Johnson, Helen A.

Helen Armstead-Johnson (1920-2006) was an English professor and the founder/director of the Armstead-Johnson Foundation for Theater Research, whose purpose was to collect, preserve, document and exhibit African-American contributions to the American stage. Johnson spent her professional life as an educator, primarily at the college level, and taught for 23 years at York College, City University of New York, until her retirement in 1990.

From the description of Helen Armstead-Johnson papers, 1942-1995. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 741763701

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.

From the description of Helen Armstead-Johnson miscellaneous theater collections, 1831-1993. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122363936

From the guide to the Helen Armstead-Johnson miscellaneous theater collections, 1831-1993, (The New York Public Library. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division.)