Negro Actors Guild of America

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The Negro Actors Guild was established in 1936 in New York City as a welfare and benevolent organization for black performers. The Guild was composed of six committees: finance, administrative, membership, entertainment, sick and welfare, with an executive board to oversee the activities of the committees.

The finance committee kept records of all expenditures accrued; the administrative committee's duties were to oversee all office procedures; the membership committee sponsored drives, promoted goodwill among the members and was responsible for raising funds; and the entertainment committee organized and sponsored a wide variety of benefits and programs whose proceeds were used primarily to assist needy entertainers. Two other core committees were the sick committee which oversaw visitations of the sick in homes and hospitals, and the distribution of gifts; and the welfare committee, which carried out the primary aim and purpose of the Guild: to give financial aid to entertainers. The Negro Actors Guild also published a quarterly journal, "The Negro Actor" from 1938-1940, which was superceded by a monthly newsletter. The Guild collapsed in 1981 due to the mishandling of funds and factional infighting.

From the description of Negro Actors Guild of America records, 1904-1982, 1937-1982 (bulk). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122615787

The Negro Actors Guild was established in 1936 in New York City as a welfare and benevolent organization for black performers. The Guild was composed of six committees: finance, administrative, membership, entertainment, sick and welfare, with an executive board to oversee the activities of the committees.

The finance committee kept records of all expenditures accrued; the administrative committee's duties were to oversee all office procedures; the membership committee sponsored drives, promoted goodwill among the members and was responsible for raising funds; and the entertainment committee organized and sponsored a wide variety of benefits and programs whose proceeds were used primarily to assist needy entertainers. Two other core committees were the sick committee which oversaw visitations of the sick in homes and hospitals, and the distribution of gifts; and the welfare committee, which carried out the primary aim and purpose of the Guild: to give financial aid to entertainers. The Negro Actors Guild also published a quarterly journal, "The Negro Actor" from 1938-1940, which was superceded by a monthly newsletter. The Guild collapsed in 1981 due to the mishandling of funds and factional infighting.

From the guide to the Negro Actors Guild of America records, 1904-1982, 1937-1982, (The New York Public Library. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Fredi Washington papers, 1922-1981, 1922-1941 (bulk). New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Vera Zorina papers Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Fredi Washington papers, [microform], 1922-1981, 1922-1941 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
referencedIn Gypsy Rose Lee papers, 1910-1970 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
creatorOf Negro Actors Guild of America records, 1904-1982, 1937-1982 (bulk). New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Girvin, Virginia 1902-1975. Virginia Girvin papers, 1902-1975. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn O'Neal, Frederick, 1905-1992. Frederick O'Neal papers, 1914-2001 (bulk ca. 1940-1991). New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Handy, W. C. (William Christopher), 1873-1958. W.C. Handy collection, 1914-1954. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Whipper, Leigh R. (Leigh Rollin), 1877-1975. Papers, 1864-1965. Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University
creatorOf Negro Actors Guild of America records, 1904-1982, 1937-1982 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
referencedIn Evelyn Davis Papers and Photographs, Bulk, 1940-1970, 1885-1982 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Davis, Evelyn. Papers, 1885-1982 (bulk 1940-1970). New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Freeman, H. Lawrence (Harry Lawrence), 1869-1954. H. Lawrence Freeman papers 1870-1982 1890-1954. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn W.C. Handy collection, 1914-1954 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
referencedIn Leigh Rollin Whipper papers, 1861-1963. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Leigh Rollin Whipper papers, 1861-1963 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
referencedIn Abe Burrows papers, 1904-1993 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
creatorOf Negro Actors Guild of America. Correspondence with Marian Anderson, 1938-1977. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn H. Lawrence Freeman Papers, 1870-1982, [Bulk Dates: 1890-1954]. Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Frederick O'Neal papers, 1914-2001, ca. 1940-1991 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Anderson, Marian, 1897-1993. person
associatedWith Brewster, Townsend, 1924- person
associatedWith Burrows, Abe, 1910-1985 person
associatedWith Bush, Anita person
associatedWith Bush, Anita. person
associatedWith Childress, Alice. person
associatedWith Davis, Evelyn. person
associatedWith Dolan, Robert Emmett, 1908-1972 person
associatedWith Durante, Jimmy, 1893-1980. person
associatedWith Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974. person
associatedWith Freeman, H. Lawrence (Harry Lawrence), 1869-1954. person
associatedWith Freeman, Kenn person
associatedWith Freeman, Kenn. person
associatedWith Gilbert, Mercedes person
associatedWith Gilbert, Mercedes. person
associatedWith Girvin, Virginia 1902-1975. person
associatedWith Handy, W. C. (William Christopher), 1873-1958. person
associatedWith Hunter, Eddie person
associatedWith Hunter, Eddie. person
associatedWith Jessye, Eva, 1895-1992. person
associatedWith Lee, Gypsy Rose, 1914-1970 person
associatedWith Louis, Joe, 1914-1981. person
associatedWith Negro Actors Guild corporateBody
associatedWith Negro Actors Guild. corporateBody
associatedWith O'Neal, Frederick, 1905-1992. person
associatedWith Razaf, Andy, 1895-1973. person
associatedWith Robinson, Bill, 1878-1949. person
associatedWith Sissle, Noble, 1889-1975. person
associatedWith Wallace, Emmett Babe, 1909- person
associatedWith Washington, Fredi, 1903- person
associatedWith Washington, Fredi, 1903-1994. person
associatedWith Waters, Ethel, 1896-1977. person
associatedWith Whipper, Leigh R. 1877-1975. person
correspondedWith Zorina, Vera. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
African American actors
African American entertainers
African Americans
African Americans
African Americans in the performing arts
African American theater
American drama
American drama
Calypso (music)
Vaudeville
Vaudeville
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1938

Active 1977

Information

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SNAC ID: 64002524