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The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Incorporated
(TBAAL), founded by Curtis King, is a Dallas, Texas based non-profit
tax-exempt organization which was chartered and incorporated November
23, 1977. On Monday, April 14, 1997, the Board of Directors of
the Academy unanimously voted to change the name of the Academy
from the Junior Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Incorporated
(JBAAL) to The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Incorporated.
The name change was legally amended by the State of Texas on Thursday,
June 26, 1997. Modeled after the American Negro Academy (ANA)
and the Black Academy of Arts and Letters (BAAL), TBAAL’s
primary objectives have been:
- to stimulate an increased awareness of Black artistic accomplishments
rooted in the African culture among the races;
- to honor those who have made significant and continuing
contributions in the arts and letters of the past and present
and;
- to identify, encourage and support young, promising talented
artists and scholars in Black arts and letters.
On March 5, 1897, in Washington, D.C., Rev. Dr.
Alexander Crummell, the son of a West African Tribal Chief (Temme
Tribe) and an American literary giant, founded an organization
called the American Negro Academy (ANA). After ANA’s inception,
five major objectives were instituted. Those objectives were:
- defense of the Negro against vicious assaults;
- publication of scholarly works;
- fostering higher education among Negroes;
- formulation of intellectual tastes and;
- promotion of literature, science and art.
It should be noted that ANA was the first and
only body in America, at that time, to bring together Negro artists
and scholars from all over the world. Eleven years after the founding
of ANA, Alexander Crummell died (Sept. 12, 1908) and Dr. W.E.B.
DuBois was elected president.
By 1918, ANA had produced in the literary market
such scholarly works as “Civilization: The Primal Need of
the Race and Attitude of the American Mind Toward Negro Intellect”
by Alexander Crummell; “The Early Negro Conventions”
by John W. Crommell; “Modern Industrialization and the Negro
of the United States” by J.E. Moreland; “Comparative
Study of the Negro Problem” by Charles C. Cook; “Disfranchisement
of the Negro” by J.L. Lowe; “How the Black San Domingo
Legion Saved the Patriotic Army in the Siege of Savanah 1799”
by T.G. Steward; “Right on Scaffold or the Martyr of 1822”
by A.H. Grimke; “The Negro and the Elective Franchise Symposium”
by A.H. Grimke, Charles C. Cook, John Noge, John L. Love, Kelly
Miller and Rev. Francis J. Grimke; “A Review of Hoffman’s
Race Traits and Tendencies of the American Negro” by Kelley
Miller; “The Status of the Free Negro from 1860-1870”
by William Pickens; “Economic Contribution by the Negro
to America” by Arthur Schomberg; “Status of the Free
Negro Prior to 1860” by L.M. Hershaw; “The Message
of San Domingo of the African Race” by T.G. Steward; “The
Sex Question and Race Segregation” by A.H. Grimke. With
27 years of long tedious work and leaving a flaming torch burning
for its successors, ANA cease to exist (in name only) in 1924.
Decades later, the flames that were left burning
in the torch by the ANA were regenerated by interested poets,
historians, dancers, essayists, musicians, dramatists, novelists,
actors, journalists, scholars, painters, etc. These artists and
scholars felt the need to recreate what had already been established
by their forerunners. And so in 1968, several subsequent meetings
pertaining to the rejuvenation of an Academy led to major meetings.
These meetings (Oct. 5, 1968, and Dec. 8, 1968) were held at the
20th Century Fund, 41 East 70th Street, NY, NY. Participants present
at these meetings were: Dr. C. Eric Lincoln, who served as Chairperson,
Julian “Cannonball” Adderly, Romare Bearden, Dr. Oliver
Cromwell Cox, Floyd Coleman, Vertis C. Hayes, Dr. Vivian W. Henderson,
Dr. Adelaide Cromwell Hill, Robert Hooks, John O. Killens, Dr.
Martin Luther Kilson, Jr., Donald McKayle, Arthur Mitchell, Frederick
O’Neal, Dr. Alvin Poussaint, Dr. Benjamin Quarles, M.J.
Rossant, Doris Saunders, Chuck Stone and John A. Williams.
In March of 1969, a “Black Academy of Arts
and Letters (BAAL)” was founded, chartered and incorporated
as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization by the State of New York
on June 12, 1969. C. Eric Lincoln was president; John O. Killens,
vice president; Doris Saunders, secretary; Alvin F. Poussaint,
treasurer; and Julia Prettyman, executive director. Charles V.
Hamilton, Vincent Harding, Robert Hooks, Charles White and John
A. Williams were other Board Members. Additional members and fellows
of the Academy from 1969-1972 included Julian Adderly, Alvin Ailey,
Margaret Walker Alexander, James Baldwin, Imanu Baraka, Etta Moten
Barnett, Romare Bearden, Harry Belafonte, Lerone Bennet, Arna
W. Bontempts, Wilfred Cartey, John Henry Clarke, Floyd Coleman,
Oliver Cromwell Cox, Earnest Crinchlow, John A. Davis, Ossie Davis,
Ruby Dee Davis, St. Clair Drake, Earnest Dunbar, Katherine Dunham,
Lonne Elder, III, Duke Ellington, John Hope Franklin, Alex Haley,
Inge Hardison, Vertis C. Hayes, Vivian Henderson, Adelaide Cromwell
Hill, Chester Himes, Lena Horne, Jean Hutson, Martin Kilson, Jacob
Lawrence, Elma Lewis, Henry Lewis, Paule Marhsall, Benjamin E.
Myes, Donald McKayle, Arthur Mitchell, Carlton Moss, Frederick
O’Neal, Gordon Parks, Sidney Poitier, Dorothy B. Porter,
Benjamin Quarles, Lawrence Reddick, Jay Saunders Redding, Lloyd
Richards, Lucille D. Roberts, Paul LeRoy Roberson, Carl T. Rowan,
Leopold Sedar Senghor, Nina Simone, Elliot Skiller, Chuck Stone,
Charles H. Wesley and Hale Woodruff.
Focusing on similar organizational objectives
that were developed by ANA, some of the major programs created
by BAAL included the Incentive Awards to Promising Artists and
Scholars, Revolving Chairs of Black Arts and Letters at Black
Colleges, touring Exhibits of Black Art, support of Black Arts
at the Community Level, Black Academy Hall of Fame, A Directory
of Cultural Activities in the Black Community and a Biennial Conference
of Black Artists and Scholars. Other activities included annual
competitions and festivals for Black filmmakers, annual retreats
for Black writers, establishment of cultural archives covering
all major artists and scholars both living and deceased, a Manual
for the Guidance of Black Writers in preparing material for publication,
an oral history of the Black experience, a photographic record
of Black achievements in architecture and the crafts and sponsorship
of cultural festivals and forums on Black Theater, Music, Art
and Dance.
By the early part of 1973, BAAL had undergone
some administrative changes and it became defunct approximately
one year later in 1974. Both academies ANA and BAAL, however,
had lived up to their respective objective. They gave reality
to speculation and solidity to dreams.
Eighty years (1897-1977) after the inception
of ANA and eight years (1969-1977) after the development of BAAL,
a third Academy generation was formed with the concepts, goals,
dreams, purposes and objectives of the previous academies. In
1977, the Junior Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Inc. (JBAAL),
was conceptualized. After Curtis King had conversed with C. Eric
Lincoln, John O. Killens, Margaret Walker Alexander, Frederick
O’Neal, Jean Hutson, Romare Bearden and Doris Saunders concerning
the formation of an Academy that would directly involve young
and aspiring artists and scholars, JBAAL was founded and officially
formed by Curtis King in Dallas, Texas on July 17, 1977 with $250
of his personal money.
- The Junior Black Academy of Arts and Letters was established
for the following purposes:
- To enhance and help sustain the total cause and efforts
for which ANA and BAAL were established;
- To work jointly and cooperatively under the auspices of
the founders and former members of BAAL;
- To serve as a catalyst and clearinghouse for Black arts
and letters organizations and institutions;
- To help promote, implement and disseminate the goals objectives
and dreams of ANA and BAAL by:
- defining, preserving, cultivating, promoting, fostering
and developing the arts and letters of Black People;
- promoting and encouraging public recognition of the universality
of the arts and letters of Black People;
- promoting and encouraging fellowship and cooperation among
Black artists, composers, musicians, writers, performers,
and all others engaged in artistic and creative endeavors
- promoting and encouraging the public recognition and honor
of the young artists and others as being representative of
its purposes, goals and objectives
- promoting and encouraging the holding of competitions,
exhibits, performances, presentations and showings of the
arts and letters of Black People
- providing a reference depository accessible to members
and others which will depict (through any and all media now
known or subsequently developed, including but not limited
to photographs, paintings, sketches, carvings, casting, moldings,
films, tapes, recordings, engravings and publications) the
skills and achievements of Black People in the arts and letters;
- providing encouragement to and an outlet for the creative
efforts and achievements in the arts and letters of Black
People;
- establishing, providing and granting fellowships, prizes
and awards for creative efforts and achievements in the arts
and letters of Black People;
After more than two decades of producing and
presenting programs in music, theater, dance, film, television
and video, literature and visual arts throughout the United States,
TBAAL has continued to create strong ties among many emerging
and well known artists and scholars. In the organization’s
early history (1977), it established a professional Resident Touring
Company called the Third World Players. Renowned actress Regina
Taylor was a member of that company in 1978 and other artists
such as Erykah Badu are a product of the Academy.
The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Incorporated
is permanently located in the downtown Dallas Convention Center
Theatre Complex. The 250,000 sq. ft. facility houses the 1,750
seat Naomi Burton Theatre, 225 seat Clarence Muse Café
Theatre, Eva Jessye Gift Shop, James E. Kemp Gallery, administrative
offices and rehearsal spaces.
The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Inc. is
a Dallas-based multi-disciplined cultural arts institution. The
‘cultural icon’ of the Dallas/Fort Worth area, TBAAL
presents and produces exciting cultural arts programs annually
in dance, theatre, music, literary, fine, and visual arts. Local
and emerging artists participate in TBAAL programs, and noted
artists and celebrities have participated such as:, and many
more.
As of the printing of this document, TBAAL receives
17% of its funding from the City of Dallas Office of Cultural
Affairs and modest grants from the National Endowment for the
Arts and the Texas Commission on the Arts. Approximately 83% of
the organization’s funding is generated from other earned
income such as admission fees, memberships, and other contributions.
Securing underwriting for such a rich array of cultural programs
is among TBAAL’s top priorities.
TBAAL is a very unique cultural arts organization
located in the heart of downtown Dallas adjacent to Dallas City
Hall. It is the only African-American multi-disciplined cultural
arts organization in the country housed inside a major convention
center.
TBAAL attracts more than 500,000 patrons to its
facility annually for programs and events. TBAAL is the only multi-discipline
cultural arts institution in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area to offer
top notch quality and a variety of cultural arts and entertainment
programs all year long. TBAAL occupies over 250,000 square feet
of space, which includes:
- Naomi Bruton Theatre (1,750 seats)
- Clarence Muse Cafe' Theatre (216 seats)
- James E. Kemp Art Gallery
- Eva Jessye Gift Shop
- Rehearsal/Lecture/Meeting Rooms
- Administrative Offices and Box Office
Previous and current locations of The Black Academy of Arts and
Letters:
- Knight Street - The Founder's apartment, North Dallas, 1977-1978
- Lancaster Street, Oak Cliff - Dallas, 1979-1981
- Peak Street, East Dallas, 1981-1983
- Commerce Street, East Dallas, 1983-1986
- Ervay Street, Downtown Dallas, 1986-1988
- Austin Street, Downtown Dallas, 1988-1989
- Dallas Convention Center Theatre Complex, 1989-Present
More than 100 programs and events are presented
and/or produced by TBAAL annually. These programs include:
- Dramatic and musical stage productions
- Concerts (Jazz, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Hip-Hop, Classical,
Reggae)
- Gala benefits
- Arts exhibitions
- Lectures
- Book reviews
- Special programs (Summer Youth Arts Institute and others)
- Film screenings
- Conferences
- Festivals
The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Incorporated
is governed by a nine member Board of Directors.
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