Cooperative Artists Institute Collection, c. 1968-2017

Collection

Identifier: MSS 046

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains documentation of the intiatives, programs, and projects developed and implemented by the Cooperative Artists Institute (CAI) and its predecessors - Black Music Industry, Inc. (BMI) and Music & Art Development, Inc. (MAD) - between 1968 and 2017. The majority of the collection focuses on the history of CAI, including such long-term, multifaceted, and large-scale programs as Tribal Rhythms, the Peace Drum Project, and the Partnership for Whole School Change, as well as smaller and/or short-term programs such as one-off performances at after school programs, libraries, prisons, and businesses. Also included are records focusing on CAI's work with state and local governments on the desegregation of the Boston Public Schools and participation in the creation of a state committee on k-12 education and globalization. CAI's administrative activities, such as collecting statistics of groups reached, promotional efforts, and developing organizational structures are also represented.

Smaller numbers of records focusing on BMI and MAD are also found in the collection. BMI documentation focuses mostly on such administrative tasks as developing goals and philosophies, establishing a community development model, as well as promotional efforts. There are also records of BMI's external work, such as the Roxbury Community Cleanup, Jumat Tarab Productions, and the development of the East Caicos Island. These records date from approximately 1968 to the mid-1970s. MAD records include such administrative items as its corporate papers and master proposal, as well as documentation of its non-profit programs and activities, such as the Circus of the Arts, the Mission Hill Arts Festival, and Building 42. These records date from approximately 1970 to 1975.

The types of records in the collection vary greatly, with examples including correspondence, reports, newsletters, digital and physical images, original artwork, program evaluations, press clippings, and objects.

Dates

c. 1968 - 2017

Conditions Governing Access

Records containing personally identifiable or other confidential information have been restricted according to Emerson College, state, and federal laws.

Conditions Governing Use

At least part of this collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this collection in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holders. You may need to obtain other permissions for your intended use, such as those related to privacy, publicity, and moral rights. For questions about this statement please contact the Emerson College Archives and Special Collections.

Cooperative Artists Institute History

Black Music Incorporated (BMI) was incorporated as a for-profit organization in 1968 by the members of the musical groups the Bacchanalians and the Ali Yusef Trio. It was designed as as a Black-owned business that would provide support and performing opportunities for artists who focused on Black and African musical forms. The founding members were Phinn Roye Hayes, Charles Holley, Gregory O'Brien, Sterling Anderson, Cyril Chapman, Ralph Kimble, J. Curtis Jones, James Hogg, and Bertram Alleyne II.

One of the main goals of BMI was to use the funds generated in the industry to combat poverty in the Greater Boston Black community by ensuring the fair compensation of Black artists, artists from other groups who performed Black and African music forms, and Black workers supporting the musical industry. In particular, Black community members could purchase stock in BMI and obtain the resulting dividends, as well as participate in the many programs of it's non-profit arm, Music & Art Development, Inc. (MAD).

BMI's founders connected with many individuals and groups in the Greater Boston community, including the NAACP, Chuck Turner, Donald Sneed, Frank Fastov, Elma Lewis, Ray Riepen, Kathy Kane, and General James M. Gavin. With the support from these groups and others, BMI was able to provide booking, publishing, promotion, poster creation, sound, and catering services to artists in the Greater Boston area. In the late 1960s through the 1970s, BMI also developed initiatives and programs focused on such activities as providing artists with artistic work opportunities and creating spaces for musicians and artists from various backgrounds to create and perform art based on African musical forms.

Music & Art Development, Inc (MAD) was established in 1970 to be the non-profit arm of BMI, with a focus on promoting the arts in education. By 1975, BMI had not been able to secure financial stability while MAD had seen more success. BMI was therefore phased out of the organization and member efforts centered around MAD's educational initiatives.

In the following years, the organization's efforts expanded to not only promoting arts in educational settings, but also in community, wellness, and workplace settings. Founders and artists were able to complete multiple projects, such as creating the Mission Hill Music & Art Festival and speaking on behalf of Black students on the board of the Metropolitan Cultural Alliance during Boston school desegregation.

By the mid-1970s, many artists felt that the name "Music & Art Development, Inc." no longer represented their goals and achievements. They therefore submitted legal paperwork so that they could do business as the Cooperative Artists Institute (CAI). The mission of the organization was to develop programs that would "give people the capacity to harness the power of the arts to bring out the artist within to help overcome family and community fragmentation and other everyday life challenges ("CAI Archive materials," Cooperative Artists Institute, 2017)."

CAI was successful in meeting its mission to not only establish meaningful relationships with individuals and organizations throughout the Greater Boston area, but also to successfully implement multiple projects and programs, such as working with Clara Wainwright's team to develop First Night Boston in 1975; establishing a therapeutic arts program at the Tileston Alternative Education Center; developing the stART-NOW program at Roosevelt Middle School, with a focus on arts career education; and creating such large-scale educational programs as Tribal Rhythms, the Peace Drum Project, and the Partnership for Whole School Change.

CAI's endeavors to bring the arts to the Greater Boston community continued until the late 2010s, when the organization closed.

The information in this section is derived from histories written by J. Curtis Jones.

Extent

18 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Collection Arrangement

The collection is organized according to the original arrangement established by Cooperative Artists Institute staff and volunteers. In general, items are grouped by organization and then activity/project. Some activities which spanned two or more of the organizations are represented in multiple places. For example, information about Tribal Rhythms can be found in both BMI and CAI files. The organization of the collection is as follows:

Series I: Cooperative Artists Institute Records, c. 1970s - 2017

Subseries I: Administrative Records
Subseries II: Accomplishments and Influential Roles Records
Subseries III: Smaller Projects Records
Subseries IV: Tribal Rhythms Programs Records
Subseries V: Peace Drum Project Records
Subseries VI: Partnership for Whole School Change Records

Series II: Music & Art Development, Inc. Records
Series III: Black Music Incorporated Records

Please note that some fragile, oversized, and original artwork items have been removed and placed in separate containers in order to better ensure proper preservation.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Audiovisual and digital items, such as videotapes, cassette tapes, and digital photographs require computers, players, and other technical equipment to view them.