COMMUNITY ON THE LINE: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS COMMUNITY COLLECTIONS PROJECT

Community on the Line: Documenting the Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware Soul LIne Dance Community total collection contains almost 1000 files that include photographs, videos, audio and manuscript files of events, oral histories, and interviews. 

 Phase I documentation at the Library of Congress dates from March 2022 to March 2023. 

Additional oral histories were documented during Phase II in 2024.

Made possible by grants to Karen "Queen Nur" Abdul-Malik by the Library of Congress and In FACT, Inc. by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.

Project Manager:

Karen "Queen Nur" Abdul-Malik

a New Jersey Heritage Fellow

Advisors: 

Aline Goodman, Kenneth "Kenny J" Johnson, Gloria Kingcade

Interpretive Planning Committee:  Bernadette Burnette, Douglas Hawkins, Joyce Myers, Vonda Pearson, Tamika Shipman, Christopher "Chris Blues Torres, Nichelle Underwood

Documentation Team: 

Queen Nur, Driven By Design, and Tamika Shipman.

Video Contributor: 

Event Stream Team

Admin: 

Keisha Gilchrist-Broomes, Michael Clay

Assistant: 

Lorraine McClary

Derrick, Ballou, Chris Blues, Ray Boyd, Bernadette Burnette, Lynnda Bussey and Jeanette Edmond, Stephanie Christmas, Aline Goodman, Douglas "X Man" Hawkins, Sheila Holiday, Kenneth 

"Kenny J" Johnson, Sylvia Kenion, Gloria Kingcade, Devonte Normand and Alverta Reams, Randi O’Neal, Vonda Pearson, AJ Rivers, Ellen Small and Diane Redd, Chiquita Smith, Bob Terruso, 

Butch Thomas, Terresina Wilson

Couples Interview:

 June and Audrey Donaldson, Aaron and Lanzy Witherspoon, Dee and Bud Garner.

North Jersey Focus Group Interview: Sharnette Bostic, Eileen Howard, 

Dee Inman, Nichelle Underwood

Interpretive Panning Meetings, Pennsauken, NJ

Silk N 'Em, New Castle, DE

June and Audrey's Classic Soul Line Dance Party, Philadelphia., PA

Kimmel Center with Chris Blues, Philadephia, PA

Step 4 Step Anniversary Weekend, Kenilworth, NJ 

Newark Symphony Hall, Newark, NJ

I am Kenny J Best of Both Worlds, Pennsauken, NJ 

Vonda Pearson 80's Themed Party, Bernadette Burnette Class Christmas Party, Norristown, PA

I am Kenny J All Request Party, Pennsauken, NJ

Parkside Experience with Chris Blues, Ardmore, PA

Sheila Holiday Sock Hop, Phila., PA

I am Kenny J Team Performance Team Rehearsal, Pennsauken, NJ

UC Star Awards, Baltimore MD.

Phase I Culminating Event, Hi Nella, NJ

Rasheed Bellamy, Denise Hicks and Yanique London, Elsie Jones, Lenny Nutter, Shante Lee Wood, Step 4 Step members  on Dance Apparel

Travelling Line Dancers:

Dr. Sharika Alfred, Stephon Cave, Tri-City Hustlerz members, Darlene Masamori, Shari Walker, Claudette Morrison and Landi Willie

UC Star Awards

Mike Womack

Curtis Goode, Louis "Sweet Lou" Jenkins and  Kenny J

Classes:

Chris Blues

Bernadette Burnette

Ray Boyd

Stephanie Christmas

Douglas Hawkins

Kenny J 

Gloria Kingcade

Devonte Normand

Randi O'Neal

Chiquita Smith

Bob Terruso

Manuscripts

• Transcripts of all Oral Histories and Interviews
• Bob Terruso Dance Instruction Step Sheets
• Ms. Terry's Dance Instruction Catalogue
• Aline Goodman's Playlist 
• 446 Release Forms

Curated Videos

• 60-Minute Community on the Line  (2/2023)
• 27-Minute Exhibit version curated for the Culminating Event  of Phase I on 2.25.2023
• 55-min New Jersey Highlight Version. (2025)

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