Arts leader Elma Lewis dead at 82 - Long a champion of black culture

[MaineDem]

Elma Lewis, a Roxbury native who brought Boston's African-American arts community to international prominence by founding the National Center for Afro-American Artists and the Roxbury arts school that bore her name, and who preached a gospel of self-empowerment and self-discipline to generations of city schoolchilden, died yesterday at age 82.

A tireless warrior in the crusade against civic apathy and cultural ignorance, the brassy and often controversial Miss Lewis made only a handful of public appearances in recent years. She preferred to receive visitors in her Homestead Street residence, which was filled with souvenirs from her half-century career in teaching and the performing arts, the numerous honors she received over the years, including a presidential arts medal, and mementos of her close friendships with many of the world's foremost artists, black and white.

In September 1996, hundreds of proteges and admirers gathered for a 75th birthday salute to Roxbury's "grande dame." Befitting her influence on the city's entire cultural infrastructure, the three-day celebration included events at the Franklin Park Zoo, the Boston Public Library, and the Museum of Science, among other venues. Guest speakers included poet Maya Angelou and former UN ambassador Andrew Young.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/01/02/arts_leader_elma_lewis_dead_at_82/

What a dynamic lady! She will be missed.

[Insider]

1. kick, and thanks

will read more this evening

:kick:

[SmokeyBlues]

2. Grande dame indeed!

As a longtime resident of Massachusetts and African American, I am well aware of the many contributions Lewis made to the African-American community and the entire city. For many people, she and the National Center for Afro-American Artists represented a beacon of hope and source of pride that the very best could come from a community that had long been neglected (and some residents will argue that the community still is being neglected) by the city powers to be. Many of the students that trained at the Center went on to achieve national acclaim; whereas, others simply remained at the Center to help develop the artistic abilities (and provide lessons about life) of those young folks following in their footsteps.

Lewis was a very determined, selfless, and compassionate woman, and she will be greatly missed.