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.
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.
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.
1.5 Linear Feet
English
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.
This collection is organized into seven series.
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.
Processed by John Davis in November 2019 with ongoing accruals
Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library