Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Acquisition Information
Processing History
Biography
Collection Scope and Content Summary
Collection Arrangement
Title: Bernard Johnson papers
Identifier/Call Number: MS.P.053
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine Libraries
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
7.3 linear feet
(7 boxes and 1 oversize folder)
Date: 1957-1997
Abstract: This collection documents the career of Bernard Johnson, a dancer, costume designer, director, choreographer, and teacher
who served as the first professor of costume design at UC Irvine from 1991-1997. Materials document Johnson's professional
work in theatre, film, and television, as well as his tenure in academia. The collection consists of original costume design
artwork, clippings, correspondence, photographs, negatives, ephemera, and other material.
Creator:
Johnson, Bernard, 1936-1997
Access
The collection is open for research.
Access to original video recordings is restricted; researchers may request use copies.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the University of California. Copyrights are retained by the creators of the records and their
heirs. For permission to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Preferred Citation
Bernard Johnson papers. MS-P053. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this
collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
Acquisition Information
Gifts, 2001-2002.
Processing History
Processed by Judy Chou, 2014.
Biography
Born on December 12, 1936, Bernard Johnson was raised in Detroit, Michigan with four sisters and one brother. At the age of
eleven, Johnson voluntarily attended ballet classes with his younger sister and soon became enthralled with the art of dance.
He also credited his fascination with dance to the film
Red Shoes, which he viewed as a child.
Even though Johnson started off as a dancer, he soon became involved in the art of costuming. In 1954 at the age of 18, he
won a scholarship to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York. At FIT, he studied fashion design and dancing,
which included modern dance, tap dancing, classical, jazz, Katherine Dunham techniques, and other styles. At 5’2”, Johnson
became part of the New York Negro Ballet ensemble (now the Ballet Americana) between the ages of 18 and 19. It was around
this time that he met and married fellow dancer Cleo Quitman, with whom he had one son, Byian. He became the lead dancer of
the “Bluebird pas de deux” from the theatrical production of
Sleeping Beauty, which was held at the Edinburgh Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. During this time, he also danced the mambo and samba onstage
with Josephine Baker.
After graduating, Johnson amassed an extensive list of credits as a director, choreographer, performer, costume designer,
and teacher, working in theatre, television, and film. He co-choreographed, directed, and designed the costumes for Broadway
Soul at Lincoln Center as a Broadway veteran. He also performed and directed numerous theatrical productions throughout the
United States, South Korea, and Russia. He had his own costume design company in New York called Estudio Inc. and was eventually
nicknamed the “Black Cecil Beaton.”
Throughout his career, Johnson won numerous awards including an Emmy Award for costume design for
To All My Friends in 1972, a Harveys Bristol Cream Tribute to Black Designer Award in 1980, and two Tony Awards for
Raisins in 1974 and
Eubie in 1979. In 1977, Johnson was inducted to the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame for Costume Design. His costumes were also showcased
at the now defunct Black Fashion Museum in Harlem and later Washington, D.C. Johnson taught at various schools throughout
the nation, including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, the New Dance Group Studios, the American Dance Festival (Duke
University), Clark Center for the Performing Arts, and UC Irvine’s Dance Department. He also taught in Moscow, Russia in 1992
under the auspices of the American Dance Festival and was an associate director of Dance Ellington.
In 1991, on the recommendation of UC Irvine dance professor and choreographer Donald McKayle, Johnson was recruited as the
first UC Irvine professor of costume design for dancers, obtaining an appointment as an assistant professor of dance. He taught
students how to draw designs, create patterns, sew, and choose and work with different patterns. He also designed costumes
for faculty and student concerts. On January 22, 1997, Johnson passed away at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan,
New York at the age of 60. He was survived by his son, a grandson, two sisters, and partner George R. Bergeron. A public memorial
service was held for Johnson at UC Irvine’s Concert Hall. A theatrical tribute was also held in his honor at UC Irvine’s School
of Arts Dance Vision II concert.
Collection Scope and Content Summary
This collection documents the career of Bernard Johnson, a dancer, costume designer, director, choreographer, and teacher
who served as the first professor of costume design at UC Irvine from 1991-1997. Materials document Johnson's professional
work in theatre, film, and television, as well as his tenure in academia. The collection consists of original costume design
artwork, clippings, correspondence, photographs, negatives, ephemera, and other material.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged in 7 series:
- Series 1. Correspondence and biographical materials, 1975-1997, undated, 0.25 linear feet
- Series 2. Photographic materials, 1978-1979, 1993-1995 and undated, 0.5 linear feet
- Series 3. Original artworks, 1984, 1993 and undated, 3.3 linear feet
- Series 4. Video recordings, 1990-1995, undated, 0.1 linear feet
- Series 5. Clippings, 1957-1993 and undated, 2.1 linear feet
- Series 6. Theatrical printed ephemera, 1973-1996, undated, 0.8 linear feet
- Series 7. UC Irvine, 1991-1995, undated, 0.25 linear feet
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Johnson, Bernard -- Archives
University of California, Irvine. -- Faculty -- Archives
Costume design drawings.
Costume designers
Ephemera -- 20th century
Theater -- 20th century -- Archives