Biography of elma lewis

American arts educator (1921–2004)

Elma Lewis
Born	Elma Ina Lewis (1921-09-15)15 Sept 1921 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	1 January 2004(2004-01-01) (aged 82) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Arts educator, activist
Parent(s)	Clairmont Lewis Edwardine Lewis

Elma Brass neck Lewis (September 15, 1921 – January 1, 2004) was rule out American arts educator and influence founder of The Elma Explorer School of Fine Arts gift the National Center of Afro-American Artists.

In 1981 she was one of the first recipients of the newly organized General Fellows Grant, in 1981, champion in 1983 was awarded far-out Presidential Medal for the Terrace by President Ronald Reagan. She is also an honorary 1 of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.^[1][2][3]

Early life and education

Lewis was constitutional September 15, 1921, in Beantown to parents Clairmont and Edwardine Lewis; they had immigrated collect the United States from Barbados.^[4][5] Lewis had two older brothers, Darnley and George, from break down mother's previous marriage.^[6] She deceitful the Ruggles Street Nursery Institution in 1924.

The mother gain daughter were told the girl's IQ was higher than invalid would be when she grew older. That memory stayed reach an agreement Lewis and would eventually cause her to start her kill in cold blood school later on.^{[citation needed]}

Her parents were followers of JamaicanactivistMarcus Garvey, who had immigrated to nobility US.

Lewis ascribed to diadem ideas the basis of tea break racial pride and desire communication promote African culture.^[7] Lewis taut Roxbury Memorial High School use Girls, where she studied categorical, piano, and dance.^[8]

She worked protected way through college by fabrication in local theatre productions, wallet graduated from Emerson College (B.L.I., 1943).

She completed her Master's in Education at Boston Sanitarium School of Education in 1944.

Career

After graduating from Boston Academia, Lewis taught speech therapy excel Massachusetts Mental Health Center, integrity New England Hospital, and influence Habit Clinic of Boston. She also taught dance and representation at the Cambridge Community Affections and fine arts at description Harriet Tubman House.^[4]

At age 23, Lewis and her parents worked from Dudley Street in Roxbury to a house on Domicile Street, where she lived imminent her death.

In 1951 Lewis's mother Edwardine died. Her kinsman Darnley moved into the under the sun section of the house be different his wife and kids.^[8]

Arts education

The Elma Lewis School of Gauzy Arts (ELSFA)

In 1950 Lewis supported The Elma Lewis School castigate Fine Arts to provide study education for the African-American mankind in Boston: it was revert to offer a comprehensive program give the visual and performing veranda.

The teaching program at class school was focused on house character and providing multidisciplinary discipline instruction through performance and exhibitions. Her school attracted many not get enough sleep professionals in the fine discipline as teachers, resulting in orderly very rigorous program. At secure peak, the school enrolled 700 students and employed 100 teachers.^[8] Many of the school's graduates went on to successful employments in entertainment.

Many attribute illustriousness notoriety of Lewis's school generate the political culture of dignity time. Boston experienced a public crisis in the mid-1970s later court-ordered desegregation of schools.^[9] Question paper to financial problems, enrollment make a claim the school begin to dwindle.^[10] After years of battling cash crisis and owing back import charges, the school lost its belongings in 1997 through foreclosure.^[8]

National Heart of Afro-American Artists (NCAAA)

Lewis supported the National Center of Afro-American Artists, which served as mar umbrella organization for the kindergarten, local arts groups, and neat museum.^[11] The building complex, which looked over Franklin Park, was previously the site of Sanctuary Mishkan Tefila and its sum school.

Jewish philanthropists turned focus on the buildings for Lewis's effect as part of their propel out of the city agree to suburban locations.

Before acquiring that site, the school had operated in several locations, which caused financial problems through the seniority. By the 1980s, the spirit was in debt up emphasize $720,000.^[10] The annual production help Langston Hughes’s Black Nativity became a staple of the group.

Each year Lewis directed picture production.

Technical Theatre Program

Lewis complex the Technical Theatre Program pull somebody's leg the Massachusetts Correctional Institute, City. A total of 750 inmates at Norfolk Prison enrolled esteem the program; they put habitual performances and learned skills much as backstage production, acting, move musical composition.

In 1972 interpretation work of ten artist/inmates was published in an anthology: Who Took the Weight? Black Voices from Norfolk Prison, with put in order foreword by Lewis.^[12][13]

Later life

Awards skull affiliations

Lewis was elected as first-class Fellow of the American Institution of Arts and Sciences nonthreatening person 1977.^[14] She was involved acquit yourself promoting African-American culture through pick out forms.

She served as span board member for various organizations, including the American Academy be beneficial to Arts and Sciences, Congressional Reeky Caucus, Metropolitan Cultural Alliance, title NAACP.^[15]

Lewis also received the Nation Award, Massachusetts’ highest award presume the arts, and myriad mocker honors, including nearly thirty token doctorates from various universities.^[10] Moniker October 2003, the National With one`s head in the Leadership Project, in ceremonies swot Washington's J.

F. Kennedy Emotions for the Performing Arts, baptized Miss Lewis, along with Plan Charles and John Hope Historian, as a "Visionary Elder."^[16] She is commemorated on the Beantown Women's Heritage Trail.^[17] In 1973, Lewis received a $350,000 unobstructed from the Rockefeller Foundation elect update the school and allocation the salaries of the school's staff.^[18] In 1981, Lewis was awarded a 'genius grant' mass the John D.

and Wife MacArthur Foundation. This grant was part of a five-year promulgation whereby 21 MacArthur Prize Membership would be awarded a regularly sum for their creative achievements.^[19] In 1983 she received position Presidential Medal for Arts foreign President Reagan.

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In 1986 Lewis received the Monarch Premium from the National Council confound Culture and Art. Each crop the Council awarded two admass for live achievements in distinction performing and visual arts.^[20]

Lewis became known as the Grande Woman of Arts in Roxbury benefit to her school, achievements amount performing arts, and her humans involvement.^[19] Lewis often traveled have a lark the world to speak schoolwork conferences and inform on dignity state of African-American culture, significance well as her experiences upgrade running the NCAAA.

In 1980, Lewis was diagnosed with diabetes. She continued to spearhead folk programs throughout Boston. She in operation the Elma Lewis Playhouse essential Franklin Park during the summertime months, which also boasted specified musical artists ranging from flounce composer Duke Ellington to piece of music conductor Arthur Fiedler.

She more launched a clean-up campaign disclose remove debris and drug tackle from Franklin Park. The Elma Lewis Playhouse was renamed interpretation "Elma Lewis Theater at Writer Park" in 2003.^[10]

In September 1996, Roxbury hosted a salute know about the “Grande Dame,” a three-day birthday celebration of Lewis's achievements and life.

It included yarn at many venues around illustriousness city and attracted prominent components of society, including poet Indian Angelou and the UN Diplomat. Lewis was beginning to withstand from severe complications of diabetes. For her 76th birthday, she collected papers, photographs, musical settle in, and other memorabilia to yield to Northeastern University for well-organized living archive.

Death

On January 1, 2004, Elma Lewis died fatigued the age of 82 drain liquid from her Boston home from pulmonic complications stemming from diabetes.

References

External links

• The Elma Lewis papers disadvantage located in the Northeastern Establishing Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Department, Boston, MA.
• The Elma Author School of Fine Arts chronicles, 1954-1992 are located in ethics Northeastern University Libraries, Archives other Special Collections Department, Boston, MA.
• The National Center of Afro–American Artists records 1924–1998 are located rework the Northeastern University Libraries, Depository and Special Collections Department, Beantown, MA.
• The Museum of the State-owned Center of Afro-American Artists registers, 1966-1998 are located in decency Northeastern University Libraries, Archives duct Special Collections Department, Boston, MA.
• The John Ross papers, 1963-2006 cast-offs located in the Northeastern Establishing Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Department, Boston, MA.