2a. Mission Statement:
At a time when some white entrepreneurs consider fine art a better investment than gold, it is alarming that most of the black media has done little or nothing to inform black Americans about our own wealth of visual arts resources. In order to remedy this situation, it seems crucial to begin closing the communication gap between black artists and black writers. Thus, we have organized a symposium to facilitate such dialogue. Scheduled to take place on May 24, 1978 at the National Arts Consortium, 36 W. 62nd St., New York, NY, the program of the "May 24 Dialogue" is as follows: 7:00 Reception; 7:30 Slideshow - recent work by black artists; 7:45 Artists’ Commentary - Hughie Lee Smith, Melvin Edwards, Charlotte Richardson, Algernon Miller; 8:05 Panel - artist Romare Bearden, historian John Henrik Clarke, librarian Ruth Ann Stewart, magazine editor Marcia Gillespie; 9:05 Open Dialogue.
2b. Organization History / Organizational Overview. Index of important events in organization's history.:
According to my notes, the committee began meeting to plan the symposium on April 11, 1978 at Bill Hutson’s loft on W. 20th St. Subsequent meetings took place there on April 18, May 4, and May 9. The committee consisted of Shirley Bowen, a U.N. staff photographer and videographer; Gerald Fraser, a N.Y. Times cultural reporter; Bill Hutson, artist and former art director, the National Museum of Nigeria, Lagos; Ed Spriggs, former director, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and Judith Wilson, art student, freelance writer, and former associate editor, Ms. Magazine. The artists’ slideshow was created by Dorothy White, a private art dealer, and Camille Billops, artist and archivist. Shirley Bowen and a colleague (named "Jack") were supposed to provide video documentation of the symposium. I don’t remember whether this took place and, if so, who kept the videotape. I have an audiotape of the symposium. I also have a copy of the guestbook, which was signed by fifty-two attendees. They include artists Jack White, Tyrone Mitchell, Ademola Olugebefola, Ed Clark, Al Loving, Melvin Edwards, and Vincent Smith; photographers Dawoud Bey and Ming Smith; authors William Demby and Wilfred Cartey, among others.
2c. Exhibition / Programming / Publishing History.:
Event Program - "May 24th Dialogue"
May 24, 1978
National Arts Consortium, 36 W. 62nd St., New York, NY
7:00 pm Reception
7:30 Slideshow - recent work by black artists
7:45 Artists’ Commentary - Hughie Lee Smith, Melvin Edwards, Charlotte Richardson, Algernon Miller
8:05 Panel - artist Romare Bearden, historian John Henrik Clarke, librarian Ruth Ann Stewart, magazine editor Marcia Gillespie
9:05 Open Dialogue.