Roscoe Lee Browne Biography

Awards

Laurence Fishburne and Anthony Zerbe Inaugurate
The Roscoe Lee Browne Poet-In-Residence Award

Austerlitz, NY — The Millay Colony for the Arts (www.millaycolony.org), an artists residency program based in Austerlitz, New York, is the recipient of an award established in memory of the late actor, Roscoe Lee Browne. Mr. Browne was a longtime supporter of both the Millay Colony for the Arts and the Millay Society at Steepletop, an organization that maintains Steepletop, the home and property of the poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay. The Roscoe Lee Browne Scholarship Fund will provide the Colony with an annual Poet-in-Residence Award to underwrite a month-long residency for a poet.

At a ceremony on Monday, May 5th, the Fund’s directors, actors Laurence Fishburne and Anthony Zerbe, presented the Colony with its first award of a $5,000 check to underwrite the residency of poet Jibade Kahlil Huffman, whose first book of poems, Nineteen Names for My Band, was recently published by Fence Books.

On hand to receive the gift were Mr. Huffman, the Colony’s executive director, Caroline Crumpacker, its residency director, Calliope Nicholas, and board member Francis Murdock Pitts. In presenting the award, Mr. Fishburne said, “We are delighted to begin this relationship that would have meant so much to Roscoe, by honouring Kahlil’s fine work.”

In addition to the presentation of the fund, Mr. Fishburne, Mr. Zerbe, along with Tyne Daly, Campbell and Alexander Scott, held a moving memorial service for Mr. Browne. Peter Bergman, Director of The Millay Society at Steepletop lead the assembled guests on a walk to the gravesite where Edna St. Vincent Millay, her sister Norma Millay, who formed The Millay Society and The Millay Colony, and their families are buried. The guests then returned to The Millay Colony where a flowering apple tree was planted in Mr. Browne’s honor. “Roscoe’s Tree” will commemorate the actor’s involvement with both organizations since their founding.

Ms. Crumpacker noted, “Roscoe Lee Browne’s presence in the history of our organization is deeply meaningful to us all and this tree will remind us of his warm, nurturing spirit.” Ms. Nicholas said, “I chose this spot for the tree because of the remarkable view of mountains and meadows — he can look out over our natural beauty.”

The Roscoe Lee Browne Scholarship Fund has been established to assist African American students in their studies of theatre, literature or the French language and to establish an annual residency for a poet at The Millay Colony for the Arts. The fund was created and will be administered by Laurence Fishburne and Anthony Zerbe and will be a legacy to Roscoe’s great love of the written and spoken word.

The Millay Colony for the Arts was founded in 1973 to honor the life and work of poet Edna St.Vincent Millay. The Millay Colony provides one-month residencies to writers, visual artists and composers of all ages and in all stages of their artistic career. Each resident receives a private room and studio and meals in two facilities — Steepletop Barn and the Main Building, a universal design facility for artists with and without disabilities. There are no fees charged for a residency and all funding for The Colony is derived from individuals and foundations. For more information on the Millay Colony for the Arts, visit www.millaycolony.org.

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			Awards Laurence Fishburne and Anthony Zerbe Inaugurate The Roscoe Lee Browne Poet-In-Residence Award Austerlitz, NY — The Millay Colony for the Arts (www.millaycolony.org), an artists residency program based in Austerlitz, New York, is the recipient of an award established in memory of the late actor, Roscoe Lee Browne. Mr. Browne was a longtime supporter of both the Millay Colony for the Arts and the Millay Society at Steepletop, an organization that maintains Steepletop, the home and property of the poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay. The Roscoe Lee Browne Scholarship Fund will provide the Colony with an annual Poet-in-Residence Award to underwrite a month-long residency for a poet. At a ceremony on Monday, May 5th, the Fund’s directors, actors Laurence Fishburne and Anthony Zerbe, presented the Colony with its first award of a $5,000 check to underwrite the residency of poet Jibade Kahlil Huffman, whose first book of poems, Nineteen Names for My Band, was recently published by Fence Books. On hand to receive the gift were Mr. Huffman, the Colony’s executive director, Caroline Crumpacker, its residency director, Calliope Nicholas, and board member Francis Murdock Pitts. In presenting the award, Mr. Fishburne said, “We are delighted to begin this relationship that would have meant so much to Roscoe, by honouring Kahlil’s fine work.” In addition to the presentation of the fund, Mr. Fishburne, Mr. Zerbe, along with Tyne Daly, Campbell and Alexander Scott, held a moving memorial service for Mr. Browne. Peter Bergman, Director of The Millay Society at Steepletop lead the assembled guests on a walk to the gravesite where Edna St. Vincent Millay, her sister Norma Millay, who formed The Millay Society and The Millay Colony, and their families are buried. The guests then returned to The Millay Colony where a flowering apple tree was planted in Mr. Browne’s honor. “Roscoe’s Tree” will commemorate the actor’s involvement with both organizations since their founding. Ms. Crumpacker noted, “Roscoe Lee Browne’s presence in the history of our organization is deeply meaningful to us all and this tree will remind us of his warm, nurturing spirit.” Ms. Nicholas said, “I chose this spot for the tree because of the remarkable view of mountains and meadows — he can look out over our natural beauty.” The Roscoe Lee Browne Scholarship Fund has been established to assist African American students in their studies of theatre, literature or the French language and to establish an annual residency for a poet at The Millay Colony for the Arts. The fund was created and will be administered by Laurence Fishburne and Anthony Zerbe and will be a legacy to Roscoe’s great love of the written and spoken word. The Millay Colony for the Arts was founded in 1973 to honor the life and work of poet Edna St.Vincent Millay. The Millay Colony provides one-month residencies to writers, visual artists and composers of all ages and in all stages of their artistic career. Each resident receives a private room and studio and meals in two facilities — Steepletop Barn and the Main Building, a universal design facility for artists with and without disabilities. There are no fees charged for a residency and all funding for The Colony is derived from individuals and foundations. For more information on the Millay Colony for the Arts, visit www.millaycolony.org. Download Press Release (PDF)