Found 20 collections related to African American actresses

Actress, teacher. First wife of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. News clippings related to Powell's appearance in the plays "Bamboola," 1929, "Harlem," 1929, and "Singin' the Blues." Additional clippings refer to her engagement and marriage to Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., 1930s. Several letters deal with her work as a public school teacher, speaker, and Jimmy Carter supporter. less

Actress, singer, poet, playwright. Private secretary to actor Leigh Whipper. Davis' scrapbooks include news clippings relating to Davis' career as a performer; and plays, fables, poems, jokes and gags written by Davis. Also, musical compositions consisting of photocopies of music, 1948-1974; and a scrapbook about Leigh Whipper containing news clippings and other printed material, 1978. less

Florence Mills (1886-1927), world renowned entertainer during the 1920s. She starred in Lew Leslie's Plantation Revue and Blackbirds after a successful run as the lead in Shuffle Along. Collection contains personal papers that include biographical information and letters; and professional papers, including letters, contracts and printed materials. less

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 influenced the careers of many aspiring black actors of the period. less

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 Shockley, Childress's FBI file, diaries, calendars, interviews, educational materials, family letters, files for her two husbands, and biographical information about Childress. Significant correspondents include writers Kay Bourne, Harold (Hal) Courlander and Susan Koppleman. less

The Allan W. McMillan Public Relations Files document the public relations work McMillan did on behalf of his clients. The collection consists primarily of information he maintained about his clients, most of whom were in the entertainment business. Nearly all the clients were individuals, but he also represented events sponsored by organizations. Client files include newspaper and magazine clippings of articles and advertisements for the performers, promotional flyers and postcards, itineraries, resumes, correspondence and contracts, press releases, notes about the clients, photograph captions, and a few layouts McMillan prepared. less

Virginia Girvin was an actor, print ad-model, real estate agent, and community activist. As an actor, Girvin worked in multiple mediums such as stage, film, and radio. Her roles were mainly as a domestic, nurse, chorus member, or crowd member. A lifetime member of the Negro Actors Guild, the high point of Girvin's involvement with the organization was in 1970 when she served as its Vice President. Between acting roles and after she could no longer secure that type of work, Girvin was employed as a secretary and a real estate agent. She worked with Donbar Enterprises-Sundale, a real estate development corporation based in Westbury, Long Island, that developed a number of integrated communities throughout the Northeast in the 1960s. The Virginia Girvin papers are comprised of biographical information, drafts of her memoirs, letters primarily acknowledging her volunteer efforts, and one letter from Orson Welles offering his advice on her acting career. There are also playbills (1930s-1950s) from productions in which Girvin appeared; Negro Actors Guild yearbooks and souvenir journals; reviews; book jackets and magazine articles, including Native Son by Richard Wright; romance magazines, for which she modeled (1942-1953); and a file on Donbar Enterprises (1961). less

Hilda Haynes (1912-1986) was a stage, screen and television actress whose career spanned almost forty years. Haynes was born and raised in New York City, and became an actress during the early 1940s. She studied and performed with the American Negro Theatre during the 1940s and 1950s; was a member of the Negro Actors Guild; and performed in "The River Niger" (Negro Ensemble Company) during its national tour, 1973-74; as well as in several Broadway and Off-Off Broadway shows, films and television programs. The Hilda Haynes papers consists of biographical material, including a transcript of an oral history interview, journals and scrapbooks. There are also speeches and other writings, scripts and reviews of theatrical productions Haynes appeared in; and scrapbooks of reviews and other articles, telegrams and letters. In addition to performing in plays and films, Haynes also did dramatic readings, many of which were written for her by Langston Hughes. The poetry, scripts and other materials from which she read during those readings are also in the collection. less

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, television, and radio broadcasts. The Hilda Simms papers date from the 1930s to 1994 (bulk dates 1940s-1950s) and document her career as an actress; her work on creative arts and drug treatment programs in New York; and her personal life. less

The Kenn Freeman Papers, 1930-1988 document Freeman's life as an actor, singer/dancer, writer/director, and costume and set designer. The collection consists of three series; Personal Papers, Professional Papers, and Family Papers, and include correspondence, programs, flyers, contracts, writings, scripts, sheet music, scrapbooks, and autograph albums. Correspondence between Kenn and Bea Freeman forms an important part of both the Personal Papers and Family Papers series. The letters show the close personal and professional relationship between mother and son. The bulk of the correspondence covers the years, 1937 to 1950, and was written primarily during the years Kenn was in the United States Navy or in England or when either of them was on tour with a production. less

Oscar Micheaux (1884-1951) was a prominent African American author of the early 20th century, and more notably the first African American filmmaker. The Oscar Micheaux papers consist of professional correspondence, financial records, handwritten scenarios and typed dialogues for his films, galleys and proofs of published work. Additonally, there are ephemeral items, clippings, prospectuses, and other forms of advertising for his works. less

Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was one of the most renowned and celebrated voices in American literature. The Maya Angelou papers consist of original manuscripts, computer generated typescripts, galleys, and proofs of published work as well as manuscripts for unpublished work and dozens of poems. Additionally, there is personal and professional correspondence, teaching files, printed matter, and materials from public and academic appearances and engagements. less

Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee were African American actors, directors, writers, and activists whose careers spanned the mediums of theatre, television, radio, film, and print. Their papers date from 1932 to 2015, and chronicle the couple's artistic careers as performers and authors, as well as their work as civil rights activists. The collection consists of materials generated by Davis and Dee over a lifetime of performing arts work and activism, and in their personal lives together. less

Pearl Bailey (1918-1990) was an African American actress and singer. In films, she was known chiefly for two roles: Maria in Porgy and Bess(1959) and Frankie in Carmen Jones (1954). She was also known for her starring role on Broadway in an all-Black cast version of Hello Dolly. During World War II, Bailey toured with the USO, performing for American troops. Beginning in 1946, she was a top attraction in nightclubs, variety houses, and television programs in the United States and Britain. At age 67, in 1985, she graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor's degree in theology. Between 1968 and 1989, she published six books on her life, cooking, and educational experiences. Bailey served as a special ambassador to the United Nations in 1975 and 1989, and in 1988, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Pearl Bailey letters (1943-1989) consist of correspondence between Bailey and her friend, Lillian Morrison, a published author, compiler, and editor of children's and young adult books as well as a librarian at the New York Public Library, 110th Street Branch. Most of the letters were written by Bailey, and refer to her various endeavors, including her USO work at Fort Huachucha in Arizona; recordings of the song "Tired", which was one of her hit songs; Disney's The Fox and the Hound, for which she provided one of the voices; and her service with the United Nations. As both women were published authors, several of the letters make reference to this fact and to their long friendship and shared birthday, March 29, 1918. The letters do not provide a great amount of detail about Bailey's show business career. less

Louise Evans Briggs-Hall (1921-1992) was the first African-American woman to become a member of the United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, in the early 1950s. She began her career directing children's theatre. She later added stage scenic production and costume and lighting design to her list of accomplishments. Considered an African-American pioneer in the field of costume and set design, Briggs-Hall also directed theatrical productions. The Louise Evans Briggs-Hall Theatre Collection consists of funeral programs, playbills, flyers, and reviews for productions directed and designed by Briggs-Hall. less

This collection consists of press kits and pressbooks or campaign books for films starring Black actors and actresses; in many cases, these films were directed, produced, and/or written by African Americans as well. The press kits contain sets of promotional materials for distribution to members of the media. Pressbooks, or campaign books, are mostly multi-page brochures of advertising "accessories" (such as posters, lobby cards, and film stills) for movie theaters. Most of the films are fictional, but there are some documentaries; also, there are a few television films included. less

Ira L. Jeffries author, playwright and journalist, had a productive career in New York City's off-off Broadway Theater and African American communities. The Ira Jeffries papers consist of biographical material including correspondence, memoirs, notebooks, and journals. less

Best known for her performance in the title role of the original 1943-1944 Broadway production of Carmen Jones, Muriel Rahn (1911-1961) developed a reputation as a performer who was equally talented as a singer and an actress. The Muriel Rahn papers contain materials related to her performing career. less