Karamu House Theatre Artistic Director Terrence Spivey was given a Proclamation from Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson and a Resolution from Councilwoman Mamie Mitchell on Thursday, August, 25, 2011. To watch a slide show of the presentation, please click here.

Legendary actor Robert Hooks offers up congratulations too:

Terrence,

Congratulations on being honored for your dedication and hard work at Karamu House. What a privileged you must feel to be apart of the true cultural and community history that Karamu has provided for the city of Cleveland over so many decades.

I recall in the early sixties- while starring in Leroi Jones' "Dutchman" being visited backstage at the Cherry Lane Theatre by the great poet laureate Langston Hughes- who spoke in such glowing terms about Karamu and how it was so important in his beginnings as a playwright. Through the years I've had the pleasure of knowing and performing with many Karamu alumni such as Ivan Dixon- Robert Guillaume- Clayton Corbin- Beverly Todd- Al Fann- Buddy Butler and many more from your classic Karamu House.

I also had the privilege of meeting both the Jelliffes (Karamu's founders) while visiting Karamu with the Broadway company of "A Taste Of Honey" in the sixties. All this inspiration- years before I co-founded another great theatre institution "The Negro Ensemble Company."

Cultural institutions like Karamu and the NEC have led the way in America's communities for so many creative artists in all areas of legitimate theatre.

To learn more about The Karamu House Theatre, please click the post's title.