Bratmobile, The Dismemberment Plan, Black Eyes, Priests, and scores more all having a significant impact on the evolution of the musical genre and subculture.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into seven series.

  1. Fliers and posters
  2. Photographs
  3. Recordings
  4. Ephemera and realia
  5. Publications
  6. Correspondence
  7. Digital files

Provenance

Various gifts of Wendi Berman, Chris Baronner, John Davis, Don Fleming, Karen Jung, Vin Novara, Willona Sloan, Scott Stenger, Robbie White, Andy Freeburg, Shawna Kenney, Morgan Ward, and others. Accruals are ongoing.

Related Materials

• Sharon Cheslow Punk Flyers collection, 1979-1991, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• Aaron Claxton collection on D.C. Hardcore, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• John Davis collection on punk, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• D.C. punk and indie fanzine collection, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• Jason Farrell collection, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• Skip Groff papers, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• Don Hamerman collection of performing arts photography, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• Tommy Keene papers, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• Jeff Krulik papers, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• Ian MacKaye digital collection on punk fanzines, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (forthcoming)

• Kevin Salk collection of DC punk photography, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries (finding aid)

• Kurt Sayenga collection, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• Antonia Tricarico collection, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

• Robbie White collection on the Slickee Boys, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

The D.C. Punk Archive, District of Columbia Public Library

The Riot Grrrl Collection, Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University.

The Sarah and Jen Wolfe Collection of Riot Grrrl and Underground Music Zines, Special Collections, University of Iowa Libraries.

Bingham Center Zine Collections, Duke University Libraries.

Processing Information

Processed by John Davis in November 2019 with ongoing accruals

Title
D.C. punk collection
Status
Completed
Author
John Davis
Date
November 2019
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Library Details

Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library

Contact:
University of Maryland Libraries
8270 Alumni Drive
College Park MD 20742 United States