African Americans

Scope and Contents Actress and arts administrator Joan Sandler lectured on 11/10/1981 (2015-0002/RR263). Not becoming active in the arts until her 30s, Sandler worked as a clerk and political activist before beginning to study theatre at the Negro Ensemble Company in the mid-1960s. Although she landed a role in the television drama series, Black Girl, Sandler turned to a career in art, and in 1975 began working as a program specialist for the Department of Cultural Affairs and then began working for the Black...

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Actor H. Scott lectured on 3/9/1970 (2015-0002/RR264). Unfortunately, no lecture note, transcription, or recording cover provides Mr. Scott's first name.

Scope and Contents Artist, author and minister Kefa Sempangi and jass musician and professor Leonard Goines lectured together on 3/25/1975 (2015-0002/RR265). Throughout the 1960s and 1970s Ugandan artist Kefa Sempangi’s (b. 1939, Uganda) practice spanned surrealist portraiture, abstract painting, found object assemblages and cast bronze.Goines holds degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, Columbia University, The New School, and Harvard University. He has taught at New York...

Scope and Content Note From the Collection:

The collection contains framed clippings, a framed novelty song collection, a framed book collection, a framed honorary degree, and research posters.

Scope and Contents Jazz saxophonist and flutist Sahib Shihab (birth name Edmund Gregory) delivered 2 lectures. He spoke on 9/9/1986 (2015-0002/RR266) and 9/1/1987 (2015-0002/RR267). Born Edmund Gregory, he changed his name to Sahib Shihab in 1946 after converting to Islam. Having an active performing and recording career in the US throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Shihab had the opportunity to play with Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey, Buddy Johnson, Tadd Dameron, Lucky Thompson, Dizzy Gillespie, Illinois Jacquet,...

Scope and Contents English professor Joseph Skerrett spoke once on 9/10/1985 (2015-0002/RR312). Skerrett received a bachelor’s degree in English from St. Francis College (1964), a master’s degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University (1965), and a PhD in English from Yale University, where he specialized in 20th century African American literature (1975). In 1973 Skerrett began teaching at the University of Massachusetts in the English Department where he taught courses in African...

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Artist Alvin Smith delivered a lecture on 11/14/1978 (2015-0002/RR268). Smith is a visual artist active in New York City. Smith's piece, St. Mary and Mississippi, is on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Hale Smith introduces painter and educator Alvin Smith. Alvin Smith speaks about Afro American art in general and about his own work as a creative artist.

Scope and Contents Hale Smith (June 29, 1925 – November 24, 2009) was an American composer, arranger, and pianist. Hale Smith lectures can be found in the Black Experience in the Arts reel-to-reel collection. Smith was also the course's longtime co-instructor and responsible for selecting the class' many guest speakers since he knew many of the artists.In his 1972 lecture, Smith spoke to students about black composers. Smith, who at the time was one of the few black composers whose work was...

Scope and Contents Painter Vincent Smith delivered 5 lectures. Smith spoke on 1/24/1984 (2015-0002/RR269), 3/18/1986 (2015-0002/RR270), 3/24/1987 (2015-0002/RR271), 2/16/1988 (2015-0002/RR319) and 1/30/1990 (2015-0002/AC19). Smith was an American artist, painter, printmaker and teacher and known for his depictions of black life. Smith's work appeared in over 25 solo shows and 30 group exhibitions. His style was described as a bridge between Cubist and Abstract Expressionism.AC 19 Leon Bailey...

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Eileen Jackson Southern (February 19, 1920 – October 13, 2002) was an American musicologist, researcher, author, and teacher. Southern's research focused on black American musical styles, musicians, and composers; she also published on early music. She lectured on 9/26/1972 (2015-0002/RR272).

Scope and Contents Singer Rawn Spearman and musician Carlesta Henderson performed on 4/14/1981 (2015-0002/RR273). Hale Smith makes several announcements regarding the course before introducing the evening's speakers. Rawn Spearman, collaborating with him Carlesta Henderson, accompanied on piano is Kelley Wyatt. Performing music tha thas been written to Langston Hughes' poetry.Spearman earned degrees from Florida A&M and Columbia University. In his performing career. Spearman sang a wide...

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Historian Donald Spivey lectured on 3/27/1990 (2015-0002/AC20).

Scope and Contents Actor, director, and theatre professor James Spruill spoke to Black Experience in the Arts students on 2/18/1986 (2015-0002/RR274/AC21) and on 2/10/1987 (2015-0002/RR247) with Lynda Patton and Georgette Leslie. Spruill attended Boston University (BU) for a Master’s of Fine Arts in directing in 1968 and was the first to be awarded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Fellowship. While a student at BU, Spruill co-founded the New African Company, a small professional theatre dedicated to presenting the...

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Leon Bailey introduces Professor Ardelle Striker. Striker speaks about who has produced Black Theatre followed by trends in Black Theatre today and what is being produced in 1990. Theater professor Ardelle Striker spoke on 2/13/1990 (2015-0002/AC22).

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Leon Bailey introduces Mr. Stripling. Byron Stripling talks about his joy of music, especially Black music. Stripling also performs several pieces. Trumpeter Byron Stripling lectured on 4/24/1990 (2015-0002/AC23).

Scope and Contents Dancer Pat Taylor lectured on 11/21/1978 (2015-0002/RR275). Hale Smith shares how he met tonight's speaker as part of his introduction. An instructor in the New York City school system, Patricia Taylor is an authority on the subjects of dance and culture. She discusses "Culture Carriers;" specifically the contribution that the performing arts make particularly to who we are in our own very unique and distinct ways. Before majoring in Dance at UCLA, Taylor began taking dance lessons at the...

Scope and Contents Conductor Leon Thompson delivered 2 lectures. He spoke on 4/1/1975 (2015-0002/RR276) and 3/28/1978 (2015-0002/RR277). Thompson studied music at the Eastman School of Music and then went on to the University of Southern California to pursue his doctorate in conducting. In 1955, while teaching at West Virginia State College, Thompson was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Paris. While there he studied with Pierre Monteux, Nadia Boulanger, Howard Hanson, and George Szell. ...

Scope and Contents Musician, composer, performer, poet, arts advocate and administrator, director emeritus of the University of Massachusetts Fine Arts Center (FAC) and co-founder and director emeritus of its Jazz in July program Frederick Tillis delivered 4 lectures. He spoke on 10/15/1985 (2015-0002/RR278), 10/7/1986 (2015-0002/RR279), 10/6/1987 (2015-0002/RR280), and 9/12/1989 (2015-0002/AC24). RR 278 Recording begins after Professor Tillis has begun talking about his childhood and his...

Scope and Contents Poet and journalist Quincy Troupe delivered 11 lectures over a 17 year period. Troupe spoke on 11/18/1975 (2015-0002/RR281), 1/24/1978 (2015-0002/RR282), 2/5/1980 (2015-0002/RR283), 3/24/1981 (2015-0002/RR284) 2/1/1983 (2015-0002/RR285), 1/31/1984 (2015-0002/RR286), 2/25/1986 (2015-0002/RR287), 1/27/1987 (2015-0002/RR288), 3/22/1988 (2015-0002/RR289), 4/12/1971 (2015-0002/RR313), and on an unidentified date (2015-0002/AC25).AC 25 [Difficult to hear speakers over the sound of...

Scope and Contents Norris Turney lectured on 9/11/1973 (2015-0002/RR290). Hale Smith introduces Norris Turney who plays reed instruments as well as the flute. Mr. Turney tells a story about a man nobody ever heard about who had a beautiful soul and loved music. Turney, primarily known as a saxophonist also played flute and clarinet, was an active performer in Ohio, Chicago, and New York City for 50 years. After playing with A.B. Townsend in Ohio, Turney toured with the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra before...