Black artists have made an impact on American history for centuries. In the early 20th century, the Harlem Renaissance helped push Black American art to the forefront of American culture. Poet and social activist Langston Hughes, who promoted jazz poetry influenced by the sounds, structures and patterns of jazz, was deemed the “Poet Laureate of Harlem.” Other artists, novelists, musicians and thinkers during that time included Zora Neale Hurston, Louis Armstrong and Josephine Baker.
Between the 1960s and early 1970s, the U.S. also experienced the Black Arts Movement, which showcased cultural and political aspects of the Black experience with overarching themes of liberation and empowerment. The movement was influenced by Black nationalism and Afrocentric motifs and celebrated intellectuals and writers like Toni Morrison and Alice Walker.
The work of these artists and movements helped shape Black artists and arts organizations today that continue to promote the importance of art and inclusivity. Ahead, we dive into a few of these Black arts organizations and note how philanthropist Robert F. Smith is helping support arts organizations like the Sphinx Organization.
A Deeper Look at Black Arts Organizations
Black arts organizations introduce and promote the work of Black artists, helping increase diversity, inclusion and representation in the arts. Below are a few Black arts organizations bringing the arts to audiences across the country.
Dance Theatre of Harlem
In 1969, Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem. The mission of this New York City-based, neo-classical ballet company is to bring ballet classes to Black dancers and other dancers of color. Over the past few decades, the Dance Theatre of Harlem has become a worldwide sensation and toured internationally, and, today, it trains dancers through the Dance Theatre of Harlem School. The theatre promotes arts education and community engagement through its Dancing Through Barriers® program.
California African American Museum
The California African American Museum (CAAM) was founded in Los Angeles in 1977. CAAM works to research, collect and preserve the history, art and culture of Black Americans, and it is the first Black American historical and cultural museum fully supported by a state. CAAM is located in a 44,000-square-foot building in Downtown Los Angeles alongside the California Science Center and Natural History Museum and primarily focuses on art from California and the American West.
National Black Theatre
Barbara Ann Teer founded the National Black Theatre in 1968. The theatre, which champions and invests in Black artists, is the longest-running Black theatre in New York City. Located in Harlem, the theatre provides a space for the community and for Black storytelling. The organization’s theory of change centers on Black liberation, art and placemaking to develop career onramps, uplift communities and cultivate a sense of belonging. The National Black Theatre has premiered more than 350 original works.
Smith’s Connection to Arts Organizations
Smith first became interested in the musical arts in his youth. His father was a musician, and Smith learned at a young age that music and art can elevate communities. In 2016, Smith contributed $250,000 to the Sphinx Organization, a Detroit-based nonprofit founded by violinist Aaron P. Dworkin that aims to increase the representation of Black and Latino Americans in classical music. The Sphinx Organization hosts conferences and programs and offers several awards.
Smith’s gift helped establish the Robert Frederick Smith Prize, a $50,000 award granted to the winner of the Senior Division of the Sphinx Competition. The competition provides access to professional development opportunities in the classical music industry. Fund II Foundation, of which Smith is the founding director and President, also donated $3 million to Sphinx Organization in 2019. Smith’s gift helps fund annual conferences like SphinxConnect, which brings together musicians, entrepreneurs and leaders.
Learn more about Smith’s continued support of Black arts organizations by following him on LinkedIn.
