• Due to renovations to our vault, the majority of our collections are currently inaccessible. Access to collections may be limited until May 2024. Please contact us for more information.

Black Arts Association records

Guide to the Black Arts Association records
1972-1980

Collection number: HMC-0070.
Creator: Black Arts Association.
Title: Black Arts Association records.
Dates: 1972-1980.
Volume of collection: 1.7 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Records of an organization promoting artistic engagement for African Americans in Anchorage.

Organizational history:
The Black Arts Association (BAA) was organized in 1972 for the purpose of promoting the cultural, artistic, and social expansion of black people and the underprivileged. The activities of the association included producing plays, musicals, and other cultural events; and training black people and others in theater arts and other artistic fields. The association also operated the Mountain View Neighborhood Community Center (MVNCC). The Black Arts Association was closed down in 1979 due to financial problems.

Collection description:
The collection consists of administrative records including the association’s bylaws, constitution, and meeting minutes; operations records such as correspondence, contracts, grant application files, and personnel records; financial records; and photographs. The collection contains some materials related to the Older Persons Action Group and the Mabel T. Caverly Senior Center due to the interaction between the Black Arts Association and those organizations.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged into the following series:
Series 1: Administrative records
Series 2: Operations records
Series 3: Financial records
Series 4: Photographs

Digitized copies: Selected items from the collection have been digitized and can be viewed on Alaska’s Digital Archives. For information about obtaining copies please contact Archives and Special Collections.

Rights note: Copyright to materials in the collection is not held by Archives and Special Collections.

Preferred citation: Black Arts Association, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Acquisition note: The collection was presented to the archives by James Chase, the last president of the association. More materials were added in 1983. No deed of gift was signed.

Processing information: This collection was initially sorted by Dennis Walle in 1980. The collection was further arranged and described by Sally Moeller in 1981. The collection guide was revised to meet current standards by Arlene Schmuland in 2014. At that time, some description was expanded and materials removed. Materials removed included personnel records identifying social security numbers, payroll records, and published materials unrelated to the Black Arts Association.

Container list:
Series 1: Administrative records; 1972-1978. 0.2 cubic feet.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/1 Bylaws and constitution undated, 1977, 1978
1/2 Purpose and objectives, committee duties undated
1/3-5 Minutes 1972-1978
1/6 Membership lists 1978
1/7 Executive Board membership list undated
1/8 “The Scope” newsletter 1978

Series 2: Operational records; 1973-1980. 0.4 cubic feet.
Generally arranged by type of record or activity, chronological within. Financial records relating to the grant records may be found in Series 3.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/9 Calendars 1975
1/10 Correspondence 1973-1975
1/11 Correspondence 1976
1/12 Correspondence 1977
1/13 Correspondence 1978 January-March
1/14 Correspondence 1978 April-June
1/15 Correspondence 1978 July-September
1/16 Correspondence 1978 October-December
1/17 Correspondence 1979-1980
1/18 Correspondence undated
1/19 BAA and MVNCC telephone messages 1978
1/20 Arts Affiliation agreement 1973 August 14
1/21 Service contract 1974 March 27
1/22 Older Persons Action Group contract 1976-1977
1/23 Emergency Energy Conservation Plan contract 1978
1/24 BAA-MVNC grant application 1974
1/25 OEO grant agreement 1974
1/26 BAA-MVNC grant application 1978
1/27 BAA-MVNC personnel forms undated
1/28 Executive director job description undated
1/29 Property inventories 1974-1977
1/30 “No place for somebody” theatre production records undated
1/31 Notes and memos undated
1/32 Charts undated
1/33 Notes undated

Series 3: Financial records; 1974-1980. 0.8 cubic feet.
Arranged into groupings: by type of record or activity, chronological within.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/34 Meaux and Strand audits 1974
1/35-36 Bigler, Hawkins, Obendorf audits 1975-1976
1/37-38 Peat Marwick, Mitchell and Company audit and accounting manual 1978
1/39 Brady Associates fundraising prospectus 1974
1/40 Income tax records 1975-1977
1/41 Balance sheets 1974 July-December
1/42 Balance sheets 1975
1/43 Balance sheets 1976
1/44 Balance sheets 1977
1/45 Financial journal sheets 1974 September-December
1/46 Financial journal sheets 1974-1977
3 Financial journal for the Black Arts Association and the Mabel T. Caverly Senior Center 1976
1/47 OEO grant statement 1974
1/48 OEO budget summary 1975
1/49 OEO budget summary 1976
1/50 OEO budget summary 1977
1/51 OEO budget summary 1978
1/52 Grant federal cash transaction report 1977
1/53 Grant in-kind contributions 1976-1977
1/54 Bank reconciliation 1977
2/1 Disbursement records 1974 September-October
2/2 Disbursement records 1974 November-December
2/3 Disbursement records 1975 January-April
2/4 Disbursement records 1975 May-July
2/5 Disbursement records 1975 August-December
2/6 Disbursement records 1976 January-March
2/7 Disbursement records 1976 July-December
2/8 Disbursement records 1977 January-May
2/9-12 Receipts and bills 1976-1978
2/13 Lawsuit records 1979-1980
2/14 Car expenses 1977
2/15 Long distance phone call notes 1977
2/16 Blank forms undated

Series 4: Photographs; undated, 1972-1975. 0.3 cubic feet.

Box/Folder Description Dates
2/17 Members: 69 black and white prints, 3 color prints, 2 contact print sheets, 73 black and white 35mm negatives undated, 1972-1973
2/18 Art Fair: 12 color prints 1974
2/19 Jesus Christ Super Star production cast and rehearsal: 6 black and white prints, 1 black and white contact print sheet, 14 120mm black and white negatives undated
2/20 Purlie production cast and rehearsal: 11 black and white prints, 8 black and white contact print sheets, 97 black and white 35mm negatives, 12 black and white 120mm negatives undated
2/21 Fashion show: 1 black and white print, 1 black and white contact print sheet, 40 black and white 35mm negatives undated
2/22 Fort Richardson variety show: 35 black and white prints, 20 color prints, 1 black and white contact print sheet, 12 color 35mm negatives, 30 black and white 35mm negatives 1975
2/23 Talent show: 1 black and white print, 2 black and white contact print sheets, 12 black and white 120mm negatives undated
2/24 Miss US Teen Pageant and Revue: 2 black and white prints, 2 black and white contact print sheets, draft of program 1974
2/25 Unidentified photographs: 18 black and white prints, 47 color prints, 6 black and white contact print sheets, 118 black and white 35mm negatives, 8 color 35mm negatives, 12 black and white 120mm negatives undated

Comments are closed.