Broome Special Phonograph Records

Broome Special Phonograph Records is believed to be the first black owned record label in the United States. It was established in 1919 by laborer George Broome who had previously worked for tenor Roland Hayes and had managed a small mail order and shop from which Hayes sold his own recordings (recorded with Columbia's vanity operation.)

In the fall of 1919, Broome began to issue recordings of black concert artists such as Harry T. Burleigh and Florence Cole-Talbert. Recordings were issued in small numbers and were only available by mail order, sent from Broome's own home in Medford, Massachusetts.

Pressing numbers are believed to have been very small and less than 12 titles are known to exist on the label.

While virtually all were original recordings commissioned by Broome, at least one was a re-labeled Columbia pressing of a Booker T. Washington recording.