Found 124 collections related to African Americans in the performing arts

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, correspondence to private individuals as well as government institutions, news clippings, and other printed material relating to the Society. Also, Aldridge family papers consisting of copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates, and correspondence to and from Ira Aldridge and other family members. less

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, writing, and information about the theatrical productions in which he appeared. There are also research materials about the 19th century African-American actor, Ira Aldridge, and files pertaining to the many organizations with which O'Neal was associated. less

Singer, vocal clinician, consultant, coach. Wilkerson appeared professionally in Europe under the stage name of Gilbert Adams. He founded the Frederick Wilkerson Scholarship Foundation in 1967 for deserving and underprivileged artists. Personal and professional correspondence, student records and applications, records of the Frederick Wilkerson Scholarship Foundation. Also printed material regarding his students, music, programs collected by Wilkerson, and scrapbooks. less

Al Perryman, African American dancer, choreographer and instructor, studied ballet, modern, jazz, tap and African dance. Born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1945, he grew up in New York City. Perryman began dancing at age three and made his television debut at nine on the "Perry Como Show" and later appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and in television specials. A versatile dancer, he performed with Dinizulu, Olatunji, Eleo Pomare, JoJo Smith, and the Brooklyn Dance Theatre which he founded in 1979. Perryman appeared on Broadway in "Purlie," "Two Gentleman of Verona," "Raisin," "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue" and "The Wiz," and choreographed the Broadway musical "Amen Corner" in 1983. He taught jazz and modern dance at Iowa University, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and the Philadelphia Dance Company, and was the artistic director of the Brooklyn Dance Theatre. In addition, Perryman taught dance at universities around the countries, and at community organizations to the youth in urban areas. Perryman appeared frequently with his dance partner, Loretta Abbott. He was well known for his recreation of Earl "Snakehips" Tucker for the Brooklyn Academy of Music's production of "Dance--Black in America," as well as his dance done to "Mr. Bojangles.". The Al Perryman Papers document his dance career and consist of scripts for productions, programs, broadsides and playbills from plays in which Perryman performed, sketches of designs by Perryman, choreography and lighting notes, contracts and agreements, Brooklyn Dance Theatre financial and legal records, correspondence, news clippings and reviews. There are also notices, awards and programs prepared in honor of Perryman, produced after his death. less

The Helen Brown scrapbook contains programs and reviews of plays and concerts that took place in New York City between 1926 and 1941. Included are articles and reviews of musicians, singers, actors, writers Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston and artists Jacob Lawrence, Augusta Savage and James L. Allen. The programs represent a variety of performances, among them the Negro Opera Company and Hall Johnson's groups, specifically the Hall Johnson Singers, Hall Johnson Jubilee Singers, and Hall Johnson Negro Choir. Also included are programs for Roland Hayes, Richard B. Harrison, Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, Hazel Harrison, Abbie Mitchell, Jules Beldsoe, and the Eva Jessye Choir. The lyrics to some songs can also be found in the scrapbook. less

The Canada Lee Foundation Records consist of organizational records including by-laws, minutes of the board of trustees, a draft of the organizational manual and brochures. Correspondence with Frances Lee and members of the board document the promotion of the objectives of the organization, especially the memorial album privately produced in Canada Lee's honor. There is also material regarding the presentation of awards and scholarships, and questionionnaires and correspondence used to encourage summer stock theaters and colleges to accept more African-American students. less

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 and other material generated during the production of a play or movie in which he performed. A significant part of the collection is newsclippings and other material housed in a series of scrapbooks. Also included are financial records, and a few artifacts. less

The Ernestine McClendon Papers contain McClendon's scrapbook of responses from ad agencies to her 1960 letter campaign urging them to hire black actors and actresses. Included in the collection are her resumes, articles and reviews, some letters, contracts, music and lyrics written by McClendon, and a script and other production material for "Heartbreak by Midnight," a play she wrote which was later made into a screenplay. There are also jokes and other material for McClendon's comedy routine which she launched in 1984 at age 71. less

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 Choreographers in 1967. In 1975, he founded Dance Herald, a journal about Black dance. Moore also lectured on dance history and criticism at Lehman College and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. The William Moore papers consist primarily of appointment books (1966-1980) in which Moore noted his activities; some letters; writing and notes; a resume; and an annotated treatment for a documentary film by Kermit Frazier entitled The Black Tradition in American Modern Dance (1988). less

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 in the music industry. The bulk of the collection consists of these files and material on organizations that Murphy represented, primarily record companies and related music associations, including the Black Music Association. The years for most of the collection span the 1970s and 1980s. less

Joe Nash was a dancer, black dance historian, coordinator of black dance history courses at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater School in New York, and director and founder of the Multiethnic Christian Education Resources Center of the National Council of Churches. The Black dance collection consists of correspondence, contracts, scripts, and descriptions of dances based on African themes. less

Nat Karson, producer and designer of costumes, sets, and lighting in theatrical and television productions in New York, was born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1908, and moved to Chicago at an early age. He moved to New York in 1929, and worked in theatre productions at the Federal Theatre Project, including the all-black-cast production of Macbeth (1936), directed by Orson Welles. Karson also produced and created set, costume and lighting designs for theatrical productions on Broadway and elsewhere, such as the 1939 New York World's Fair. He served as the art director of Radio City Music Hall (1936-1943), and in 1948 he became consultant producer at the Columbia Broadcasting Company. His credits include The Hot Mikado (1939), Keep off the grass (1940), and Hamlet at the Kronberg Festival in Denmark (1949). Nat Karson died in New York City in 1954. Originals and copies of color costume and set designs; sketches and costume plots; technical drawings; and storyboards by Nat Karson for theatrical and television productions in New York during 1931-1949. The collection also includes 2 sketchbooks of set designs, several cut-outs of stage models, 1 caricature, 2 posters, and some black & white photographs. less

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 symphonies. The Symphony of the New World Records reflect some of the activities of this orchestra. less

The Owen Dodson Collection consists principally of printed matter describing Dodson's career as a poet, playwright and novelist. There are also programs, obituaries and a memorial, a few of his poems and an extensive bibliography. Additionally, the collection contains a handwritten poem (1940's), postcards he wrote to his friend Sol Gordon, court documents and correspondence regarding Dodson's estate and his will. less

Correspondence, texts of speeches, articles, columns and statements written by Paul Robeson and his wife, Eslanda Goode Robeson, photographs, news clippings, and press releases documenting Robeson's artistic and political activities. Correspondence pertains to Robeson's artistic career, and includes letters written by Eslanda Robeson regarding her husband's difficulties as a result of his association with the Soviet Union. Additional correspondence, reports, news clippings, contracts, and printed matter were generated by Robeson's national tours from 1952 to 1956. Included are materials about the concert and riot which took place in Peekskill, N.Y. during one of Robeson's performances, 1949; correspondence and legal papers referring to Robeson's difficulties in his effort to have his United Stattes passport restored; and letters by William Patterson and W.E.B. Du Bois. Also included are files on various organizations associated with Robeson in the 1950s, including the Council on African Affairs, the National Negro Labor Council, and the World Peace Council. 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

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 Dick. For 10 years Mr. Ward was a police detective assigned to the office of Frank S. Hogan, Manhattan district attorney. Richard Ward was born Richard Waugh. "Richard Ward" is a stage name. Mr. Ward died on June 30, 1979. The Richard Ward Papers consist of clippings, correspondence, production notes, photographs and scripts which deal with his career as a scriptwriter and actor. The collection spans the years 1949 to 1980 and include a diary of his army years. less

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 biographical data, sketches and programs, performance materials, contracts, family papers, and financial records, 1917-1982. Correspondence consisting of letters received from organizations concerning programs, acknowledgements and solicitations reflecting Heyward's involvement in charitable affairs, organizations, and musical events. Heyward's writings and music consisting of manuscripts of his compositions, lyrics and arrangements, as well as music and lyrics which Heyward copied, and musical arrangements for guitar. Organizational records consisting of Heyward's files from his membership in the New Amsterdam Musical Association, Duke Ellington Society, Overseas Jazz Club, and Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament Alumni. Also, programs of Heyward's performances, and programs of other artists, along with news clippings. less

Positive Youth Troupe was organized in 1982 in the Bronx, New York and is a part of Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center, a non-profit arts and education program. From November through January, the Positive Youth Troupe members, ages 13-21, attend weekly workshops for professional training in dance, music, and theater. From February through June, they tour junior and senior high schools and community centers in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area. The Positive Youth Troupe Collection consists of correspondence, touring itineraries, choreographic notes, and the script and lyrics to songs featured in the original musical the troupe performed, "No Laughing Matter." Written by H. Sefus Henderson and Will Halsey, the musical tells the story of an African-American prep school student and the peer pressure he faces upon returning to his community. Also in the collection are three programs documenting the troupe's performance of this musical at City College, Staten Island Teen Pregnancy Network, Inc., and at Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center. less

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

Louis R. Sharp, African-American singer and actor graduated from the University of Kansas, where he sang with the University quartet. Moving to California in 1926, he studied voice with Theodore Ricardo, and settled in Harlem in the 1930s. A tenor, Sharp performed in concerts and recitals, singing in six languages. In 1931 Hall Johnson hired Sharp as a choral member of "The Green Pastures" in which he also played Cain. He had a major role as Toussaint L'Ouverture in the 1938 Federal Theatre Project's production of "Haiti" opposite Canada Lee's Christophe. Sharp was also in the original Broadway cast of such productions as "Conjur Man Dies," "Mamba's Daughters," "Cabin in the Sky," "South Pacific," "St. Louis Woman," "Finian's Rainbow," and "Set My People Free.". The Louis Sharp Scrapbooks are comprised of two volumes, the first, 1926-1946 contains news clippings and programs regarding Sharp's career, initially as a tenor performing in concerts, later as a singer and actor in "Finian's Rainbow" and in Broadway's "St. Louis Woman," and "Haiti," among other productions. There are several congratulatory letters and telegrams, including from Cab Calloway. The second scrapbook 1942-1947 consists of news clippings about African-American sports figures such as boxer Joe Louis and baseball player Jackie Robinson. less

Sidney Easton (1886-1971) was an actor, playwright and songwriter. Collection contains personal and professional papers including letters, writings by Easton, legal documents regarding his suit against 20th Century-Fox Corporation, and research notes. less

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 assistant, including sheet music; research notes; subject files of clippings and printed matter on various African American musicians; and correspondence with Alberta Hunter, Middleton Alexander "Spike" Harris, Caterina Jarboro, Noble Sissle, and several African American university museums and archives. less

The American Negro Ballet Company scrapbook consists of news clippings and programs about the company founded by Eugene von Grona. Included are reviews of its performances in New York City and in Brighton, England in 1937 and 1938, are programs for the ANB and Lew Leslie's "Blackbirds" of 1939, which featured dances choreographed by von Grona. A program and a news clipping refer to performances honoring the company, 1981 and 1983. less