The Life and Times of Alvin Ailey
The life and times of Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey was born on January 5, 1931 in Rogers, Texas to Lula Elizabeth Ailey. Lula was only 17 years old at the time of his birth. His father abandoned the family when Alvin was only six months old. Because the era Alvin was born in was the Great Depression, the Aileys moved around often. Growing up during the great depression also meant that his mother had a hard time finding work. Unfortunately, Alvin also grew up during a time of racial segregation, violence and lynching against African-Americans. When Alvin was five, he began to fear whites when his mother was raped by a group of white men. She was only 22 years old when this happened. That was not the only culture shock in Alvin’s life though. He also attended a Southern Baptist church. The church left Alvin with experiences that filled him with a great sense of black pride. That sense of black pride would later be blatantly shown in Ailey 's signature works. Like many other African Americans, Ailey’s mother moved in the fall of 1942 to Los Angeles, California. This is because rumors were heard that there were well paid jobs in helping with the war effort. Alvin had stayed back in Texas to finish out the school year but eventually joined his mother by train. The first junior high school that Ailey attended in California happened to be located in a primarily white school district. This made Alvin uncomfortable because of his fear of whites and because he was one of the few black students. Eventually, the Aileys moved to a predominantly black school district. Here he first attended George Washington Carver Junior High School, and after, Thomas Jefferson High School. During this time he sang in the glee club and wrote poetry. To pass time Alvin would attend shows at Lincoln Theater and the Orpheum Theater.
In 1949, Alvin met a friend at school by the name of Carmen De Lavallade. Carmen first introduced Ailey to the Hollywood Studio of Lester Horton. Before this point,
Alvin Ailey was born on January 5, 1931 in Rogers, Texas to Lula Elizabeth Ailey. Lula was only 17 years old at the time of his birth. His father abandoned the family when Alvin was only six months old. Because the era Alvin was born in was the Great Depression, the Aileys moved around often. Growing up during the great depression also meant that his mother had a hard time finding work. Unfortunately, Alvin also grew up during a time of racial segregation, violence and lynching against African-Americans. When Alvin was five, he began to fear whites when his mother was raped by a group of white men. She was only 22 years old when this happened. That was not the only culture shock in Alvin’s life though. He also attended a Southern Baptist church. The church left Alvin with experiences that filled him with a great sense of black pride. That sense of black pride would later be blatantly shown in Ailey 's signature works. Like many other African Americans, Ailey’s mother moved in the fall of 1942 to Los Angeles, California. This is because rumors were heard that there were well paid jobs in helping with the war effort. Alvin had stayed back in Texas to finish out the school year but eventually joined his mother by train. The first junior high school that Ailey attended in California happened to be located in a primarily white school district. This made Alvin uncomfortable because of his fear of whites and because he was one of the few black students. Eventually, the Aileys moved to a predominantly black school district. Here he first attended George Washington Carver Junior High School, and after, Thomas Jefferson High School. During this time he sang in the glee club and wrote poetry. To pass time Alvin would attend shows at Lincoln Theater and the Orpheum Theater.
In 1949, Alvin met a friend at school by the name of Carmen De Lavallade. Carmen first introduced Ailey to the Hollywood Studio of Lester Horton. Before this point,
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