Porter_Donald The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Donald Porter
Overview of the Item Adele Hodge Matthew Hickey Video Oral History Interview with Donald Porter May 05, 2003 4 Betacam SP videocassettes, 1 half-Hollinger box containing (NUMBER) folders of accompanying materials. (ABSTRACT) A2003.097 The interviews and records are in English Biographical Note

Donald "Duck" Porter was born in Chicago, on November 22, 1936. The son of a teacher and a steel worker, Porter's family moved from Chicago to nearby Gary, Indiana, in 1951, where he finished high school in 1956.

The Spaniels, the musical group to which Porter would eventually belong, formed in 1952 along with Vee-Jay Records. Porter joined the group four years later, and continued to sing and tour with the group for the next three years. The Spaniels are widely regarded as being one of the greatest doo-wop groups of the 1950s, and their 1954 hit, "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight," has been featured in several movies, including American Graffiti and Three Men and a Baby. Porter and the rest of the group toured the country with other popular acts, such as Little Richard and Chuck Berry, until the group disbanded in 1959.

Porter went to work for Acme Steel Company as a crane operator after The Spaniels broke up, and he remained there until 1963. He spent the next decade working as a bookbinder. In 1973, The Spaniels reformed and toured until 1988. Since then, Porter has been the head of security for the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston. He also travels the country, speaking about the music of the 1950s. In recent years, The Spaniels reunited and were the closing act of a PBS concert special, Doo Wop 50: Celebrating Five Decades of Street Corner Harmony. The special generated more money than any other PBS special to date.

Porter has seven children.

Biographical Note by The HistoryMakers®

 Scope and Contents

This life oral history interview with Donald Porter was conducted by Adele Hodge on 2003-05-05 in Chicago, Illinois and is recorded on 4 30-minute Betacam SP videocassettes. Access copies exist on Betacam SP, VHS, DVD and MPEG-1. The interview contains information on (COMPLETE ONE SENTENCE DESCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW). Accompanying materials in the collection include Donald Porter's correspondence with The HistoryMakers® related to the interview; a copy of the signed release form and the production report; the biographical information used by the interviewer to prepare for the interview (DETAILS); paper copies of the interview transcripts, 3 1/2" floppy disks with electronic copies of the transcripts; selected quotes for video clips; photocopies of photographs captured on video; XML files with metadata created in editing and cataloguing the interview for The HistoryMakers Digital Video Library; and paper copies of these XML files.

Accompanying Material

Accompanying materials: Accompanying materials are filed in (NUMBER) folders in a half-Hollinger box and shelved at The HistoryMakers® Archives and Collection Library by accession number, separately from the videos.

Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access terms.

Contributors: Porter, Donald Hodge, Adele Hickey, Matthew Persons: (PERSONS) Corporate Bodies: (CORPORATE BODIES) Family Names: Porter Places: (PLACES) Subjects: (SUBJECTS) Document Types: Video oral history interview Titles: The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Donald Porter Restrictions on Access

Access to paper records is restricted. Other restrictions may be applied on a case-by-case basis.

 Restrictions on Use

All use of materials must be pre-approved by The HistoryMakers® and appropriate credit must be given. All use credits must be pre-approved by The HistoryMakers®. Copyright is held by The HistoryMakers®.

 Location of Originals

Betacam, VHS, DVD and MPEG-1 access copies are held for in-house use at The HistoryMakers®; Betacam SP, VHS and DVD playback hardware is provided for in-house viewing of the access copies; MPEG-1 copies are searchable and viewable via a digital video database.

Preferred Citation

The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Donald Porter, May 05, 2003. The HistoryMakers® African American Video Oral History Collection, 1900 S. Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois.

 Detailed Description/Tape Listings Video Oral History Interview with Donald Porter, Tape 1, May 05, 2003, TRT: 00:30:35:25. Donald Porter discusses his family background, detailing his relationships with his father, mother, and grandmother. Porter also describes growing up in Chicago and his subsequent move to Gary, Indiana, where he graduated high school. He recalls being a nondescript student who enjoyed English classes and foreign languages. Video Oral History Interview with Donald Porter, Tape 2, May 05, 2003, TRT: 00:30:28:02. Donald Porter recites lines from some of his favorite poetry, an interest he developed as a child with his father. Porter then describes his high school years in Gary, Indiana, explaining how he was recruited to sing in the R&B group the Spaniels. Porter details the group's struggle with the recording industry, explaining how white groups and songwriters took credit and royalties away from black artists, including the Spaniels. Video Oral History Interview with Donald Porter, Tape 3, May 05, 2003, TRT: 00:30:01. Donald Porter describes the court case in which he and other members of the Spaniels sued for the right to collect royalties. He explains how the record industry exploited many black artists, and how many groups never received due credit for their achivements. Porter also talks about the Spaniels's breakup and subsequent reunion, as well as describing his life after retiring from the Spaniels. Video Oral History Interview with Donald Porter, Tape 4, May 05, 2003, TRT: 00:29:30:19. Donald Porter discusses the differences between the current hip-hop music industry and the R&B music industry, focusing on the differences in record distribution. Porter also explains how gospel music and old spirituals formed the backbone for R&B and rock 'n roll. He considers his legacy and shares some of his own personal philosophy and faith. Porter then describes a series of photos depicting his life, family, and career.