Viewing page 1 of 107
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS, INC. Fact Sheet The Black Academy of Arts and Letters was formed in April, 1969 to "define, preserve, promote, cultivate, foster and develop the arts and letters of black people." As Dr. C. Eric Lincoln stated in his founding address: The Black Academy of Arts and Letters exists for the proper recognition of those who have made a notable contribution to black America...It exists as a symbol of the love and concern we have for our children. I intend no cheap and shallow rhetoric when I say that we are a great people. It is time for the world to know it, but more crucial than any other value is that it is time for our children to know it. We are not great because we are black. We are great because for 350 years we have been a latent silent resource to the developing greatness of America and western civilization. There is no aspect of the culture of this nation which has not been touched by the black presence. It was in the this spirit and with this conviction that the fifty Founding Fellows, representing a wide spectrum of the nation's leading black artists and scholars, formed the Black Academy. The current membership is fifty-eight, as eight persons were elected during 1970. The Academy members represent some of the finest of achievement in arts and letters; in fact, their diversity of talents is such that it is difficult to isolate many of them as belonging to any one field. More than two-thirds of the members teach at colleges and universities, as well as lecture across the United States and in foreign countries. The concern and commitment of Academy members to black people and their society is demonstrated by their widespread and spontaneous participation in civic and cultural organizations, many of which were established or initiated under their direction. 475 RIVERSIDE DRIVE NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10027 TELEPHONE: 212-663-4740 BOARD OF DIRECTORS C. ERIC LINCOLN, PRESIDENT JOHN O. KILLENS, VICE-PRESIDENT DORIS E. SAUNDERS, SECRETARY ALVIN F. POUSSAINT, TREASURER CHARLES V. HAMILTON VINCENT HARDING ROBERT HOOKS CHARLES WHITE JOHN A. WILLIAMS MEMBERS JULIAN ADDERLEY ALVIN AILEY MARGARET W. ALEXANDER IMAMU BARAKA ETTA MOTEN BARNETT ROMARE BEARDEN HARRY BELAFONTE LERONE BENNETT ARNA W. BONTEMPS JOHN H. CLARKE FLOYD COLEMAN OLIVER CROMWELL COX ERNEST CRICHLOW JOHN A. DAVIS OSSIE DAVIS ST. CLAIR DRAKE ERNEST DUNBAR LONNE ELDER, III DUKE ELLINGTON JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN ALEX HALEY CHARLES V. HAMILTON VINCENT HARDING INGE HARDISON VERTIS C. HAYES VIVIAN HENDERSON ADELAIDE CROMWELL HILL CHESTER HIMES ROBERT HOOKS JEAN HUTSON JOHN O. KILLENS MARTIN KILSON JACOB LAWRENCE ELMA LEWIS HENRY LEWIS C. ERIC LINCOLN PAULE MARSHALL BENJAMIN E. MAYS DONALD MCKAYLE ARTHUR MITCHELL FREDERICK O'NEAL GORDON PARKS SIDNEY POITIER DOROTHY B. PORTER ALVIN F. POUSSAINT BENJAMIN QUARLES LAWRENCE REDDICK (JAY) SAUNDERS REDDING LLOYD RICHARDS LUCILLE D. ROBERTS PAUL LEROY ROBESON CARL T. ROWAN DORIS E. SAUNDERS NINA SIMONE CHUCK STONE CHARLES H. WESLEY CHARLES WHITE JOHN A. WILLIAMS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JULIA PRETTYMAN
