African Americans & the Arts in the Federal Government
This series of blogs were written by Tina L. Ligon, Supervisory Archivist at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland
This year the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) is celebrating the countless contributions of African Americans in the arts. The 109 year-old organization selects annual themes to showcase all aspects of Black life in America. This year’s theme, African Americans and the Arts, allows for the expression of African American creativity in the areas of visual arts, poetry & literature, film, music, and comedy. The National Archives and the Presidential Libraries hold photographs, sound recordings, moving images, and textual documents of Black artists interacting with the federal agencies in areas of activism, official visits, and acknowledgement of their achievements. Today’s blog highlights records from the presidential libraries.
The Kennedy Center Honor is given annually to various artists in celebration of their lifetime achievements in the performing arts. African Americans have been awarded this honor for creativity and contributing to the artistic culture of America. Notable African American recipients in music include Marian Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald, Leontyne Price, Count Basie, Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Jessye Norman, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, James Brown, Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Sonny Rollins, Buddy Guy, Herbie Hancock, Al Green, Mavis Staples, Berry Gordy, Gladys Knight, Queen Latifah, and Dionne Warwick.
First Lady Michelle Obama greets Sting while President Barack Obama greets other honorees Tom Hanks, Lily Tomlin and Patricia McBride in the Blue Room during the Kennedy Center Honors reception at the White House, Dec. 7, 2014. Honoree Al Green stands at right. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) 
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michele Obama talk with the 2012 Kennedy Center Honorees in the Blue Room of the White House prior to a reception in the East Room, Dec. 2, 2012. Honorees, from left, are: Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy, Led Zeppelin keyboardist and bassist John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant, ballerina Natalia Makarova, actor Dustin Hoffman, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, and television comedian David Letterman. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) 
12/6/1981 Nancy Reagan and Ella Fitzgerald in the Blue Room during a Kennedy Center Honors Reception 
Kennedy Center Honors recognizes African Americans in the world of dance. Black recipients include Katherine Dunham, Alvin Ailey, Harold Nicholas, Judith Jamison, Bill T. Jones, and Debbie Allen.
Black performers on both the stage and the screen have received the Kennedy Center Honors. Many of the recipients were triple threats, they could sing, dance, and act. These performers include Lena Horne, Sammy Davis, Jr., Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, James Earl Jones, Jr., Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, and Cicely Tyson.
