Topic: Elvie (L.V.) Thomas

[poymando]

Update............all funding has fallen through.  There has been a consistent decrease in federal funding for projects like this.  After speaking with 14 different universities there is a problem here.  They only want it if its donated and then only half would take it.  The costs of processing the information is quite high.  4 schools would only take this kind of project if it were donated with additional sources of funding already in place.  Friend at ETSU said that the Smithsonian would take it as a donation but that it could take decades before anyone got around to scan in and organizing the information.

Do you mind sharing what universities you pitched this to? Was also curious to know if you are working in behalf of the McCormick family or if you were just hunting around for an institution that might have a budget to purchase the collection.

[tinpanallygurl]

No association with the family at all, looking into to it for pure curiosity sake.  Due to my line of work I know administrators and staff at 61 different colleges and universities.  I emailed and called around hoping to get someone who would say "we will do it".  I only corresponded with 14 schools.  Some in Texas, Tennessee, California,  and Mississippi.  If I had received even a wiff of interest to pay for a great collection I was going to try and forward that information to Macks family.  Since the sequestration in 2013 federal spending for this kind of treasure is very hard to come by.  It might take a Euro to fix this.

[Gilgamesh]

So I agree, go about your way. Sad that Mack's gone. He was a colorful character and I'm sure he was wonderful to those who were close to him. He was certainly part of the blues scene. Maybe talked to a few interesting people, could tell a few stories. But maybe never really had enough to fill one book? None ever got written. Legends are built upon what we don't know. I'm not trying to be callous, just contributing to a reality check.

It could be that McCormick exaggerated the size and scope of his archive in order to impress people, justify journalistic interest, or to attract donors. Most likely, it was pretty large, but not catalogued or well-organized, and without that no institution is going to offer money to buy sight unseen. McCormick's productive years were 1960-1980. It doesn't appear that he did anything after that. So all the articles that say his archive represented a "lifetime's" accumulation of materials are grossly exaggerated. Still, one can accumulate a lot in 20 years.

The only things I expect (hope?) to see actual publication are Texas Blues and Biography of a Phantom.

[btasoundsradio]

found this on Google, clipped by Alex Van Der Tuuk 2017 Houston Post 1924
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8517723/l-v-thomas-ambulance-helperthe/

then also this weird coincidence:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/lv-thomas-obituary?pid=91248471

[btasoundsradio]

This may be the man who drove the ambulance with LV: Firefighter in Houston:
https://www.fold3.com/page/81773958-jack-stubblefield
https://www.archives.com/1940-census/jack-stubblefield-tx-110840954