Found 137 collections related to African Americans in the performing arts

Ira Aldridge Society
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 131
1.88 linear feet (4 boxes)
Interracial organization devoted to the discovery and promotion of talented black artists and educating people on the contributions of black artists to the performing arts. Constitution and bylaws, financial and legal documents, financial reports,... more
O'Neal, Frederick, 1905-1992
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 427
22.2 linear feet (45 archival boxes)
The Frederick O'Neal Papers document the theatrical, labor, and civic activities of this actor and labor leader, mostly from the 1940s through the 1990s. The collection consists primarily of personal papers, correspondence, speeches and addresses,... more
Washington, Fredi, 1903-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc Micro R-5002
The Fredi Washington Papers, 1922-1941, 1981, n.d., reflect both her private life and her professional career as an actress and activist.
Lee, Canada
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc Micro R-6764
9.5 linear feet
The Canada Lee Papers document two of the careers of this multi-talented man: his profession as an actor and his career as a boxer. The papers consist principally of personal and professional correspondence; speeches; and contracts, correspondence... more
Anderson, Martha Pryor
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 510
2.08 linear feet (7 boxes)
Martha Pryor Anderson was an African American woman poet and dramatic performer. This collection consists of correspondence, notebooks, programs, printed matter, and scrapbooks documenting Anderson's activities as a poet and diseuse.
Charlton, Melville, 1880-1973
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 92
0.5 linear feet (2 boxes)
Melville Charlton was the first African-American organist to be admitted to the American Guild of Organists. This collection contains correspondence and memorabilia documenting Charlton's seventy years as a musician.
Moore, William, 1933-1992
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 586
0.42 linear feet (1 box)
William Moore, an African American dance critic, dancer, and researcher, began his career in the 1960s. He later managed the dance companies of Eleo Pomare and Joan Miller, and participated in the creation of the Association of Black... more
Mortimer, Owen
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 424
0.21 linear feet (1 box)
This collection consists of exhibition and biographical materials relating to Ira Aldridge, and correspondence between his daughter, Amanda Aldridge, and biographer Owen Mortimer.
Murphy, Frederick D., 1940-1993
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 651
7.42 linear feet (8 boxes)
The Frederick D. Murphy papers consist principally of press kits and news clippings that Murphy collected on hundreds of recording artists of popular music (primarily rhythm and blues, soul, disco, rock and roll, and other genres) and executives... more
Symphony of the New World (New York, N.Y.)
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 171
4.58 linear feet (8 boxes)
The Symphony of the New World was founded in 1964 by an interracial committee of professional musicians to provide opportunities for minorities, particularly black and Puerto Rican musicians, who were being discriminated against by the major... more
McClendon, Rose, 1884-1936
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 524
6 linear feet (2 flat boxes)
Rose McClendon was one of the most famous black dramatic actresses of the 1920s and 1930s. Although she did not become a professional actor until she was in her thirties, she consistently won critical acclaim for many of her acting roles and... more
Ward, Richard, 1915-1979
Billy Rose Theatre Division | 8MWEZ26255-26264
4 linear feet (11 boxes)
Richard Ward, actor, director, author, educator, and police detective, was born on March 15, 1915. Mr. Ward started out in show business in vaudeville when he was 11 years old when he teamed up with his sisters, calling their act, Dot, Flo, and... more
Carter, Ron, 1937-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 90
2.26 linear feet (4 boxes, 1 oversize folder)
Ron Carter is a leading jazz bassist. This collection consists mostly of scrapbooks, which contain correspondence, transcripts, music programs, and articles about him.
Heyward, Sammy, 1904-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 160
Collection reflects Heyward's professional life and activities, particularly his career as a performer; a significant portion of the collection consists of music manuscripts arranged and/or composed by him. Heyward's personal papers contain... more
Riemer, Walter
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 454
.17 linear feet (1/2 archival box)
The Porgy and Bess collection documents the 1954-1956 touring company of the opera Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin, produced by Robert Breen and Blevins Davis, and directed by Breen.
Kaplan, Sidney, 1913-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 137
0.42 linear feet (1 box)
This collection documents part of an exhibition on African American musicians organized by the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. The papers consist of research material gathered by consultant Sidney Kaplan and his... more
Childress, Alice
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 649
The Alice Childress papers document Alice Childress's career as a writer and actress, and her activities in the theatre for five decades in New York City. The Personal Papers series includes correspondence, an oral history conducted by Ann... more
Kennedy, Jay Richard
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 617
0.63 linear feet (2 boxes)
Jay Richard Kennedy, author, composer, and publisher, was an entertainer and civil rights activist. He also was Harry Belafonte's manager and agent from 1955 to 1956. Born Samuel Richard Solomonick of Jewish immigrant parents in the Bronx in 1911,... more
Hall, Berniece
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 725
.8 linear feet (2 archival boxes)
African-American soprano soloist, Berniece Hall made her Broadway debut in Finian's Rainbow (1953), and from 1956 to 1958 she performed in De Paur's Opera Gala. She also performed with Voices Inc. in Trumpets of the Lord (1963) at the French... more
Attles, Joseph
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 458
.67 linear feet (2 boxes)
Joseph Attles (1903-1991) was a singer and dancer whose career spanned six decades. The bulk of his collection consists of playscripts for shows that Attles appeared in, including Bubbling Brown Sugar by Loften Mitchell,... more
Black Academy of Arts and Letters
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc Micro R-5916
Files of the Board of Directors containing correspondence, agendas, minutes, and records of three board committees; administrative records including materials on the founding of the Academy, nominations for awards, and records relating to daily... more
Simms, Hilda, 1918-1994
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 539
27.86 linear feet (59 boxes, 4 volumes)
Hilda Simms (1920-1994) was an actress best known for playing the title role in the American Negro Theater production of Anna Lucasta that moved successfully to Broadway in 1944. Her acting career also included film,... more
Harrison, Richard B.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 205
0.67 linear feet (2 boxes)
This collection consists of material pertaining to Harrison's portrayal of "de Lawd" in the play The Green Pastures, written by Marc Connelly. Material primarily includes news clippings about Harrison and the play;... more
Jones, James Earl
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 330
0.21 linear feet (1 box)
James Earl Jones is an actor whose career spans more than seven decades. He has performed in numerous films, television productions, and theater productions. Some of the theater productions in which he has been featured include more
Glover, George Washington, 1888-1993
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 488
12 linear feet
Printed material relating to the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM) including programs and playbills from NANM and other small groups; and annual breakfast, convention and conference materials, and other records of the New York and... more
Glenn, Willam H.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 599
1 vol
William H. Glenn and Walter Jenkins (Glenn & Jenkins) were a popular comedy team who performed on the vaudeville circuit and toured the United States, Canada, and London during the 1920s and 1930s. They became renowned for their black face... more
Gordone, Charles
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 691
3 linear feet (2 record cartons, 1 archival box)
The bulk of the Charles Gordone Collection pertains to the author's Pulitzer-prize winning play "No Place to Be Somebody," which includes several versions of the play script, programs, letters, playbills, flyers, posters, production and showcase... more
Harris, A. Lincoln
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 599 Harris
1 vol
An actor and producer, A. Lincoln Harris reportedly was the first black playwright to feature black people in dramatic works. He produced several plays among them "The Advanced Negro," " Waena," "High Life in Haiti" and "A Trusted Friend" that... more
Bricktop, 1894-1984
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 247
7 linear feet
Internationally known cabaret personality Bricktop, was born Ada Beatrice Queen Victoria Louise Virginia Smith in Alderson, West Virginia in 1894. Nicknamed "Bricktop" for her red hair, she began her career as an entertainer at the age of 16,... more
Brown, Lawrence, 1893-1972
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc Micro R-3597
4.5 linear feet; l0 microfilm reels
Composer, pianist, arranger. Brown worked as Paul Robeson's accompanist for thirty-eight years. The Lawrence Brown papers encompass correspondence reflecting Brown's wide-ranging travels, and his friendships (mostly letters written by his friends... more