- unitid
-
{"value"=>"Sc MG 399", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"20908", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1971/1984", "value"=>"1971-1984"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1971
- date_inclusive_end
-
1984
- keydate
-
1971
- date_start
-
1971
- date_end
-
1984
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Black Emergency Cultural Coalition records"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"0.6 linear ft. (2.5 archival boxes)"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division.</span> <div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture</span> <span class=\"addressline\">515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Black Emergency Cultural Coalition records, 1971-1984, have been divided into three series: Administrative documents, BECC arts programs and General files.The collection includes administrative documents, records detailing their arts programs, and general materials related to the members, sponsored programs and other business. Administrative documents contain financial records including proposals which give details about the organization, its accomplishments and programs."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"Materials in English"}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Black Emergency Cultural Coalition records, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Black Emergency Cultural Coalition", "type"=>"corpname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Black Emergency Cultural Coalition Inc. (BECC) was organized in January 1969 by a group of African-American artists, in response to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's \"HARLEM ON MY MIND\" exhibit, which omitted the contributions of African-American painters and sculptors to the Harlem community. Members of this initial group that protested against the exhibit included several prominent African-American artists, including Benny Andrews and Clifford R. Joseph, cofounders of the BECC. The primary goal of the group was to agitate for change in the major art museums in New York City, so that there would be greater representation of African-American artists and their work in these museums, and that an African-American curatorial presence would be established. The Coalition described itself as an action oriented watchdog group that strived to develop the legitimate rights and aspirations of individual African-American artists and the total art community. This process, which began in 1969, culminated with the call to boycott an exhibit at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1971, after talks between the BECC and the Whitney to curate an African American art exhibit failed to achieve greater participation and visibility for the African-American artist.</p> <p>In 1971 the work of the Coalition grew to include the creation of an Arts Exchange program in correctional facilities. This program arose in response to major riots at the Attica correctional facility in New York. The BECC was stirred by the prisoner's demands for rights and justice. The first class in September 1971 was held at the Manhattan House of Detention. The program grew exponentially in the following year and was implemented in twenty states. Three different types of teaching arrangements developed within the program. In New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, classes were taught by artists from the BECC. In other institutions such as the Greenhaven Correctional facility in Connecticut inmates taught classes, with monthly visits from artists in the Coalition. In the third variation of the program, visiting artists taught classes once or twice a month at places such as Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary and the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida. The BECC also sponsored arts programs in juvenile detention centers and mental health facilities throughout the United States.</p> <p>The BECC was incorporated in 1972 as a not for profit organization. The initial directors of this newly incorporated organization were Clifford R. Joseph, Benny Andrews, Camille Billops, Vivian Browne and Russell Thompson. Cliff Joseph and Benny Andrews were named co-chairmen of the Coalition with Michael Chisolm as the coordinator of the program. The work of the Coalition officers was done on a purely volunteer service with no salaries being paid. Funding for the organization came from contributions from private parties and grants. To finance the arts programs the Coalition applied for and received grants from various agencies including the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts.</p> <p>Voluntarism was a major part of the BECC arts program efforts. Instructors and teachers in the BECC arts programs worked without compensation receiving small amounts of money to offset transportation expenses and supplies. Their Prison Arts Program instructors were recruited by word of mouth and by inquiries about the programs made directly to the BECC. It is noted that in some cases artists had began programs independently and sought the Coalition's help to gain legitimacy and sponsorship. The classes offered in each institution were largely dependent on the expertise of the volunteer. Thus, a variety of arts, crafts and creative writing programs were offered. The BECC advocated partnering with interested artists, university programs, and cultural groups to achieve their objectives.</p> <p>BECC published a newsletter with contributing articles from its members chronicling their arts program activities, and Benny Andrews, co-chairman of the Coalition published several articles about the BECC's experiences in newspapers and art journals across the country. The Coalition also sponsored but did not administer a number of programs such as the Artisian Alliance and the Sinbad School of Art. Both of these programs were given administrative and financial support. Over the years of its existence the BECC also supported several lectures, discussions and talks about the African-American artist and society, using art in prisons and various other topics concerning the African-American community and art. They sponsored the Xango exhibit in 1980 held in New York City at the Countee Cullen Branch Library in Harlem. The exhibit, which featured the works of the German photographer Leonore Mau, captured images of Black religious rituals and rites in the African Diaspora. The BECC had offered the exhibit to the American Museum of Natural History but they had declined.</p> <p>In 1981 the Coalition was given notice by the New York Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Division, regarding their liability for contributions that should have been made since January 1st 1978. There is no evidence of how this matter was resolved. The records of the official work of BECC cease after 1982, the year they were denied funding by the National Endowment for the Arts. There is evidence that some instructors continued their programs in various institutions but it is unclear whether they ever received reimbursement for their work or how long they continued to offer classes.</p> <p>The formal closure of the BECC is not documented in the collection.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Black Emergency Cultural Coalition Records consists of the records produced by this organization between 1971 and 1984. They give a view into the administration, finances, programs and events that the BECC and its members were involved. The collection includes administrative documents, records detailing their arts programs and general materials related to their members, sponsored programs and other business. The BECC papers are arranged chronologically. When files cover a range of dates the first date in the range is used and they are then organized chronologically.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Black Emergency Cultural Coalition records are arranged in three series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20908#c1117949'>Administrative Documents</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>These files contain the administrative and organizational information of the BECC. Much of this series relates to the BECC interactions with government agencies regarding their status as a not for profit or charitable organization, and to funding organizations regarding grants and their obligations after funding was established. This series has been divided into the subseries Financial Documents and Grants and Funding. Financial Documents, 1972-1984: These items are administrative documents that are financial in nature. Included are documents such as tax returns, state and federal tax status records and bank statements. Grants and Funding, 1973-1982: This series of documents chronicles the various interactions between the BECC and the funding organizations from which they sought funds. The records include correspondence, application materials, financial status reports to the granting agencies and request forms.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20908#c1117971'>B.E.C.C. Arts Programs</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains BECC arts program materials covering all the programs they initiated or were involved in. The series includes correspondence, proposals, and program instructor application forms. There are also several files regarding their Prison Arts Programs. These include the timesheets of BECC instructors that give an indication of who was involved with the organization's arts programs as well as the types of services they provided. Documents pertaining to art programs that they sponsored such as the Artisian Alliance and the Sinbad School of Art are also included.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20908#c1117984'>General Files</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series consists of documents and records relating to the BECC organization and its members. It includes press clippings, articles written by Benny Andrews, the organization's mailing lists and three newsletters published by the BECC. The profile and resume of Clifford Joseph the co-chairman of the organization are found in this series. It also includes records documenting the BECC's relationship with the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Empress Fund Inc. Correspondence from the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts and documents from the BECC sponsored Xango Exhibit are also a part of this series.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>Three series: I. Administrative Documents; II. BECC Arts Programs; III. General</p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Gift of Michael Chisolm, 1990</p>"}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>The item(s) listed below have been sent to the division indicated, either to be retained or disposed of there. Any items that should receive special disposition are clearly marked.</p> <p>Schomburg Photographs and Print Division:</p> <p>1. Photograph of Cliff Joseph, co chairman of the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition. The print is black and white and is undated. 2. Black and white photographs from the Xango exhibit, sponsored by the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition in 1980. Thirteen photographs including duplicates, no postcards or postcard size images. Photographs separated show Yoruba rites in Brazil, Trinidad, Togo, Miami and elsewhere. Photographs taken by German photographer Leonore Mau. 3. Postcard size prints of drawings by George Knowlton. George Knowlton was an artist and instructor in the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition Prison Arts Program in Kingston, Rhode Island. Postcard prints not in Photos and Prints Division.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"type"=>"processing", "value"=>"<p>Processed by Sacha Page, July 2005</p>"}
- note
-
{"type"=>"did", "value"=>"Photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Division"}
- extent_statement
-
0.6 linear feet (2.5 archival boxes)