Playwright, black drama historian, essayist and teacher. Loften Mitchell studied at the City College of New York (playwriting, 1937-1938), Talladega College (A.B. 1943), and Columbia University Graduate School (playwriting, 1947-1951). He began his theatrical career with the Salem Community Dramatizers, NY, 1936-1937, a church group for which he also wrote sketches; and the Pioneer Drama Group, 1936-1937, which produced some of his early plays. Since 1946, Mitchell has devoted his theatrical activities to writing for and about the theater. In addition to plays, films, and TV and radio scripts, he is the author of "Black drama: the story of the American Negro in the theater, 1967; "Voices of the black theater, 1974.
Loften Mitchell is also the author of a novel, "The stubborn old lady who resisted change," 1974. His articles have appeared in several newspapers and journals, among others: Theater Arts, The American Negro Writer and His Roots, The Talladegan, Freedomways, Negro Digest, The Black American Writer, the Amsterdam News, the New York Times, Anthology of the Negro in the American Theatre, and numerous other anthologies. Mitchell is the recipient of a Guggenheim Award for creative writing in the drama, 1958; Harlem Cultural Award for writing, 1969; award of playwriting, Research Foundation, SUNY, 1974; Tony Award nomination for "Bubbling brown sugar" (1976); award for Best Musical of the Year for "Bubbling brown sugar," London (1977); and AUDELCO (Audience Development Committee) Outstanding Theatrical Pioneer Award, 1979.