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African American musician and bandleader Andy Kirk began a career that spanned more than thirty years in 1919, when he joined the George Morrison Orchestra as a saxophonist. He went on to earn renown as a bandleader and musician within the Big Band and Jazz genres. The Andy Kirk papers include photographs, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and the rough draft manuscript for his autobiography 20 Years on Wheels.

The Andy Kirk Papers are comprised of newspaper clippings, photographs, correspondence, and personal papers which document the career of musician and bandleader Andy Kirk. The collection covers the years 1923 to 1991 but most of the materials are from Kirk's active career within the years 1935 and 1950. The collection was initially processed by the Center for Afro-American and African Studies. It is divided into eight series: Correspondence, Writings, Legal Papers, Photographs, Scripts, Clippings, Ephemera, and Topical Files.