Request Box 2
Box 2 Folder 1
The Chicago Benefit "Save the Date" Card
Box 2 Folder 2
The Chicago Benefit Statement of Purpose (Photocopy), 2 pages
Box 2 Folder 3
Letter from Karyn J. Taylor to her parents (Photocopy), 12 December 1973, 2 pages
Confirming that they have agreed to serve as the Co-Chairs of the Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem Benefit Committee
Box 2 Folder 4
List of suggested organizations the Benefit Committee can approach for donations
Box 2 Folder 5
Letter from Karyn Taylor to the Chicago Friends Benefit Committee (Photocopy; multiple pages), 11 January 1974
Outlining her initial plans for how the fundraising effort will be set up and run
Box 2 Folder 6
Letter from Karyn Taylor to the Chicago Friends Benefit Committee (Photocopy; multiple pages), 4 February 1974
Outlining the purpose of their upcoming February 9, 1974, meeting
Box 2 Folder 7
Letter from Karyn Taylor to the Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem Benefit Committee (Photocopy; multiple pages), 20 February 1974
Informing them that well-known Chicago business tycoons, George Johnson, and John Johnson (no relation), have teamed up to underwrite the upcoming May 18, 1974, Fete Noire Champagne Reception to benefit the Dance Theatre of Harlem scholarship students
Box 2 Folder 8
Memorandum from Karyn Taylor to Arthur Mitchell (Photocopy), 11 March 1974, 2 pages
Regarding the upcoming Chicago Benefit Press Conference
Box 2 Folder 9
Memorandum Assignment (Press Release)
Announcing the March 18, 1974, Chicago Benefit press conference at the Mid-America Club in Chicago's landmark Prudential Building
Box 2 Folder 10
Announcement by Johnson Products Company (Makers of AfroSheen®) and Johnson Publishing Company (publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines
Announcing that they are joining forces to present Fete Noire , an Opening Night Gala to benefit the Scholarship Fund of Dance Theatre of Harlem (Photocopy)
Box 2 Folder 11
Newspaper clipping: The Chicago Defender : "Chicago Friends of Harlem Ballet Theatre organize," byline by Earl Calloway, 18 May 1974
Box 2 Folder 12
Newspaper clipping: Chicago Daily News : "Chicago Boosts Harlem Dance," byline by Richard Christiansen, critic at large, 19 March 1974
Box 2 Folder 13
Newspaper clipping: Citizen Newspapers , Week of 28 March 28, 1974
Group Photo of George Johnson, John Johnson, Maria Tallchief, Arthur Mitchell, and Dr. & Mrs. Welton I. Taylor—the sponsors, supporters, and organizers of the Chicago Benefit fundraising effort
Box 2 Folder 14
Newsmagazine clipping: Jet magazine: "Harlem Dance Theater Starts Fund Raising (sic) Drive in Chicago," The Arts section, 4 April 1974
Box 2 Folder 15
Clipping: The Dance Theatre of Harlem Quarterly Newsletter . Newsletter Highlight: "The Chicago Benefit," Vol. III, Number 2, April 1974
Box 2 Folder 16
Solicitation Letter sent from Jayne and Welton Taylor, Chairpersons of The Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, to local social and civic groups in Chicago, 4 April 1974
Box 2 Folder 17
Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem solicitation (Brochure)
Box 2 Folder 18
Invitation to purchase tickets to Fete Noire
With ticket ordering envelope
Box 2 Folder 19
Letter of Acceptance sent to dance students who were selected to attend the Chicago audition for the Dance Theatre of Harlem school, 7 May 1974
Thirty Chicago-area dance studios were given advanced notice of the audition and were invited to send their best students (Photocopy)
Box 2 Folder 20
Press Rlease announcing the celebrities and VIPs scheduled to attend Fete Noire, the champagne reception planned to follow the Dance Theatre of Harlem's May 18, 1974, performance at The Auditorium Theatre (Photocopy), 8 May 1974
Box 2 Folder 21
Press Release announcing the May 20th Dance Theatre of Harlem audition (Photocopy), 15 May 1974
Box 2 Folder 22
Newspaper clipping: The Chicago Daily News : "Arthur Mitchell's Dream Comes True," byline by Byron Belt, Newhouse News Service, 16 May 1974
Box 2 Folder 23
Program from Dance Theatre of Harlem's engagement at The Auditorium Theatre, 18-19 May 1974
Box 2 Folder 24
Program from The Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem's "Fete Noire" gala benefit, 18 May 1974
Box 2 Folder 25
Newspaper clipping: The Chicago Tribune : "Ballet black: Beautiful, but scarce"(photocopy), byline by Linda Winer, 18 May 1974
Box 2 Folder 26
Newspaper clipping: The Chicago Sun-Times : "Dance Theater of Harlem is no flash in the pan," byline by Glenna Syse, 19 May 1974
Box 2 Folder 27
Newspaper clipping: Chicago Today : "Harlem Dance Theater exciting," byline by Ann Barzel, 20 May 1974
Box 2 Folder 28
Newspaper clipping: The Chicago Defender , Flair section, 25 May 1974
Full page spread featuring (a) photos of the star-studded May 18th Fete Noire gala ("Champagne reception for Harlem Ballet") and (b) a feature story on Karyn J. Taylor ("Ballet benefit—a student's determined effort"). (Full page news clipping and Xerox of article)
Box 2 Folder 29
Newspaper clipping: Jet magazine: "Dance Theatre of Harlem Launches Benefit Tour", May 1974
Box 2 Folder 30
Press Release announcing the awarding of eight (8) scholarships to Chicago-area dance students (Photocopy), 28 June 1974
Box 2 Folder 31
Dance Theatre of Harlem Quarterly Newsletter , Vol. III, Number 3, July 1974
Article, "Dance Theatre of Harlem Takes Chicago by Storm," with photos of the Fete Noire VIPs, The Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem's Benefit Committee, and five of the eight young dancers awarded Dance Theatre of Harlem dance scholarships (2 pages)
Box 2 Folder 32
"Thank You" letter from the Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem to Mr. George E. Johnson, Founder & CEO, Johnson Products Company (carbon copy), 7 July 1974
Expressing their gratitude for his support of Fete Noire
Box 2 Folder 33
"Thank You" letter from the Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem to Mr. John H. Johnson, Publisher, Johnson Publishing Company (carbon copy), 7 July 1974
Expressing their gratitude for his support of Fete Noire
Box 2 Folder 34
"Thank You" note card, signed, sent to attendees of the Fete Noire gala by The Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem
Mr. Mitchell's "signature" was made by a Dance Theatre of Harlem staffer (with envelope)
Box 2 Folder 35
Karyn J. Taylor letter to The Honorable Edward W. Brooke, (carbon copy), 26 September 1974
Asking for his help in launching the Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem's 1975 fundraising kick-off
Box 2 Folder 36
Flyer sent to attendees of the 1974 Fete Noire gala
Inviting them to attend the upcoming "Afternoon with the Honorable Edward W. Brooke" and announcing the second "Chicago Benefit" planned for Spring, 1975
Box 2 Folder 37
Invitation, envelope, and ticket to the "Afternoon" with Senator Brooke scheduled for November 3, 1974, at the Chicago Hyatt Regency Hotel
Box 2 Folder 38
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Dr. and Mrs. Welton I. Taylor, Chairpersons, The Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, with Senator Edward W. Brooke at the November 3rd, 1974, reception
Box 2 Folder 39
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Mr. Peter Bensinger shaking hands with Dr. Welton I. Taylor while Senator Charles H. Percy (R-IL) speaks with Mrs. Jayne K. Taylor
Box 2 Folder 40
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Senator Charles Percy greeting several young attendees at the Edward W. Brooke reception, 3 November 1974
Box 2 Folder 41
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Senator Percy talking with longtime Dance Theatre of Harlem supporter, Chicagoan Moselle Mintz, during the Senator Brooke reception
Box 2 Folder 42
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Dr. and Mrs. Welton I. Taylor and Senator Edward Brooke greeting well-wishers at the November 1974 reception
Box 2 Folder 43
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Senator Edward Brooke with two well-wishers at the November 1974 reception
Box 2 Folder 44
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Mrs. Jayne K. Taylor, Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem Co-Chair, and Chicago Friends
Benefit Committee member, Mrs. Gwendolyn Ritchie, speaking with Dance Theatre of Harlem supporter, Mrs. Moselle Mintz, at the Brooke reception. Photo credit: unknown
Box 2 Folder 45
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Mrs. Moselle Mintz speaking with reception guests
Box 2 Folder 46
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Mrs. Jayne K. Taylor, 18 May 1974
Introducing four of the eight scholarship recipients whose study at the Dance Theatre of Harlem was financed by the proceeds from the Chicago Benefit gala
Pictured from left to right: Sabrina Parker, Tracey Hodgkins, Annette Jackson, and (possibly) Karyn Collins. Photo credit: unknown
Box 2 Folder 47
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Senator Brooke with Chicago Benefit Committee member, John Lindsay.
Box 2 Folder 48
Photograph (8" x 10" B&W) of Senator Edward Brooke with members of The Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem Benefit Committee. Pictured are:
Photo credit: Phyllis Doering, The Chicago Defender
a. Front Row: Patricia Langhart, Carlene Thomas, Dr. Welton I. Taylor (Co-Chair), Mrs. Jayne K. Taylor (Co-Chair), The Honorable Edward W. Brooke, Wilhelmina Blanks, Elizabeth Moutoussamy, Darlene Paris, Marion Roberts, and Milton Stinson.
b. Back Row: John Lindsay, Connie Williams, Gwendolyn Ritchie, Eunice Roberts, Dee Crutchfield, Moselle Mintz
Box 2 Folder 49
Newspaper clipping: The Chicago Defender : "Brooke and the angels..."
Photo credit: Phyllis Doering, The Chicago Defender
Box 2 Folder 50
Newspaper clipping: The Observer , Week Ending , 9 November 1974
Showing photo captioned: "WCDC President Leon Finney and Sen. Edward Brooke, first Black U.S. Senator since Reconstruction."
Mrs. Jayne K. Taylor and Dr. Welton I. Taylor (partial view) are also captured in the shot. Photo credit: unknown.
Box 2 Folder 51
Newspaper clipping: The Chicago Tribune , 5 November 1974
Maggie Daly gossip column mentions the Chicago Friends of the Dance Theatre of Harlem reception for Senator Brooke and notes that Sen. Charles Percy "subbed" for Brooke when Brooke's plane was late. Daly also quotes Senator Brooke as admitting that he "copied" the notes of Howard University classmate, Jayne K. Taylor, because "she was the smartest girl in the class." (Photocopy)
Box 2 Folder 52
Karyn J. Taylor's personal "Thank You" letter to Senator Edward Brooke
Post-reception (Photocopy)
Box 2 Folder 53
Newspaper clipping: The Chicago Daily News : "They went off to Harlem to join the ballet," byline by Mary Kerner, Saturday-Sunday 17 May 1975
Feature piece on Donald Williams and Francis Waite, two of the eight scholarship students whose scholarships were funded, in part, by the efforts of The Chicago Friends of Dance Theatre of Harlem. Donald Williams went on to starring roles in the Dance Theatre of Harlem company
The photographer who covered the event with Senator Brooke did not stamp IDs on the backs of his photos, so I can provide no photo credits for most of these shots. If memory serves, the photographer was hired by Mr. William Cammack, a member of the Benefit Committee and the owner of a public relations firm, but unfortunately, I don't remember the photographer's name. ** Mrs. Moutoussamy later became the mother-in-law of famed tennis player, Arthur Ashe. (Arthur married Mrs. Moutoussamy's daughter, Jeannie.)