The Pat Patrick Archive

The Pat Patrick Archive, which consists of scores, music, photographs, and personal artifacts, remains a unique repository that lives exclusively in the Africana Studies music and culture area of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Department. In 2010, then-Governor Deval Patrick donated the Pat Patrick Archive to honor and celebrate the music of Black heritage through the gift of his father's incredible holdings.

Pat Patrick was a saxophonist, multi-wind player, arranger, composer, music director, theater works producer, educator, and visionary. He was a musician who performed with Duke Ellington's and Quincy Jones's orchestras; Thelonius Monk; Mongo Santamaria; Nat King Cole; James Moody; Eric Dolphy; Marvin Gaye; Patti LaBelle; and Billy Taylor. Most importantly, he laid down the bottom on the baritone saxophonist with the indefinable Sun Ra Arkestra for 35 years plus. Pat Patrick is an exemplar of American musicianship and artistry.

Our collection features original music scores by Patrick and Ellington, artifacts, scrapbooks, music, news clippings, correspondance, and more than 2,000 photographs. This carefully prepared archive provides a unique lens on a legendary jazz musician, uniquely housed together in a single collection.