Last week, the prestigious Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) commemorated six decades of achievement and artistic scholarship servicing the Harlem and Upper Manhattan area. The organization hosted a gala that brought together stellar notables across industries.
While paying tribute to Dorothy Maynor, who founded the institution in 1964, Deborah Roberts, Al Roker and Jennifer Jones Austin were among those honored during the ceremony. During her time, Maynor was a woman of many firsts: the first woman to conduct at the United Nations, the first African American to join the board of directors of New York’s Metropolitan Opera and the first African American to sing at an American president’s inauguration. Since her creation of the Harlem School of the Arts, it has gone on to boast an impressive roster of recognizable talent who have been brought up under the tutelage of significant instructors who made names for themselves in the art world. Alumni include Lenny Kravitz, Giancarlo Esposito, Caleb McLaughlin, Yaya Dacosta and Zazie Beetz to name a few. As of 2024, 75% of the students at HSA receive financial assistance to attend. During the May 20th gala, efforts were made to help close the gaps the school faces regarding cost of attendance. The event raised $200,000 during the night and boosted their total combined charitable efforts for 2024 to $2.5 million.
Audrey Smaltz speaks onstage at Harlem School of the Art’s 60th Anniversary Gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 20, 2024 in New York City. Image: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Harlem School of The Arts.
(L-R) Jacqueline Nickelberry and James C. Horton speak onstage at Harlem School of the Art’s 60th Anniversary Gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 20, 2024 in New York City. Image: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Harlem School of The Arts.
Maynor’s strides were reflected widely over the years as droves of other adversaries continue to uplift the arts. Shining examples of this were the late Clarence and Jacqueline Avant. The Avants, both respectively and jointly, cultivated a tremendous legacy across entertainment. Clarence Avant, loving known as “The Black Godfather,” dominated the music and film word as an executive, label owner and producer. Launching his career in the 1950’s, he worked alongside many greats throughout and was responsible for having a hand in the successes of Sarah Vaughn, Bill Withers, Little Willie John, Michael Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, L.A. Reid, Babyface and numerous others. Jacqueline—a former EBONY Fashion Fair model—was a philanthropist through and through. She was a longstanding president of the Neighbors of Watts, entertainment chairman of the NOW benefit auction and on the board of directors of the International Student Center at UCLA. The two went on to have a prosperous life together and share two children—Nicole Avant and Alexander Avant.
Jacqueline and Clarence Avant. Image: Netflix.
(L-R) Alexander Avant, Jacqueline Avant, Honoree/Music Executive Clarence Avant, Nicole Avant and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos attend a ceremony honoring Music Executive Clarence Avant with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on October 7, 2016 in Hollywood, California. Image: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images.
(L-R) Ted Sarandos, Nicole Avant and Gayle King. Image: Craig Barritt for Getty Images for Harlem School of The Arts.
Mrs. Avant was tragically killed in a targeted home invasion in December 2021 and Mr. Avant passed away in 2023. Their rich footprints were honored through the creation of the Jacqueline and Clarence Avant Scholarship Fund. Supported and seeded by renowned trumpeter and philanthropist Herb Alpert, the scholarship will help support future Harlem School of the Arts students. Albert endowed the scholarship fund with an initial donation of $500,000. Nicole Avant and husband Ted Sarandos were in attendance to witness the announcement of the scholarship fund. Nicole—author of Think You’ll Be Happy and a former ambassador to the Bahamas—was also fondly honored by HSA with Sarandos leading the moving reflections of her many endeavors toward the advancement of the arts.
The evening’s aesthetic was royally inspired, which holds more significance than meets the eye. Students and guests were donned in Netflix’s Bridgerton-style attire inspired by the Victorian-era universe. The show’s spin-off Queen Charlotte was largely inspired by Jacqueline Avant’s regal persona.
(L-R) Sheinelle Jones, Nicholas Roker, Al Roker, Deborah Roberts, Ted Sarandos, Nicole Avant, Gayle King, Jacqueline Nickelberry, and James C. Horton. Image: Craig Barritt for Getty Images for Harlem School of The Arts.
(L-R) James C. Horton, Edward Lewis, Black Thought and Fat Joe. Image: Craig Barritt for Getty Images for Harlem School of The Arts.
During the event, attendees also had an opportunity to watch student performances that included poetry, singing and instrumental compositions. After the gala, Black Thought hosted an afterparty with Questlove as the DJ.
The Avant family has built a strong foundation within the arts that continues to inspire those who look to them as examples in this industry. They are proof of what is possible with access to proper resources, determination and authentic support. As we pay homage to those who’ve laid the groundwork for the future, it gives our community a sense of hope for the upcoming generation of artists and creatives who will make their own mark.
