Guide to the da Graça and Soares family papers, 1901-1994

Special Collections, James P. Adams Library.
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI, 02908
Tel: 401-456-8380
email:digitalcommons@ric.edu

Published in 2023

Collection Overview

Title:	da Graça and Soares family papers
Date range:	1901-1994
Creator:	Soares, Sylvia Ann
Extent:	0.85 cubic feet
Abstract:	The collection contains the collected papers of the da Graça and Soares family, which includes photographs that reflect the lives of a Cape Verdean family in Rhode Island in the early to mid-twentieth century.
Language of materials:	English; Portuguese
Repository:	Special Collections, James P. Adams Library.
Collection number:	MSS-0072

Scope & content

The collection contains collected papers and personal photographs of the da Graça and Soares family, compiled by Sylvia Ann Soares, including letters, newspaper and article clippings, citizenship materials, recipes, a Portuguese grammar book, and Bible.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Soares, Edwin José (Eddie Soares), 1913-1993
• Soares, Arthur Sebastian, 1916-1987
• Soares, Sebastian José
• Soares, Sylvia Ann
• da Graça, Eduardo
• da Graça, Izora

Subject Topics

• Cape Verdean history
• Jazz musicians
• Rhode Island/Local interest

Geographical Names

• Providence (R.I.)
• Fox Point (R.I)
• Boston (M.A.)
• Cape Verde

Document Types

• Genealogy
• Photographs
• Clippings
• Letters
• Programs

Arrangement

The collection has been arranged into the following series:

• Series 1: Edwin J. Soares papers; 1916-1994
• Series 2: Eduardo da Graça papers; 1901-1990
• Series 3: Family photographs; 1915-1947

Biographical/Historical Note

Born in 1913 to Izora da Graça and Sebastian José Soares, Edwin José Soares was a Cape Verdean jazz pianist in Rhode Island. His brother was Arthur Sebastian Soares (1916-1987), who was the father to Sylvia Ann Soares, Anita Louise Fernandes, and Arthur John Soares. Soares’ uncle was Eduardo da Graça and his great-uncle was Deacon Joseph Andrews.

Edwin Soares played in multiple jazz and swing bands over his career in Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. He performed with Louie Armstrong sometime in the 1950s at Paul Fillipi’s Celebrity Club in Providence. Soares played piano in Tony Tomasso’s the Jewels of Dixie jazz quintet for more than thirty-five years. The band opened for Dave Brubeck at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1962. Aside from the Jewels of Dixie, Soares played in Phil Edmund’s Boston-based ten-piece swing band and the Eddie Soares Trio, featuring Peter Peligian and Bob Petteruti. He recorded his solo album, ‘Like, WOW!” in the mid-1970s. Edwin Soares died on March 2, 1993.

Eduardo da Graça was born in 1903 and immigrated to the United States from Cape Verde in 1925, settling in Rhode Island. He then became a chef at the Minden Hotel on Providence’s East Side. In 1953, he became a United States citizen under the name Edward Grace.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	The collection is open for research by appointment.
Use of the materials:	Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Alternate form:	Select materials have been digitized and some are available online through DigitialCommons@RIC. The audiocassette, “Like, WOW!” by Eddie Soares was digitized and is available to be listened to in the Rhode Island College Special Collections Reading Room. For information regarding remote access, please contact Special Collections.
Preferred citation:	da Graça and Soares family papers, MSS-0072, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College.
Contact information:	Special Collections, James P. Adams Library. Rhode Island College 600 Mount Pleasant Ave Providence, RI, 02908 Tel: 401-456-8380 email:digitalcommons@ric.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The collection was initially donated in 1992 by Sylvia Ann Soares, with a deed of gift signed by Soares at that time. Additions were made to the collection by Soares in 1995 and 1996.
Processing information:	The collection was initially arranged and described by Rhode Island Special Collections staff circa 1995. In 2023, a finding aid was created using current archival standards, and the collection re-described, by Special Collections intern, Melissa Moniz, under the supervision of Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, Veronica Denison.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Melissa Moniz and Veronica L. Denison.
Encoding:	This finding aid was encoded by Veronica L. Denison, 2023.
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Separated material:	The International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1329 financial ledger, MSS-0095, was separated from this collection and made into its own collection. Please contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for further information.
Location/Existence of copies:	Select materials have been digitized and some are available online through DigitialCommons@RIC. The audiocassette, “Like, WOW!” by Eddie Soares was digitized and is available to be listened to in the Rhode Island College Special Collections Reading Room. For information regarding remote access, please contact Special Collections.
Other information:	Works used in preparation of inventory: Biographical information was taken from material in the collection.

Inventory

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