Vantile Whitfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vantile Whitfield
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| Born | September 8, 1930 Washington, D.C., US
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| Died | January 9, 2005 (aged 74) |
| Other names | Motojicho |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Arts administrator, director, playwright, educator, actor and production designer |
| Spouse(s) | Barbara Ellen Cobbs (m. 1950) (divorced) Barbara Ann Grant (m. 1960) (divorced) Lynn Whitfield (1974–1978) (divorced) Loretta Collins (1993–2005) (his death) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | NAACP Image Award, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award |
Vantile Emmanuel Whitfield (September 8, 1930 – January 9, 2005) was a very important person in the world of arts. He helped start many performing arts groups and schools across the United States.
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Early Life and Education
Vantile Emmanuel Whitfield was born on September 8, 1930. His hometown was Washington, D.C.. He was the only child of Theodore Roosevelt Whitfield and Lugene Ellen Green.
While at Dunbar High School, he played football. He also became very interested in painting. After high school, he served in the Air Force until 1952.
Whitfield then studied theater at Howard University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1957. Later, he joined the master's program at the UCLA Film School. He was one of the first African Americans to study there.
A Career in the Arts
Vantile Whitfield had a big impact on the arts. In 1963, he helped create the American Theatre of Being in Los Angeles. He worked with actor Frank Silvera. There, he taught acting classes with famous actors like Beah Richards.
Also in 1963, Whitfield made history on Broadway. He designed the sets, lights, and costumes for a play called The Amen Corner. This made him the first African-American production designer to work on Broadway.
The next year, Whitfield started the Performing Arts Society of Los Angeles (PASLA). He was its artistic director. PASLA's main goal was to train young people in the city. It helped them learn about performing arts.
He also helped lead Studio West. Later, Robert Hooks asked him to be the Artistic Director of the D.C. Black Repertory Company.
In 1971, Whitfield became the first director of the Expansion Arts Program. This program was part of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This was a very important job. It gave money to many African-American artists and arts groups. This support helped many people in the arts.
Connecting with Filmmakers
Vantile Whitfield also had ties to a group of filmmakers. They were known as the L.A. Rebellion. These filmmakers studied at UCLA.
Larry Clark taught film classes at PASLA. He also directed a short film through the organization. Whitfield himself acted in a film called Ashes and Embers. This movie was made by Haile Gerima.
Later Life and Awards
Vantile Whitfield passed away on January 9, 2005. He died from problems related to Alzheimer's disease.
He received many awards for his work:
- 1969: NAACP Image Award
- 1970: Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award
- 1992: ETA Creative Arts Foundation Citation
- Jeff Citation for Among All This You Stand Like a Fine Brownstone
- 1996: AUDELCO Pioneer Award
