Guide to the Shapiro Family Oral History, 1998
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Shapiro Family Oral History
- Creator
- Shapiro Family
- Collection Number
- MSC 342
- Extent
- .25 linear feet (1 box)
- Date
- 1998
- Abstract
- Hymen Shapiro and Sarah Safier were married in Pittsburgh after emigrating from Russia and Austria, respectively. They had three sons, Samuel, Howard, and Jason, who, with their father, opened the Jittterbug Record Mart in 1937. The business was a success for nearly four decades. In 1986, the Shapiro family sold the business.The Shapiro Family Oral History Collection is housed in one archival box. This collection includes 5 tapes of conversations of brothers Howard, Jason, and Samuel Shapiro with Louise Silk, daughter of Howard, and taped by her in 1998.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
Hymen Shapiro and Sarah Safier were married in Pittsburgh after emigrating from Russia and Austria, respectively. They had three sons, Samuel, Howard, and Jason, who, with their father, opened the Jittterbug Record Mart in 1937. The store originally sold used jukebox records but soon expanded and began selling new records. By the beginning of WWII, there were two stores bearing the National Record Mart (NMR) name. While the sons served in the armed forces during WWII, their wives and father ran the business. The business was a success for nearly four decades. In 1986, the Shapiro family sold the business.
Louise Silk is one of two children of Howard and Sadye Barniker Shapiro. She is an artist known for her quilting. She is the mother of three children, Isadora, Eli, and Sarah.
Scope and Content Notes
The Shapiro Family Oral History Collection is housed in one archival box. This collection includes 5 tapes of conversations of brothers Howard, Jason, and Samuel Shapiro with Louise Silk, daughter of Howard, and taped by her in 1998. The conversations relate to Shapiro family history and the National Record Mart which was founded by the brothers and their father Hymen Shapiro. The transcriptions, done by Louise Silk, are included.
Conditions Governing Access
Tape 3 and the original transcript are restricted. There is a redacted copy of the transcript and an edited digital version of all of the tapes.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Louise Silk on 2001.Accession #2001.0111.
Preferred Citation
Shapiro Family Oral History, 1998, MSC 342, Rauh Jewish Archives, Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
This collection was processed by S. Melnick in January 2002.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Subjects
- National Record Mart, Inc. (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Silk, Louise
- Shapiro, Howard
- Shapiro, Sam
- Shapiro, Jason
- Shapiro, Sadye Barniker
- Pittsburgh (Pa.)--Businesses
- Jews--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Stores, Retail--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Music--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh