Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Ring, Montague.
2. Miller, Bessie Oliver, 1888-1974.
3. Thompson, Ulysses S.
4. Whipper, Leigh R. (Leigh Rollin), 1877-1975.
5. Williams, Fess, 1894-1975.
6. Webb, Margot.

Description

1. 15.7 lin. ft. (46 hollinger boxes)

Summary

1. The Helen Armstead-Johnson Miscellaneous Theater collections (HAJMTC) are formed by over two hundred file-folder level collections (1 to 3 file folders per personality/event). The collections contain information dating from the mid-19th century to the late 20th century documenting early dramatic actors, minstrel shows, vaudeville, musical revues, 1920s and 30s Broadway productions, the protest dramas of the 1940s and 50s, plays that came out of the Black Arts Movement of the late 60s and 70s, and theatrical productions of the 1980s and 90s. In addition to actors, playwrights, singers, musicians, and dancers (classical and popular) (e.g. Ira Frederick Aldridge, Eubie Blake and Katherine Dunham), and the productions they appeared in, there are collections for poets, and visual and plastic artists. There are eighteen collections documenting performers of the 19th century; twenty-nine collections covering the period 1900-1919; thirty-seven collections document the 1940s-1950s; and eleven collections for the 1980s and 1990s. The bulk of the collections cover the two most productive periods for black theater: ninety-two collections for the 1920s through the 1930s, and ninety collections representative of the Black Arts Movement.

Donor/Sponsor

1. Schomburg NEH Blacks on Stage: African-American Theater Arts Collections Project.

Alternative title

1. Helen Armstead-Johnson Collection

Subject

1. Aldridge, Ira Frederick, 1807-1867
2. Anderson, Marian, 1897-1993
3. Baker, Josephine, 1906-1975
4. Blake, Eubie, 1887-1983
5. Bubbles, John W
6. Byrd, Sam, 1908-
7. Croxton, Darryl
8. Dafora, Asadata, 1890-1965
9. Dodson, Owen, 1914-1983
10. Dunham, Katherine
11. Handy, W. C. 1873-1958
12. Hayes, Roland, 1887-1977
13. Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967
14. Jarboro, Caterina
15. Jessye, Eva, 1895-1992
16. John, Henry
17. Johnson, Hall, 1888-1970
18. Johnson, James Weldon, 1871-1938
19. Mapp, Jim
20. Matheus, John Frederick, 1887-1983
21. Miller, Bessie Oliver, 1888-1974
22. Mitchell, Abbie
23. Muse, Clarence
24. Parker, Dolores
25. Pomare, Eleo
26. René, Leon, 1902-
27. Robeson, Paul, 1898-1976
28. Robinson, Bill, 1878-1949
29. Saunders, Gertrude
30. Senghor, Léopold Sédar, 1906-2001
31. Shepp, Archie
32. Sidney, Jay
33. Sissle, Noble, 1889-1975
34. South, Eddie
35. Thompson, Ulysses S
36. Troy, Henry
37. Whipper, Leigh R. 1877-1975
38. Williams, Fess, 1894-1975
39. National Negro Opera Company
40. Norton and Margot (Dance team)
41. Lafayette Theatre Players
42. Playward Bus Thater
43. African American authors
44. African American actors
45. African American artists
46. African American choral conductors
47. African American comedians
48. African American composers
49. African American dramatists
50. African American musicians
51. African American poets
52. African American singers
53. African American women entertainers
54. African Americans in the performing arts
55. African American dancers
56. Choreographers
57. Authors, Black
58. American drama -- African American authors
59. African American theater
60. African American dance
61. Music publishing
62. Musicals
63. Opera

Genre/Form

1. Plays.

Call number

1. Sc MG 599

Note

1. The bulk of the photographs, artifacts and audio-visual materials making up the Helen Armstead-Johnson Theater Collection were either not associated with the manuscripts collections or were allocated to the Photographs and Prints Division, the Arts and Artifacts Division or the Moving Images and Recorded Sound Division, respectively upon receipt of the collection by the Center. Any photographs and artifacts separated while processing the miscellaneous collections were transferred to the appropriate divisions and are identified by a "See Also" note following the collection's description.

Source (note)

1. Helen Armstead-Johnson;
2. Armstead-Johnson, Helen

Biography (note)

1. Helen Armstead-Johnson began conducting research into African American theater following a chance meeting in 1966 with Noble Sissle (1889-1975), musician, band conductor and show business partner of composer Eubie Blake. As a result of her interest in Black theater, she established The Armstead-Johnson Foundation for Theater Research in February 1974 for the purpose of collecting, preserving, documenting and exhibiting the history of Black contributions to the American stage. As the Foundation's director her research and other activities for the Foundation took her across the United States, Europe, Africa, South America and Australia enabling her to acquire materials.

Provenance (note)

1. The Helen Armstead-Johnson miscellaneous theater collections consist of materials gathered by Helen-Armstead Johnson from Amanda Aldridge (pseud. Ring, Montague), Bessie Oliver Miller, Ulysses S. Thompson, Leigh Whipper, Fess Williams and Margot Webb,and others over various periods. It was subsequently donated by Helen Armstead-Johnson along with other theater related collections to the Schomburg Center

Linking entry (note)

1. Forms parts of: Helen Armstead-Johnson Theater Collection.

Processing action (note)

1. Processed
2. Cataloged

Author

1. Johnson, Helen A.

Title

1. Helen Armstead-Johnson miscellaneous theater collections, 1831-1993.

Biography

1. Helen Armstead-Johnson began conducting research into African American theater following a chance meeting in 1966 with Noble Sissle (1889-1975), musician, band conductor and show business partner of composer Eubie Blake. As a result of her interest in Black theater, she established The Armstead-Johnson Foundation for Theater Research in February 1974 for the purpose of collecting, preserving, documenting and exhibiting the history of Black contributions to the American stage. As the Foundation's director her research and other activities for the Foundation took her across the United States, Europe, Africa, South America and Australia enabling her to acquire materials.

Provenance

1. The Helen Armstead-Johnson miscellaneous theater collections consist of materials gathered by Helen-Armstead Johnson from Amanda Aldridge (pseud. Ring, Montague), Bessie Oliver Miller, Ulysses S. Thompson, Leigh Whipper, Fess Williams and Margot Webb,and others over various periods. It was subsequently donated by Helen Armstead-Johnson along with other theater related collections to the Schomburg Center

Linking entry

1. Forms parts of: Helen Armstead-Johnson Theater Collection.

Connect to:

1. Finding Aid

Added author

1. Ring, Montague.
2. Miller, Bessie Oliver, 1888-1974.
3. Thompson, Ulysses S.
4. Whipper, Leigh R. (Leigh Rollin), 1877-1975.
5. Williams, Fess, 1894-1975.
6. Webb, Margot.

Research call number

1. Sc MG 599