Papers of Louis and Phil Palermo - Collection 329

[Note: What follows is a description of the documents in this collection which are available for use at BGC Archives in Wheaton, Illinois, USA. The actual documents are not, in most cases, available online, only this description of them. Nor are they available for sale or rent.]

Title Page and Restrictions

Brief Description of This Collection

Biography of Louis Palermo

Biography of Phil Palermo

An Essay on the Contents of the Collection (Scope and Content)

Lists of Audio Tapes, Films, Film Strips, Negatives, Oversize Materials, Pamphlets, Phonograph Records, Photo Albums, Photographs, Video Tapes, and Wire Recordings in This Collection (Location Records)

Audio Tapes
Films
Negatives
Oversize Materials
Phonograph Records
Photo Albums
Photographs
Video tapes
Wire Recordings

List of the Contents of Boxes of Paper Records in This Collection (Box List)

Collection 329

[March 21, 2007]

2 Boxes (2 DC); Audio tapes, films, negatives, oversize materials, phonograph records, photo albums, photographs, video tapes, wire recordings (3.65 cubic feet)

Brief Description: Papers of Louis and Philip Palermo musical evangelists with Chicago Midnight Brigade and Youth for Christ from their meetings in the United States and other parts of the world especially Italy and Vietnam. Collection includes articles, audio tapes, clippings, correspondence, films, phonograph records, photo albums, photographs, video tapes and wire recordings.

Restrictions: Correspondence in folder 1-7 to or from Billy Graham is closed during his lifetime. The restricted materials have been temporarily removed from the file and stored elsewhere.

Biography of Louis Adolph Palermo

Biography of Philip Thomas Palermo

[Note: In the Scope & Content section, the notation “folder 2-5" means “Box 2, Folder 5"]

Scope and Content

Series: I. Paper Records

Arrangement: Alphabetical by folder title

Date Range: 1924-1984

Volume: 1.88 cubic feet

Boxes: 2

Geographic coverage: Guatemala, Italy, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam

Type of documents: Clippings, correspondence, diaries, negatives, photo albums, photographs, posters

Correspondents: Cliff Barrows, Percy Crawford, Peter Deyneka, Ted Engstrom, Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Col. Jim Irwin (astronaut), Torrey Johnson, Jay Kesler, Frederick Martin Lehman, W. Stanley Mooneyham, Richard M. Nixon, Bob Pierce, Oswald J. Smith, Walter H. Smyth, Harvey H. Springer, Axel J. Thorwall (field secretary of The Evangelical Free Church of America)

Subjects: American evangelism, conversion, evangelism, music in ministry, YFC history

Notes: The archivist arranged the materials in alphabetical order since they were received in no particular order. This collection highlights the evangelistic ministry of musicians Louis and Phil Palermo first with the Chicago Midnight Brigade and later with Youth for Christ. There is information on their evangelistic trips to Italy, Vietnam, and especially the United States including work with Italian prisoners of war in the United States. For a description of the negatives, photo albums, and photographs please see the Location Record pages in another part of this guide.

Exceptional items: The beginning of the Palermo ministry is described in the book A Modern Miracle of Conversion: The Remarkable Story of an Italian Family’s Redemption by the Palermos in folder 1-1. It tells the story of the conversion of their Uncle Ben Palermo followed by the conversion and healing of their mother, Josephine Palermo, and eventually the entire Palermo family. The book also describes the beginning of the ministry of the Palermo brothers.

•    Folder 1-6 contains correspondence from Percy Crawford (June 19, 1950) thanking Phil and Louis for appearing on the Youth on the March television program (see video tape V17 in CN357), Frederick Martin Lehman (June 31, 1947), author of the hymn, The Love of God, including a two-page note on the circumstance surrounding the of writing the hymn, Harvey H. Springer (March 26, 1948) of the Western Voice informing the Palermos that they were no longer invited to speak at his tabernacle because they became associated with Youth for Christ (see the March 19, 1948 issue of the Western Voice newspaper in folder1-5), and a financial report from the 1948 Beatenberg Youth for Christ World Congress attached to a YFC letter dated November 12, 1948.

•    In folder 1-7 there is a photocopy of a letter (July 23, 1966) from Billy Graham in which he thanks the Palermos for their participation in the Greater London Crusade. There are also many letters from Phil to his wife reporting of the ministry he and Louie were having with the American troops in Vietnam. In President Nixon’s letter (June 30, 1969) he thanks the Palermos for their letter, photographs and prayers for Nixon’s recent meeting with South Vietnam’s President Nguyen Van Thieu. Nixon mentions his pleasure at being at the Billy Graham Pittsburgh Crusade the previous September.

•    Folder 1-8 contains a letter (May 1, 1973) from The White House social secretary to Mr. & Mrs. Edward Ernisse about their request for the Palermo Brothers to participate at a Worship Service. In the same folder are several letters from Phil to his wife about their 1972 Vietnam trip, a 1970 Vietnam trip report, and a letter (Sept. 16, 1981) from Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse asking for prayer and thanking Phil and Edee for their support.

•    Phil Palermo’s diary (a small appointment book) for 1943 in folder 2-1, documents his wedding on January 30 and Louis’ wedding on August 18. Some of the Palermo’s ministries were: visiting an Italian prisoner of war camp (August 24), tent meetings in Eau Claire, Wisconsin (May 31), churches, Sunday school and children’s meetings, radio broadcasts and the Salvation Army meetings. The Palermo’s were very busy as the last entry in the book indicated they had “536 meetings.” Also in the same folder is a diary which is labeled as being the “Property of the Palermo Bros.” No identification is given as to which of the brothers wrote entries in the diary. It covers the period from October 14, 1947 to February 17, 1948 and gives information on the Palermo’s YFC evangelistic trip to Italy. The December 31, 1947 entry gives an idea of the extent of the Palermo’s ministry, “Had 41 meetings to date. 78 days in Italy to date. 82 days since left Mpls [Minneapolis]-scores of souls saved in rallies and homes etc.”

•    Phil Palermo’s “travel” diary (October 12, 1947-February 17, 1948) in folder 2-2 contains a list of places they visited and a travel chart on a world map tracing their trip to and from Italy. It documents the trip the Palermo Brothers took to Italy for Youth for Christ. The daily entries describe their travels in Italy and ministry in various cities. The poor social conditions (poverty, lack of food and housing) caused by World War II are seen in several entries (Oct. 22-23, 1947). Many evangelistic meetings the Palermo’s participated in are also documented. Phil describes the meeting in Catanzaro with these words, “had greatest meeting. 70 people packed small living room-great spirit of conviction prevailed-several conversions the revival is on” (November 2, 1947). In Rome on January 27, 1948 Phil wrote, “Had great rally in Methodist Church. 500 people present about 12 raised hands to be saved.” Torrey Johnson arrived in Rome (January 28, 1948) and conducted a “great rally-500 people present-20 saved-God did it again...” This diary and the one in folder 2-1 mention the taking of movies during their trip (see the location records for some of these films). In the same folder is a thin diary with entries about the Palermos’ visit to Guatemala, including a description of an attempted coup d’état and a Christian parade and rally held in a stadium during this time.

•    There are many miscellaneous advertisements for meetings (several for Minneapolis YFC meetings) that the Palermos participated in including some with their wives in folder 1-2. A variety of newspaper clippings about the Palermo meetings are in folder 1-5. The Evening News, London, June 1, 1966 issue, contains information about Billy Graham’s Greater London Crusade. There are many magazine clippings in folder 1-4 with articles by or about the Palermos. Some of the magazines represented are Campus Life, Decision, and Youth for Christ. Another folder (2-4) contains magazine clippings with articles about Billy and Ruth Graham, Rachel Saint and her work with the Wuaorani Indians, Dr. Bob Pierce, Dr. Robert Schuller, Charles Colson, Evie Tornquist, Kathryn Kuhlman, Aimee Semple McPherson, and General Douglas MacArthur. There is also a copy of the May 1945 issue of the Foursquare magazine. In folder 1-3 thee are several magazines with articles about the so-called Auca martyrs (five American missionaries martyred in Ecuador in 1956).

•    Some miscellaneous items in folder 2-3 include memorial service brochures for Louis and Phil Palermo, an article about Phil’s life and ministry from the The Orange County Register, a memorial brochure for George L. Edstrom of the BGEA, “I Was a Prisoner of Japan” tract by Jacob Deshazer, advertisement for a Gipsy Smith meeting, a program from Jerome Hines’ 1961 YFC concert (see audio tapes T1 - T4), postcard from the Old Fashioned Revival Hour, 700 Club fact sheet about the Palermos, Cambodia crusade tentative travel plans, program bulletin for the 1950 YFC World Congress on Evangelism in Brussels, Belgium, biography of Palermos and report on trip to Vietnam, photocopy of invitation by President of the Republic of Vietnam (Nguyen Van Thieu) for the Palermos to attend a reception at the Independence Palace, schedule of meetings, sermon notes, report titled “Seven Days with The Palermo Four,” report on 4^th Vietnam trip, autographed sheet music of Stuart Hamblen’s song This Ole House, Palermo Christmas greetings, Alhambra Christian Assembly (California) church bulletin (Dec. 9, 1973) with information on the founding of the church under the influence of Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Palermo, and materials about Jack Shuler and his 1954 crusade in Belfast, Ireland include a souvenir brochure and newspaper clippings.

•    An oversize folder (OS 25) contains twelve posters of various meeting at which the Palermos appeared are written in English and other languages (Italian, Korean, Spanish, etc.). Several are for YFC meetings held in Italy, Korea, and Asian countries. Also included is a 1938 Chicago Midnight Brigade poster for meetings in Springfield, Missouri.

Series: II. Audio Visual Materials

Arrangement: Chronological by date of material

Date Range: 1940-1979

Volume: 1.77 cubic feet

Geographic coverage: Italy, United States

Type of documents: Audio tapes, films, phonograph records, video tapes, wire tapes

Subjects: Evangelism, music in ministry

Notes: These materials record the evangelistic ministry of the Palermo Brothers in the United States and other countries especially Italy and Vietnam.

Exceptional items: Several audio tapes (T9, T11, T12, T13, T19) contain reports of the Palermo Brother’s evangelistic trips to Vietnam. On tape T9 Phil Palermo mentions that about twenty years ago Torrey Johnson and Billy Graham laid hands on him and Louis and commissioned them as the first YFC team to go to Italy. Palermo’s report on tape T11 includes a recording of an interview with Vietnam missionary of Rick Bremmen’s telling about the massacre of a village. Tape continues with a narration of slides (which the Archives does not have) of the 1967 Tokyo International Crusade and of Vietnam. The report on tape T12 (3^rd trip which was sponsored by World Vision) was possibly given at a BGEA chapel. Palermo tells of Billy Graham’s 1968 visit to Vietnam and continues with a narration of a slide show (the Archives does not have the slides). On tape T13 Phil Palermo gave a report which was broadcasted over radio station WPEL in which he was also interviewed by Douglas Roe (spelling?) President of Montrose Broadcasting Corp., PA. The tape includes audio clips reports from Vietnam. The Palermo’s 4^th Vietnam trip report is given on tape T19 at an Sunday night service at the Wheaton Free Church. The tape includes audio clips of United States Army soldiers singing and a church altar call at the end. The box containing tape T21 had the following note written on it: “Dear Mel- Here is the tape we promised you. God is doing great things, wish you were here- Be sure to call Edee and Jeanne before you play this tape- Bye now- Phil & Louie.” The program bulletin for Jerome Hines’ concert is in folder 1-2. See the location records for more information on these materials.

Provenance

The materials in this collection were given to the Archives of the Billy Graham Center by Louis and Phil Palermo in April and July 1984.

Accession: 84-50, 84-94 

December 21, 2006

Wayne D. Weber

J. Anderson

K. Hayward

The following items are located in the AUDIO TAPE file.

Item# - Reel or cassette, speed, length, number of sides, contents (title of session, participants) according to the program, date.

The Archives has one copy of each film, in 16mm format, unless otherwise noted. The following items are in the FILM FILE:

The following items are located in the NEGATIVE FILE; request by Folder Titles (in bold) at the beginning of each entry below. All the negatives are black and white, unless otherwise noted. 

PALERMO, LOUIS & PHIL. Four negative strips (contains 21 b&w images) and 1 b&w. Images of the Palermo brothers ministering in Cambodia with World Vision (proof sheet in Photo File: Palermo, Louis & Phil). Large 5x7 b&w negative of Palermos with guitar and accordion. 1972, n.d.

The following items are in the OVERSIZE FILE. Request by collection number and folder location (in parentheses).

POSTERS (OS25). Twelve posters advertising various Palermo meetings in several languages besides English. Several are for YFC meetings held in Italy, Korea, Asia, and the United States. There is one from 1938 of the Chicago Midnight Brigade meeting in Springfield, Missouri. 1938-1975, n.d.

The following items are located in the PHONOGRAPH RECORD FILE: