Jacob Lawrence

 

Although I had taught a formal photography class from 1971 – 1986, during the last couple of years from 1984-86, I had begun to teach radio production and broadcast journalism. For background purposes, print expenses had gotten a bit out of hand and since we really operated from grants we wrote, there was a need to find an alternative to printing costs. We morphed from literary arts to radio and television scriptwriting and production. My task was to become better versed in radio production and broadcast journalism. I spent two summers working at WKYS-News, WPFW, Radio Smithsonian, National Public Radio and WTOP Radio News. What I learned from really outstanding folks was just amazing. I began to love radio and radio production. I could not wait to start a full blown program in radio production.

I wrote a proposal and received a modest array of audio production equipment and I set the studio up in one room of the television studio we already had at Penn Center. This was 1985 and there was some talk of us moving to Duke Ellington. One day, DCPS Superintendent Floretta McKenzie was at Penn Center on her way to a taping at the Media Center. I was on the elevator with her. We were old friends from the early days of our program when she and then Superintendent Vincent Reed were extremely instrumental in the formation and the continuity of the Literary Arts and Media Program.

In the elevator, I asked Mrs. McKenzie when we were finally going to move to Ellington. She thought for a minute and said it should be this year and that she really wanted a writing program at the Ellington school of the arts. We moved in the summer of 1986.

At Ellington I was teaching radio production and broadcast journalism, but there was only a makeshift studio with production equipment set up on long tables and there was no sound booth. So, in the back of the enormous classroom I was given, I actually had a small photo studio set up with background paper and lights. It was quite nice.

One day I was downstairs in the art gallery at Ellington, when in walked Jacob Lawrence, the Harlem Renaissance artist. I was stunned. One of the great benefits of teaching at Ellington was the arts celebrities who frequented the school to give Master’s classes to our students. I met all the Marsalis family. I stood next to Stevie Wonder when he donated a piano to the school. I said, “Hey Stevie Wonder, my name is Lew Berry.” He said, “Hey Lew Berry.” How cool was that, right????

Anyway, here was Jacob Lawrence. I had been to every exhibit of his work in DC. The last one was at the Phillips Collection and it was enormous and I was thrilled. Here he was in the flesh. One of the arts’ faculty met him in the gallery and introduced me to him. He was early for his Masters’ class and I asked him if he had a few moments to sit for a few photographs.

He graciously said yes and we proceeded to my classroom where as I said, I had a small photo studio set up.

I was shooting with a Hasselblad at that time and believing that I had a short amount of time, I knocked off a quick roll of 12 shots.

I processed the film that evening and I liked them all, but there were two that I particularly liked. One he was holding his glasses and looking serious. The other his hands – those magnificently gifted hands – were resting on the little table in my studio and he was just smiling.

It was a really nice shot, because he was so nice and he was so gracious and accommodating.  I only got to spend about a half hour or so with him, but it was one of the big thrills of my time at Ellington.

I made several prints, matted one and sent it off to him in Seattle. I believe he received it about a month before he passed away.

Jacob Lawrence

Harlem Renaissance Painter

Photographed at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts

c.1990