Guide to the Vernell Lillie Papers, 1951-2013, UA.90.F112

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Vernell Lillie Papers
Creator
Lillie, Vernell A. (Vernell Audrey), 1931-
Collection Number
UA.90.F112
Extent
71.25 Linear Feet (57 boxes)
Date
1951-2013
Abstract
Dr. Vernell Audrey Watson Lillie was a theatre and Black Studies professor at the University of Pittsburgh and co-founder of Kuntu Repertory Theatre, an African American performing arts group in Pittsburgh. This collection contains the correspondence, course materials, and research of Dr. Lillie relating primarily to her work at the University of Pittsburgh.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
Linda Purdue and Zachary Brodt
Sponsor
This collection was processed thanks to a Historical & Archival Records Care Grant from the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Biography

Dr. Vernell Audrey Watson Lillie was a theatre and Black Studies professor at the University of Pittsburgh and co-founder of Kuntu Repertory Theatre, an African American performing arts group in Pittsburgh.

Lillie was born on May 11, 1931, in Hempstead, Texas to Lillie Mae Benjamin Watson and Walter Jennings Watson. She attended Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and earned a B.A. in speech and drama. Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, Lillie was a group work specialist in dance and drama for the Julia C. Hester House Settlement Association in Houston, Texas from 1952 to 1956. She then served as a teacher and chairperson of the Speech and Drama Department at Phyllis Wheatley and E.E. Worthing High Schools of the Houston Independent School District until 1969. In 1958, she completed her graduate studies in Education and English at Texas Southern University. From 1965 to 1969 she was an instructor of English, curriculum developer, and drama specialist for Project Upward Bound at Texas Southern University. Lillie's involvement with films and filmmakers led to the addition of filmmaking to the Texas public school curriculum.

In 1971, Lillie completed a second M.A. degree in English and the following year earned her Doctor of Arts in English, both from Carnegie Mellon University. In addition to her traditional academic studies, she trained in psychodrama, playback theatre, and problem-solving theatre. She received training from Louis Yablonsky, Zerka Moreno, James Slack, Hannah Weiner, James Enneis, Ray Naar, Jonathan Fox, and Meg Givinish.

In September of 1972, Lillie began her tenure at the University of Pittsburgh in the Black Studies Department, which was also known as the Department of Black Community Education Research and Development (DBCERD) and in 1993 became the Department of Africana Studies. Before this appointment, she was the Project Director of the Feasibility Study for Black Schools for DBCERD. Her academic foci were in the humanities (Black Literature and Theatre) and in psychodrama as both a teaching and curriculum strategy. She was an Associate Professor in Africana Studies until her retirement in 2006 and served as chair of the department for a time. She also taught courses at Carlow Hill College and Duquesne University.

In 1974, Lillie founded the Kuntu Repertory Theatre with Rob Penny; she was the artistic director, and he was playwright-in-residence. Kuntu was renowned for developing and showcasing local talent, but also brought outstanding independent Black filmmakers and films and outstanding dramatic artists in film, theatre, and television to Pittsburgh. The theatre had close associations with August Wilson, and it was the first resident company to produce one of his plays, Homecoming. Some of Kuntu's artists and collaborators include Roy Campanella, Jr.; Kathleen Collins; Mari Evans; Karamu Theatre; Woodie King; Robert Nemiroff; Esther Rolle; Harold Scott; Glyn Turman; Elizabeth van Dyke; and Chadwick Boseman. The theatre performed locally and nationally for major universities and the American Theatre Association, and internationally in Edinburgh, Scotland; Toronto, Canada; The French Festival; and the Grandstown Festival in South Africa. Lillie directed the majority of Kuntu's over 100 productions.

Lillie earned many awards and recognitions during her career. She received honors such as the University of Pittsburgh Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award and the Outstanding Award for Women in the Arts by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Lillie was also selected to be a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania and received countless other forms of recognition for her contributions to theatre, psychodrama, education, and her community.

Lillie died May 11, 2020, at the age of 89. She was preceded in death by her husband, jazz musician and educator Richard L. Lillie, Jr., with whom she shared two daughters, Charisse R. Lillie and Dr. Marsha Lillie-Blanton.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the correspondence, course materials, and research of Dr. Vernell Lillie. The majority of the collection includes syllabi, course readings, and student work from many of the courses taught by Dr. Lillie at the University of Pittsburgh, including Psychodrama, Sex and Racism, and Contemporary Black Drama. Correspondence and material about organizations demonstrate her influence beyond the classroom. Also included is a wealth of information about the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Black Community Education, Research and Development (DBCERD), now known as Africana Studies.

Dr. Lillie's materials relating to the founding and administration of the Kuntu Repertory Theatre can be found in the Kuntu Repertory Theatre Records, 1974-2013, CTC.2015.01, Curtis Theatre Collection, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Linda Purdue in 2023.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Lillie family in 2015.

Copyright

The University of Pittsburgh holds the property rights to the material in this collection, but the copyright may still be held by the original creator/author. Researchers are therefore advised to follow the regulations set forth in the U.S. Copyright Code when publishing, quoting, or reproducing material from this collection without the consent of the creator/author or that go beyond what is allowed by fair use.

Access Restrictions

Access to records in Series II Subseries 19, Student Work, as well as the indicated files in Boxes 14, 16, 53, 56, and 57 requires a signed confidentiality agreement.

Preferred Citation

Vernell Lillie Papers, 1951-2013, UA.90.F112, University Archives, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Arrangement

This collection has been arranged into the following series:

I. Correspondence

II. Course Materials

III. Workshops

IV. Organizations and Programs

V. Academics and Continuing Education

VI. Other Teaching

VII. Calendars and Notebooks

VIII. Awards

IX. Original Work

X. Profiles

XI. Research

XII. Personal Information

Related Materials

Kuntu Repertory Theatre Records, 1974-2013, CTC.2015.01, Curtis Theatre Collection, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Rob Penny Papers, CTC.2021.01, Curtis Theatre Collection, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • University of Pittsburgh. Department of Black Community Education, Research and Development -- Faculty
    • University of Pittsburgh. Department of Africana Studies -- Faculty
    • University of Pittsburgh. Department of Black Studies -- Faculty

    Personal Names

    • Lillie, Vernell A. (Vernell Audrey), 1931-

    Genres

    • Faculty papers
    • Research notes
    • Correspondence
    • Personal papers

    Other Subjects

    • Universities and colleges -- Departments -- Records and correspondence
    • African American college teachers -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • College teachers, Black -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • African American theater -- Study and teaching (Higher)
    • Black theater -- Study and teaching (Higher)
    • Drama -- Black authors -- Study and teaching (Higher)
    • Drama -- Study and teaching (Higher)
    • Literature -- Black authors -- Study and teaching (Higher)

Container List