The careers of William Grant Still and Verna Arvey were far-reaching as they related to not only the emerging status of African-Americans in classical music, but also as they related to United States social history, race relations and politics. The William Grant Still and Verna Arvey collection contains materials that span the 20th century, and it serves as a rare testament to a period of time in which little documentation exists for African-Americans in American history.

The papers consist of professional and personal correspondence of William Grant Still and Verna Arvey as well as biographical documents, including certificates, diaries, dreambooks, scrapbooks, and predictions. In addition, research files, literary manuscripts, and photographs further document the lives of Still and Arvey. Audio tapes and the musical scores of Still, many in collaboration with Arvey, librettist and lyricist, form another important component of these papers. The literary and musical manuscripts of other writers and composers found in the papers further enhance the collection.

The collection is very extensive, but not all-inclusive. Other materials from the Estate are available through William Grant Still Music (see contact information above.)

The material in the William Grant Still and Verna Arvey Papers has been divided into four groups, each of which has been divided into its own series and subseries. Box numbers are consecutive throughout the collection, but series and subseries are numbered within each group.