Compton Oral Histories Project

Purpose: To convene and create an archive of interviews from former members of the Compton Communicative Arts Academy, Robeson Players Theater Group, and The Compton Orchestra 

The Compton Communicative Arts Academy was a groundbreaking arts education and community institution, founded by Judson Powell and directed by famed assemblage artist John Outterbridge. It operated five sites throughout Compton from 1969-75 that served as centers for performance, sculptural, visual, public, and other art forms, drew Black artists from across the country, and served as one of the most significant organizations in the Los Angeles Black Arts Movement. Decades ago, Academy Photographer Willie Ford, Jr. donated an archive of 4,000 images and ephemera to California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA), Special Collections Library. The library has only been able to digitize 10% of the archive; all other images documenting the creative work of not only the Academy but the Robeson Players theater group and the Compton Orchestra-all photos and ephemera must be viewed at CSULA (a 30 miles round trip from Compton). Through our work, we have identified a major gap in the archives that we plan to fill and make community-based and community-owned: interviews of former Academy members and leaders. The archive has no oral history interviews of Academy leaders and members. Several leaders have passed away, including Mr. Ford. Within the past two years alone, Founder Judson Powell, Founding Director John Outterbridge, Muralist and Printmaker Elliott Pinkney, and Academy Orchestra Leader Troy Robinson passed away. With the exception of Outterbridge, no Academy artists or administrators have recorded interviews, a monumental loss of the stories and history of the Academy and arts in Compton. The Compton Oral Histories Project has been able to record the stories of 20 former members of The Academy, The Robeson Players theatre group, and the Orchestra in their own words. Although we will continue to work with CSULA on projects that “bring the archives back” into the community, we are so happy to have generated an interview archive of these significant arts organizations that resides with and in the community.