From 1940–1945 the American Negro Theatre (ANT), founded by playwright Abram Hill and actor Frederick O'Neal, was in residence in the basement of the 135th St. Library, and the original home of the Schomburg Collection. One of the goals of the ANT was to produce plays that illuminated and examined African American life and the concerns of Black people, especially the Harlem community where the company was based. The ANT is responsible for launching the careers of artists including Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Earle Hyman, William Greaves and many others. The 135th St. Library is part of the Schomburg Center complex and the performance space, which was then known as Harlem's Little Library Theatre, was named the American Negro Theatre in honor of this groundbreaking troupe. In the 2015/2016 season, the Schomburg Center hosted an exhibit to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the ANT in the space bears that the name of the company.
Resources on American Negro Theatre
The American Negro Theatre: 1940-1949 by Call Number: Sc Micro R-3404- The American Negro Theatre: Staging Inter-Racialism in Harlem, 1940-1949 by Call Number: Sc F 07-397
The American Negro Theatre and the Long Civil RIghts Era by Call Number: Sc E 18-920ISBN: 9781609385941
During ANT's decade long run they produced original works and revivals. The following is a select list of ANT plays, some of which were published. In some cases, the unpublished play scripts are available in manuscript form. To find the location of where a play is housed -- including Schomburg Center, Schwarzman Library, Library for the Performing Arts, or elsewhere -- please click on the play title for more information.
- Anna Lucasta by Call Number: Sc 812-Y (Yordan, P. Anna Lucasta)
- Henri Christophe: an historical drama about Haiti: typescript by Call Number: NCOF +96-669
- Natural Man (in Black Theatre USA: Plays by African Americans 1847 to Today) by Call Number: Sc F 98-241
- On Strivers Row (in Black Theatre USA: Plays by African Americans 1847 to Today) by Call Number: Sc F 98-241
- Our Town (in Three plays: Our Town, The skin of our teeth, The Matchmaker) by Call Number: 812 Wilder
- Rain: a play in three acts: founded on W. Somerset Maugham's story "Miss Thompson" by Call Number: NBM (Colton, J. Rain)
- Riders to the Sea (in The playboy of the Western World and Riders to the sea) by Call Number: 822 Synge
- Stage Door (in Kaufman & Co.: Broadway comedies) by Call Number: 812 Kaufman
- Starlight by Call Number: NCOF + (Cooksey, C. Starlight)
- Three's a family: a comedy in three acts by Call Number: NBL p.v. 770
- You can't take it with you (in Kaufman & Co.: Broadway comedies) by Call Number: 812 Kaufman
- Walk Hard (in Black Theater USA: Forty-five plays by Black Ameicans, 1874-1974) by Call Number: Sc 812.08-H (Hatch, J. Black theater U.S.A.)
- Alice Childress papers, 1937-1997Call Number: Sc MG 649Childress, a member of ANT, had a decades long and distinguished career as a dramatist, columnist and novelist. Her papers include correspondence, published and unpublished writings, and other materials.
- American Negro Theatre Records, 1940-1981Call Number: Sc MG 70The items that can be found in this collection include ANT's constitution, by-laws, correspondence, minutes of the board of directors, financial records and other reports.
- American Negro Theatre Scrapbook, 1945-1948Call Number: Sc MG 363The ANT Scrapbook, which dates from 1945-1947, has news clippings, telegrams, programs, reviews of plays and featured articles on artists who appeared in ANT plays.
- Ernest "Tad" Truesdale Papers, 1945-1987Call Number: Sc MG 103Truesdale was a member of ANT and he performed in their Broadway production of "Anna Lucasta" among other shows. This collection documents his professional career and includes a variety of items such as biographical information, play scripts, reviews, clippings and correspondence.
- Frederick O'Neal Papers, 1914-2001Call Number: Sc MG 427The Frederick O'Neal papers document O'Neal's life as an actor, producer, and labor leader and president of Actors' Equity Association.
- Harry Belafonte Papers, 1827-2017 (bulk 1946-2005)Call Number: Sc MG 933Harry Belafonte performed in American Negro Theatre productions before embarking on a career as an internationally known recording artist, film actor, producer, humanitarian and activist during the Civil Rights, anti-apartheid movements and more.
- Hilda Haynes Papers, 1932-1991Call Number: Sc MG 626Hilda Haynes studied and performed with the ANT and her papers consists of biographical material, speeches, reviews of plays Haynes appeared in and correspondence.
- Hilda Simms Papers, 1930-1994Call Number: Sc MG 539Hilda Simms appeared in ANT's production "Anna Lucasta," and highlights of this collection documents Simms' career as an artist, activist and her personal life.
- Abram Hill Portrait CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo Hill, AbramThis photograph collection contains individual and group portraits of Abram Hill, one of the founders of ANT.
- American Negro Theatre Alumni Photograph CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo American Negro Theatre Alumni CollectionThis collection has over 130 photographs that document ANT productions as well as the later pursuits of some former ANT members after the company disbanded in the late 1940s.
- American Negro Theatre Photograph CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo American Negro Theatre CollectionThis collection has photos of ANT productions and other activities during the 1940s, 1950s and 1980s.
- Anna Lucasta Theater Stills CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo TheaterThe Anna Lucasta Theater Collection contains photos and scenes from American Negro Theatre's production of the play "Anna Lucasta" featuring Hilda Simms in the title role and her co-stars Earl Hyman, Rosetta Le Noire, Alvin Childres, Alice Childress, Frederick O'Neal and others.
- Frederick O'Neal Photograph CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo Frederick O'Neal CollectionThis collections contains images from a range of activities including studio portraits of Frederick O'Neal, who was a founding American Negro Theatre member, and it also includes scenes from ANT plays, portraits of cast members and more.
- Walk Hard Theater Stills CollectionCall Number: Sc Photo TheaterThe Walk Hard Theater Stills Collection contains photos from ANT's production of the play "Walk Hard" which co-starred Ruby Dee and others.
- New world a-coming, episode 25Call Number: Sc Audio C-305 [Side 1, no. 1]New World A-Coming was a radio program that was produced by Roi Ottley in the studios of WMCA, in New York City. In this episode some of the original actors of the American Negro Theater dramatize its beginnings.
- Hatch-Billops collection [sound recording] : [taped interviews of theater]The Hatch-Billops collection contains interviews with African Americans in the performing artists, primarily theatre. ANT members Alice Childress, Hilda Haynes, Ossie Davis, Abram Hill, Frederick O'Neal, Rosetta LeNoire and others are some of the many artists who were interviewed in this series.
Blogs
The Schomburg Center celebrated the 75th anniversary of the American Negro Theatre (ANT) during the 2015/2016 season with an exhibit that honored this company and highlighted the artists whose careers were launched by ANT, including actor and author Alice Childress (pictured). Read about the 75th Anniversary of the American Negro Theatre. Watch and listen to a video about the ANT and listen to a podcast from the "Live From the Reading Room" series, in which correspondence (from archival collections in the Schomburgs' Manuscripts, Archives & Rare Books Division) written to ANT members are read aloud by Schomburg Center Staff.
Listen
In this recording from 1949, the American Negro Theatre performs the play Riders to the Sea by John Millington Synge.