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BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS, INC. FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Johnson Mrs. Prettyman (212) 663-4740 FOR RELEASE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20: ELLINGTON RECEIVES MEDAL OF MERIT, GWENDOLYN BROOKS & KATHERINE DUNHAM HONORED FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE ARTS First Annual Letters Competition honors Mari Evans (Poetry: I AM A BLACK WOMAN), Fraklin W. Knight (Scholarly Work: SLAVE SOCIETY IN CUBA), and Williams Melvin Kelley (Fiction: DUNFORDS TRAVELS EVERYWHERE) for Distinguished Achievement in Letters. The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, at their Second Annual Awards Banquet, held in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria last evening (September 19th, 1971), honored these artists and scholars before a capacity audience of sponsors and subscribers. The awards for the First Annual Letters Competition carry with them checks in the amount of $500. Three esteemed contributors to black arts and letters, all of whom lived in the 19th century, were enrolled in the Academy's Hall of Fame: IRA ALDRIDGE, actor; FREDERICK DOUGLASS, statesman; and GEORGE WASHINGTON WILLAIMS, historian. The closes descendant of each was presented the citation during the awards ceremonies. - more - 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 R. 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
