·   August 8, 1796 The African Society was formed in Boston, Massachusetts with 44 African American members. Their purpose was to provide a form of health insurance and funeral benefits, as well as spiritual brotherhood, to the members. They created a pamphlet titled “Laws of the African Society” that specified requirements for membership, dues, and procedures for paying benefits to the families of sick or deceased members. That pamphlet is on display at the Massachusetts Historical Society.

·   August 7, 1867 Ira Frederick Aldridge, stage actor, died. Aldridge was born July 24, 1807 in New York City. In 1826, Aldridge emigrated to England because of the persistent disparagement and harassment that black actors had to endure in the U. S. In England and on tours throughout Europe, Aldridge established himself in many roles, including several written as white characters. Aldridge died in Poland and his grave is tended by the Society of Polish Artists of Film and Theatre. Also, Aldridge is the only actor of African American descent among the 33 actors of the English stage with bronze plaques at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon. Aldridge’s biography, “Ira Aldridge: The Negro Tragedian,” was published in 1968.

On Sunday, July 31, 2011, The Wright played host to a very special event as Christina Johnson (pictured right), former principal dancer of Dance Theatre of Harlem, led a members-only tour through the Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts exhibit, followed by a public Q&A session with Brianna Furnish, founder of Ballet Renaissance. Leah Johnson (pictured left), an intern at the museum, was in attendance and provides her own perspective.

Whenever a former Firebird ballet dancer walks into a room, commanding attention comes naturally.

Therefore, when Christina Johnson, former Dance Theater of Harlem principal dancer appeared in the Wright Museum’s rotunda on National Dance Day, I immediately decided that she was synonymous with the beautiful art of ballet.

·   August 6, 1848 Susan Baker King Taylor, educator and humanitarian, was born enslaved in Liberty County, Georgia. As a young girl, Taylor was secretly taught to read and write by black women. In 1862, during the Civil War, Taylor’s family moved to Union-controlled St. Simons Island where, at the age of 14, she organized a school for the children on the island. This made her the first black teacher to openly instruct African American children in Georgia. In 1866, her family returned to Savannah where she established a school for freed black children. In the early 1870s, Taylor moved to Boston where she joined and became president of the Women’s Relief Corps which gave assistance to soldiers and hospitals. In 1902, Taylor published her memoirs, “Reminiscences of My Life in Camp: An African American Woman’s Civil War Memoir.” Taylor died in 1912.

·   August 5, 1763 Bill Richmond, hall of fame boxer, was born enslaved in Staten Island, New York. In 1777, Richmond was taken to England to apprentice as a cabinet maker but he took up boxing. Known as “The Black Terror,” he was one of the most accomplished and respected fighters of the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries. Richmond retired from boxing in 1818 at the age of 55 and established a boxing academy. Richmond died December 28, 1829 and was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005.

·   August 4, 1810 Robert Purvis, abolitionist, was born in Charleston, South Carolina. Although Purvis and his brothers were three-quarters European by ancestry and inherited considerable wealth from their native English father, they chose to identify with the black community and use their education and wealth to support the abolition of slavery and educational projects for the advancement of African Americans. In 1833, Purvis helped abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison establish the American Anti-Slavery Society and from 1845 to 1850 he served as president of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. By his account, Purvis estimated that from 1831 to 1861 he helped one enslaved person per day escape to the north. In 1883, Purvis co-edited “The History of the Underground Railroad in Chester and Neighboring Counties of Pennsylvania.” Purvis died April 15, 1898.

July 20th marked the showing of the movie “Only When I Dance” at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. The movie was followed by a discussion led by Debra White Hunt, the artistic director at the Detroit Windsor Dance Academy. Chelsea Talifer, an intern at The Wright, provides this review of the film.

       When I think about the movie “Only When I Dance” I think about a movie that has a powerful title, and a powerful story. This movie focuses on two bright, young, passionate ballet dancers (Irlan & Isabela) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil who have hopes to make it big. “Only When I Dance” shows how dancing transformed, and changed Irlan and Isobela’s lives. Ballet wasn't just a hobby to them, it was their life. Dancing took them out of their environment of poverty, and provided them with a vision of a different future. Irlan showed great focus and determination when it came to dance. He disconnected himself from his peers to avoid becoming distracted from his goals of dancing and providing a better life for his mother and father. Isobela had the same goal and determination, but she struggled to achieve them because of her dark skin complexion and body type. Successful ballerinas are usually Caucasian, thin and they come from affluent backgrounds. Dance companies like the Dance Theatre of Harlem provides the opportunity for young dancers like Isobela to succeed, and achieve their dreams.

        It’s unfortunate that many people have not seen or heard about this movie. To see Irlan and Isobela overcome the tremendous obstacles set before them, and the great sacrifices they make, is inspiring. Many people in America take for granted all the opportunities that we have, and for some this movie could be a reality check. To watch two young people living in poverty working so hard to accomplish something that would seem almost impossible to others is truly breathtaking.

·   August 3, 1937 Roland Wallace Burris, the first African American elected to statewide office in Illinois, was born in Centralia, Illinois. Burris earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Southern Illinois University in 1959 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Howard University School of Law in 1963. After graduating from law school, he became the first African American National Bank Examiner for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for the United States Treasury Department. From 1964 to 1973, Burris was employed at Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company and from 1973 to 1977 he served as Illinois Director of the Department of Central Management Services. In 1978, Burris was elected Illinois Comptroller, a position he held for three terms from 1979 to 1990. In 1990, he was elected Illinois Attorney General, becoming the second African American to hold that post in the United States. He served in that office until 1995. After several unsuccessful runs for other offices, Burris was appointed to fill the Senate seat of President Barack Obama in 2009. Burris did not run for re-election in 2010.

·   August 2, 1891 George Washington Williams, Civil War veteran, minister, and historian, died. Williams was born October 16, 1849 in Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the Union Army at 14 and fought during the final battles of the Civil War. After returning to civilian life, he enrolled at the Newton Theological Institute and graduated in 1874, the first African American to graduate from the institution. After graduation, Williams held several pastorates, including the historic Twelfth Baptist Church of Boston. Later, Williams moved to Cincinnati and became the first African American elected to the Ohio State Legislature, serving one term from 1880 to 1881. In 1885, President Chester Arthur appointed Williams Minister Resident and Consul General to Haiti. In addition to his religious and political achievements, Williams also authored “A History of Negro Troops in the War of Rebellion” (1887) and “The History of the Negro Race in America 1619 to 1880” (1883), the first written history of African Americans. Williams’ biography, “George Washington Williams,” was published in 1985.

·   August 1, 1834 The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 became effective, abolishing slavery in the majority of the British Empire. The act freed enslaved people under the age of six. Enslaved people six and older were designated as apprentices and would continue to serve their former owners for up to six additional years before being freed.

·   July 31, 1916 Warren Q. Marr II, co-founder of the Amistad Research Center, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Marr studied journalism and printing at Wilberforce University. After graduating, Marr worked for The Plaindealer newspaper in Kansas City, Kansas from 1939 to 1942, rising to the position of assistant editor. In 1968, Marr joined the staff of the NAACP and from 1974 to 1980 served as editor of the Crisis Magazine. In 1966, Marr co-founded the Amistad Research Center as a repository for African American papers and other artifacts. The center currently houses more than 10 million items. In 1991, Marr helped found Amistad Affiliates, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation of a replica of the schooner La Amistad as a floating museum and educational center. After years of construction, the ship has sailed to ports around the world promoting peace and goodwill. Marr died April 20, 2010.

By Juanita Moore, President and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

The African-American community thrives on the arts. It is one thing that has always been accessible. The ability to create, interpret and reinterpret remained with us even through slavery.

During the Harlem Renaissance, visual artists joined their counterparts in literature, music, theater and dance to create images of the New Negro. They created bold, stylized images of African Americans and African-American life. These images were disseminated through publications that were widely read and distributed nationally, creating mass appeal. The art moved people, changed minds, created a sense of pride and brought people together.

The trend continued in the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s with a growing social and racial consciousness permeating the work of many artists. However, it was the Black Arts Movement in the ’60s and ’70s that had art and the community speaking with one voice.

·   July 30, 1936 George “Buddy” Guy, blues guitarist and singer, was born in Lettsworth, Louisiana. In the early 1950s, Guy began performing with bands in Baton Rouge and in 1957 he moved to Chicago, Illinois. Guy’s career took off during the blues revival period of the late 1980s and early 1990s with albums such as “Breaking Out” (1988) and “Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues” (1991).  Guy is considered an important exponent of “Chicago blues” and has been called the bridge between the blues and rock and roll. He was an inspiration to Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and many other guitarists. Guy has won five Grammy Awards for contemporary and traditional forms of blues music, 23 W. C. Handy Awards, more than any other artist, and Billboard magazine’s The Century Award for distinguished artistic achievement. In 2003, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts, the highest honor bestowed on an individual artist by the United States, by President George W. Bush. Guy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

This is another photo from the incredibly rich Indianapolis Recorder Collection. They have been and remain one of the best African-American papers in the United States. Their photographs from throughout the 20th century paint a wonderful picture of African-American history and culture.

This is a photo of a mom-and-pop general store. We live in a world where so many of these small family stores have been replaced by big-box chain retailers and that is very unfortunate. The backbone of many urban neighborhoods was the local corner store where kids could get soda pop, moms could get detergent, and dad could grab a six pack of beer. This is a wonderful picture because you could tell that this man put a lot of work and pride into his store. The shelves are immaculately organized and perfect. Amidst all the products, notice the classic popcorn machine and a Coke cooler. This was, obviously, a very well-run operation. When you look at the man in the photos face, you can see the look of quiet self-pride and fulfillment.

Collection: Indianapolis Recorder Collection; year(s): 1940-1965.  Photograph courtesy of the Collections and Exhibitions department of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (http://chwmuseum.org). Research, caption and scanning by Derek Thomas Sojda. For more information please contact the Louise Lovett Wright Library and Robert L. Hurst Research Center at (313) 494-5840 or via email at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  For this and other informative posts, please visit http://chwmuseum.org/explore/blog.

·   July 29, 1870 George “Little Chocolate” Dixon, the first black and first Canadian-born fighter to win a world boxing championship, was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Dixon’s professional boxing career spanned 1886 to 1906. He held the bantamweight title (1890) and the featherweight title (1891-1897 and 1898-1900), and is considered by many to be the greatest fighter of the 19^th century. He retired with a record of 64 wins, 29 losses, and 51 draws. Dixon died penniless on January 6, 1909. In 1956, Dixon was elected to the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame and in 1990 to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. There is a recreation center named in his honor in Downtown Halifax.

“Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts,” a multimedia exhibition replete with a rich and colorful mix of spectacular costumes, stage props, posters, programs, photographs and video recordings chronicling the legacy of the groundbreaking dance company, is on display at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History through December 31.  In concert with the exhibit and in celebration of the artistic and social harmony and diversity it represents is a gala fundraiser spearheaded by the City of Detroit’s First Lady, Yvette Bing, taking place Friday, September 9, 2011, at the Museum.

Born out of the assassination of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) was founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and the late Karel Shook as a school that would offer children, especially those in Harlem, the opportunity to study dance and the allied arts.  Now in its fourth decade, DTH has grown into a multicultural dance institution and national treasure with an extraordinary legacy of training artists who have set the standard for performing arts, including several native Detroiters.  Naima Mora, a graduate of Cass Technical High School and alumna of Detroit-based Ballet Renaissance, performed with Dance Theatre of Harlem before her career focus turned to modeling, where she went on to become the Cycle 4 winner of “America's Next Top Model” and Cover Girl model.

“Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts” captures the majesty of the choreography, the beauty of the costuming, the dancers who defied gravity and stereotyping, and Arthur Mitchell’s own wide-ranging accomplishments.  Focusing on the discipline of dance, he brought ballet to Harlem and DTH evolved from a school with educational programs and professional training into a world-class touring company as its artists became powerful ambassadors for all of America.  In 2009, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center and Dance Theatre of Harlem exhibited the company’s rare costumes, photos and other memorabilia.  The California African American Museum supplemented the exhibit with the staging of costumes and video from four iconic ballets and adding life-sized banners and other imagery to illuminate the 40 years of history during which Dance Theatre of Harlem and Arthur Mitchell have received over 300 official citations for excellence.

Says Laveen Naidu, Executive Director for Dance Theatre of Harlem, “We are so excited (The) Wright Museum is sharing ‘Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts’ with the people of Detroit, who are an amazing part of our legacy.  We hope the DTH story will inspire all who visit and we look forward to returning soon.” 

In tandem with the exhibition is a gala fundraiser for the Museum on Friday, September 9, 2011, from 7 pm until 1 am.  Promising to be a dazzling, one-of-a-kind experience and unforgettable evening of dance, the event will feature fine dining and live entertainment; exclusive, private tours of the “Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts” exhibit; intimate ensemble performances by Dance Theatre of Harlem including such signature pieces as “New Bach” and “Return;” and the  “Dance the Night Away After Affair.”

The Gala is the brainchild of Yvette Bing, First Lady of the City of Detroit and member of the Board of Trustees for The Wright Museum, who saw this exhibit as a unique opportunity to raise the profile of the Museum as one of the region’s cultural jewels and broaden its audience.  She’s assembled a powerful host committee of influential women, some newly introduced to the Museum, who are representative of the diversity and idealism inherent in the legacy of Dance Theatre of Harlem.  Committee co-chairs include Jo Coleman, Jennifer Fischer, Cynthia Ford, and Kim Reuss; committee members include Betty Brooks, Serena Cockrell, Peggy Daitch, Retha Douglas, Linda Forte, Mary Anne Gargaro, Sharon James, Marion Jones, Florine Mark, Sharon Madison Polk, Vivian Pickard, Sandra E. Pierce, Glenda Price, Suzanne Shank, Dr. Lorna Thomas, and Roberta Hughes Wright, widow of Museum founder Dr. Charles H. Wright.

“The Wright Museum is truly a gem of our city and a wonderful location for this gala," says Mrs. Bing.  "I’m honored to host the event and hope that it brings greater awareness to the arts and to the singular vision of Arthur Mitchell.”

Juanita Moore, president & CEO of The Wright Museum, is equally enthused about the exhibition and the gala.  “We’re excited to host the 'Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts' exhibition on its national tour," says Ms. Moore.  "The gala fundraiser, which promises to be a spectacular, must-attend event, will enable the Museum to provide engaging educational programming and enrichment based upon the legacy of this great dance company.”

Tickets for the event are $250 each, which includes the Gala and After Affair, or $75 each for the After Affair only.  Additionally, a variety of sponsorship opportunities are available.  Complete information and online purchasing are available at www.DanceTheatreDetroit.com.

The “Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts” exhibition runs through December 31, 2011, and is free with Museum admission, which is $8 for adults (ages 13 – 61), $5 for seniors (ages 62 and over) and youth (ages 3 – 12), and free for Museum members and children under 3.  The Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm, and on Sundays from 1 – 5 pm.

The Exhibition is a project of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dance Theatre of Harlem and the California African American Museum.  The Exhibition was originally developed by The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and Dance Theatre of Harlem, and subsequently expanded and organized for touring in collaboration with the California African American Museum.  The Exhibit is sponsored locally by the GM Foundation, and Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is Presenting Sponsor for the Gala.

Founded in 1965 and located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown Detroit’s Cultural Center, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is the world's largest institution dedicated to the African American experience.  For more information, please visit www.TheWright.org.

 ·   July 28, 1893 Charles Wilber “Bullet” Rogan, hall of fame pitcher and outfielder, was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Rogan lied about his age to enlist in the Army in 1911. He was honorably discharged in 1914 but re-enlisted to play for the all-black Army baseball team. Rogan began his professional career in 1920 with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League and played until 1938. Over that period he won more games than any other pitcher in Negro League history and compiled the fourth highest career batting average. Casey Stengel of the New York Yankees called him “one of the best, if not the best, pitcher that ever lived.” After retiring as a player, Rogan became an umpire in the Negro American League until 1946 and then worked for the United States Postal Service. Rogan died March 4, 1967 and was posthumously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.

·   July 27, 1872 Charles Veale, Medal of Honor recipient, died. Veale was born in 1838 in Portsmouth, Virginia. He joined the Union Army during the Civil War and by September 29, 1864 was serving as a private in Company D of the 4^th Regiment United States Colored Infantry. On that day, his unit participated in the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm near Richmond, Virginia. Veale’s actions during the battle earned him the medal, America’s highest military decoration. His citation reads: “seized the national colors after 2 color bearers had been shot down close to the enemy’s works, and bore them through the remainder of the battle.”

·   July 26, 1916 Spottswood William Robinson III, educator, civil rights attorney, and judge, was born in Richmond, Virginia. Robinson earned his undergraduate degree from Virginia Union University in 1936 and in 1939 he received his law degree from Howard University, graduating first in his class and achieving the highest scholastic average in the history of the university. From 1939 to 1947, Robinson was on the faculty of Howard’s School of Law and from 1948 to 1960 he worked with the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. In 1951, Robinson litigated the lawsuit, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, which was one of the cases consolidated and decided under Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. From 1960 to 1964, Robinson was Dean of the Howard University School of Law. In 1964, he became the first African American appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. In 1966, he became the first African American appointed to the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and in 1981 he became the first African American to serve as Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Circuit Court. Robinson took senior status in 1989 and died on October 11, 1998.

·   July 25, 1824 George Boyer Vashon, the first African American graduate of Oberlin College, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At an early age, Vashon displayed an aptitude for languages, speaking Sanskrit, Hebrew, and Persian, and being well versed in Greek and Latin. In 1844, Vashon earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin and was valedictorian of his class. In his speech titled “Liberty of Mind” he stated, “genius, talent, and learning are not withheld by our common Father from people of color.” In 1846, Vashon applied for admission to the Allegheny County bar but his application was rejected because of his race. He therefore moved to New York and successfully completed their bar examination in 1848, becoming the first black lawyer in New York. In 1849, Vashon moved to Port-au-Prince, Haiti where he served as a professor of Latin, Greek, and English. In 1851, he returned to the United States and joined the faculty of the predominately White New York Central College. In 1863, Vashon became the second black president of Avery College. He later became a professor of mathematics and ancient and modern languages at Alcorn College where he served until his death on October 5, 1878.