Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Antonelli, Steven.
2. Benton, S. H.
3. Blechman, Marcus.
4. Bryant, I.
5. Campbell, James.
6. Colwell, Larry.
7. Fehl, Fred.
8. Garber, Morris.
9. Hauser, Al.
10. Henle, Fritz, 1909-1993.
11. Jackson, Ray Lee.
12. Kanarian, Charles.
13. Kaye, Ethel.
14. MacAulay, Arthur.
15. Merrill, Helen.
16. Oppenheimer, Carl.
17. Parks, Gorden.
18. Pries, Ethel.
19. Schick, Jules.
20. Shain, Mac A.
21. Sherman, Editta.
22. Smith, Morgan, 1910-1993.
23. Steiner, A.
24. Tucker, Richard.
25. Van Vechten, Carl, 1880-1964.
26. Apeda Studio (New York, N.Y.)
27. Arsene Studio (New York, N.Y.)
28. Bloom (Chicago, Il.)
29. Bruno of Hollywood (New York, N.Y.)
30. Chrisholm (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
31. Gordon Conner Studio (Cleveland, Ohio)
32. Graphic House (New York, N.Y.)
33. J. E. Cyrus Studio (New York, N.Y.)
34. M. Smith (New York, N.Y.)
35. Our World Photos (New York, N.Y.)
36. Parker Studios (New York, N.Y.)
37. Pollard (New York, N.Y)
38. Speed Studio (New York, N.Y.)

Found in

1. p1tc Lee, Canada. Canada Lee papers, 1940-1973 (CStRLIN)NYPW088000017-A

Description

1. 1215 items (7.5 lin. ft., 8 boxes); 36 x 28 cm. and smaller.

Summary

1. The Canada Lee Photograph Collection documents portions of actor Canada Lee's personal life, professional career and civic activities.

Donor/Sponsor

1. Schomburg NEH Blacks on Stage: African-American Theater Arts Collections Project.

Alternative title

1. Anna Lucasta.
2. Body and Soul.
3. Cry, the beloved country.
4. Destination freedom.
5. The Duchess of Malfi.
6. George Washington Carver.
7. Let Freedom Ring.
8. Lost boundaries.
9. Lifeboat.
10. MacBeth.
11. Native son.
12. Nine September.
13. Othello, the Moor of Venice.
14. Set my people free.
15. Stop the record.
16. The tempest.

Subject

1. Lee, Canada
2. Harriman, Florence Jaffay Hurst, 1870-
3. Cronym, Hume > Performances > 1940-1949
4. Rivers, Francis E., (Francis Ellis), 1893-1975
5. Simms, Hilda, 1918-1994 > Performances > 1940-1949
6. Zorina, Vera > Performances > 1940-1949
7. African American motion picture actors and actresses
8. Lee, Canada > Performances > 1930-1959
9. Mukei, Marido
10. Hodiak, John > Performances > 1940-1949
11. Carson, Charles, 1885-1977 > Performances > 1950-1959
12. Blanche, Wilbert
13. Carey, Archibald J (Archibald James), 1908-1981
14. Pearson, Frances Lee, 1919-
15. Smith, Mildred > Performances > 1940-1949
16. Barthé, Richmond, 1901-1989
17. LeNoire, Rosetta, 1911-2002
18. Hill, Juanita
19. Tewba, Albertina
20. African American actors
21. Bendix, William, 1906-1964 > Performances > 1940-1949
22. Warren, Lloyd
23. Greaves, William
24. Hull, Henry, 1890-1977 > Performances > 1940-1949
25. Bankhead, Tallulah, 1902-1968 > Performances > 1940-1949
26. Inscriptions > 1900-1959
27. Anderson, Thomas
28. Persadh, Bobby Harry
29. Hernandez, Juano > Performances > 1940-1949
30. Horne, Lena
31. Labigne, Thomas
32. Granger, Lester B (Lester Blackwell), 1886-1976
33. African American boxers
34. Goodliffe, Michael > Performances > 1950-1959
35. Dodson, Owen, 1914-1983
36. Contact sheets > 1900-1959
37. Perez, Augustin
38. Portrait photographs > 1960-1989
39. Autographs > 1900-1959
40. Honora, Louis
41. Moss, Arnold, 1910-1989
42. Robson, Flora, 1902-1984
43. Clark, Howard
44. Hammerstein, Oscar, II, 1895-1960
45. Gelatin silver prints > 1900-1959
46. Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967
47. Ngakane, Lionel > Performances > 1950-1959
48. Gelatin silver film negatives > 1900-1959
49. Apartheid > South Africa
50. Poitier, Sidney > Performances > 1950-1959
51. WPA Federal Theatre
52. Boxers (Sports)
53. Konoco, Lou
54. Wilkie, H. Francis
55. Timmons, Rodester
56. African Americans in the performing arts
57. Michael, Lionel
58. Negro Theatre Project
59. Massey, Ilona, 1910-1974
60. Conn, Billy, 1917-
61. Group portraits > 1960-1989
62. Publicity photographs > 1960-1989
63. Meadows, Audrey
64. Africa > Women

Genre/Form

1. Publicity photographs – 1960-1989.
2. Portrait photographs – 1960-1989.
3. Group portraits – 1960-1989.
4. Gelatin silver prints – 1900-1959.
5. Contact sheets – 1900-1959.
6. Gelatin silver film negatives – 1900-1959.
7. Inscriptions – 1900-1959.
8. Autographs – 1900-1959.

Call number

1. Sc Photo Canada Lee Collection

Note

1. Title devised by cataloger.
2. Some photographs bear photographer's or photography studio's handstamp on verso; some photographs bear photographer's or photography studio's blind stamp on recto. Some items are signed or hand printed on the recto. Some images have captions on recto and/or verso. Some photographs are inscribed. Some items are matted, others are mounted. Some images have cropping marks; some items are duplicates.
3. Collection includes work by Fritz Henle, Ethel Pries, Carl Van Vechten and others.

Biography (note)

1. Canada Lee was a renowned stage and screen actor whose human right activities caused him to be blacklisted in the early 1950s.

Linking entry (note)

1. Forms part of the Canada Lee Papers, 1940-1973.

Author

1. Lee, Canada.

Title

1. Canada Lee photograph collection [graphic].

Imprint

1. [190?]-[195-]

Biography

1. Canada Lee was a renowned stage and screen actor whose human right activities caused him to be blacklisted in the early 1950s. Born Leonard Lionel Cornelius Canegata in New York City in 1907, Lee was a violinist, racehorse jockey, and bandleader, as well as a title-winning boxer before turning to acting. He was first associated with the WPA Negro Theatre Project where he appeared as Banquo in "MacBeth" (1936). Lee later rose to stardom, achieving tremondous success on Broadway in the role of Bigger Thomas in Orson Welles' production of "Native Son" (1940-41) and won Broadway's highest acting honor at the time, the Critic's Award, for best performance of 1941. Lee later went to Hollywood to appear in Alfred Hitchcock's 1944 film "Lifeboat." Returning to the New York stage, Lee appeared in "Anna Lucasta" (1944-45), "The Tempest" (1945) and "Set My People Free" (1948). Lee also narrated radio broadcasts including "New World A-Coming." In 1946, Lee became possibly the first African-American actor to appear on a Broadway stage in a white role with his performance, in white makeup, in "The Duchess of Malfi."
2. Lee used his celebrity status in the political arena, lobbying Congress on human rights issues. This later was turned against him when he was labeled a communist during the McCarthy era and was subsequently blacklisted by the entertainment industry. Unable to find work in the United States, Lee went to South Africa to make "Cry, The Beloved Country." Though the movie, which premiered in the United States in January 1952, enjoyed tremendous success, Lee was still blacklisted and unable to find work in the United States. In 1952, Lee began work on an Italian movie production, "Othello, the Moor of Venice," which was left unfinished when he died of complications from heart disease on May 9, 1952 in New York City.

Linking entry

1. Forms part of the Canada Lee Papers, 1940-1973.

Local note

1. Sc MG 471

Connect to:

1. NYPL Digital Collections
2. Request Appointment

Added author

1. Antonelli, Steven. Photographer
2. Benton, S. H. Photographer
3. Blechman, Marcus. Photographer
4. Bryant, I. Photographer
5. Campbell, James. Photographer
6. Colwell, Larry. Photographer
7. Fehl, Fred. Photographer
8. Garber, Morris. Photographer
9. Hauser, Al. Photographer
10. Henle, Fritz, 1909-1993. Photographer
11. Jackson, Ray Lee. Photographer
12. Kanarian, Charles. Photographer
13. Kaye, Ethel. Photographer
14. MacAulay, Arthur. Photographer
15. Merrill, Helen. Photographer
16. Oppenheimer, Carl. Photographer
17. Parks, Gorden. Photographer
18. Pries, Ethel. Photographer
19. Schick, Jules. Photographer
20. Shain, Mac A. Photographer
21. Sherman, Editta. Photographer
22. Smith, Morgan, 1910-1993. Photographer
23. Steiner, A. Photographer
24. Tucker, Richard. Photographer
25. Van Vechten, Carl, 1880-1964. Photographer
26. Apeda Studio (New York, N.Y.)
27. Arsene Studio (New York, N.Y.)
28. Bloom (Chicago, Il.)
29. Bruno of Hollywood (New York, N.Y.)
30. Chrisholm (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
31. Gordon Conner Studio (Cleveland, Ohio)
32. Graphic House (New York, N.Y.)
33. J. E. Cyrus Studio (New York, N.Y.)
34. M. Smith (New York, N.Y.)
35. Our World Photos (New York, N.Y.)
36. Parker Studios (New York, N.Y.)
37. Pollard (New York, N.Y)
38. Speed Studio (New York, N.Y.)

Added title

1. Anna Lucasta.
2. Body and Soul.
3. Cry, the beloved country.
4. Destination freedom.
5. The Duchess of Malfi.
6. George Washington Carver.
7. Let Freedom Ring.
8. Lost boundaries.
9. Lifeboat.
10. MacBeth.
11. Native son.
12. Nine September.
13. Othello, the Moor of Venice.
14. Set my people free.
15. Stop the record.
16. The tempest.

Found in:

1. p1tc Lee, Canada. Canada Lee papers, 1940-1973 (CStRLIN)NYPW088000017-A

Research call number

1. Sc Photo Canada Lee Collection