The Twenty-First Century Foundation was established in 1971 by economist Robert Span Browne to award small grants to African American organizations involved in education and economic development. The collection contains two audio recordings of Clarence L. Holte Prize ceremonies from 1979 and 1983, including presentations by Twenty-First Century Foundation founder Robert Span Browne, writer Vincent Harding, bibliophile Clarence L. Holte, and the historian Chancellor Williams.
The Twenty-First Century Foundation was established in 1971 by economist Robert Span Browne to award small grants to African American organizations involved in education and economic development. From 1971 to 1992, the Foundation distributed more than two hundred grants totalling over $1.2 million.
In addition to grants, the Foundation also administered the Clarence L. Holte Prize, awarded biennially. The prize was created in 1977 in honor of bibliophile Clarence L. Holte to recognize significant contributions by living writers to the cultural heritage of Africa and the African diaspora.
The collection contains two audio recordings of Clarence L. Holte Prize ceremonies from 1979 and 1983. They are organized chronologically. The ceremonies include presentations by Twenty-First Century Foundation founder Robert Span Browne, writer Vincent Harding, bibliophile Clarence L. Holte, the historian Chancellor Williams, and music and poetry performances.
Robert S. Browne, 1985.
Collection inventoried by Nathan Evans and Christopher Arena. Collection processed and described by Lyric Evans-Hunter, archivist; and Shola Lynch, curator. Finding aid published in 2024.
See the Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books Division for the Twenty-First Century Foundation records, Sc MG 241.
See the Photographs and Prints Division for the photographs.
See the Clarence L. Holte audio collection, Sc MIRS Holte 2003-07.