, ▁H att ie ▁W inst on , ▁and ▁D aph ne ▁Max well ▁Re id . ▁ ▁The ▁Group ▁Theatre ▁Work shop ▁was ▁fol ded ▁into ▁the ▁tu ition - free ▁training ▁arm ▁of ▁the ▁he ▁Neg ro ▁Ens emble ▁Company ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁with ▁Douglas ▁Turner ▁Ward ▁and ▁Ger ald ▁S . ▁Kr one ▁with ▁a ▁$ 1 . 3 ▁million ▁grant ▁from ▁the ▁Ford ▁Foundation ▁under ▁the ▁aus p ices ▁of ▁W . ▁Mc Ne il ▁Low ry . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 9 - 1 9 7 2 , ▁Hook s ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁original ▁board ▁member ▁of ▁Black ▁Academy ▁of ▁Arts ▁and ▁Let ters , ▁located ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁alongside ▁C . ▁Eric ▁Lincoln , ▁President ; ▁John ▁O . ▁Kill ens , ▁Al vin ▁F . ▁P ouss aint , ▁and ▁Charles ▁White . ▁Char tered ▁by ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁New ▁York , ▁its ▁mission ▁was ▁to ▁bring ▁together ▁black ▁artists ▁and ▁sch ol ars ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁Add itional ▁members ▁included ▁Julian ▁Ad der ley , ▁Al vin ▁A iley , ▁Margaret ▁Walker , ▁James ▁Bald win , ▁Im am u ▁Bar aka , ▁Rom are ▁Be arden , ▁Harry ▁Bel af onte , ▁L er one ▁Ben nett , ▁Ar na ▁B ont em ps , ▁O ss ie ▁Davis , ▁Ruby ▁De e ▁Davis , ▁St . ▁Cla ir ▁Dra ke , ▁Ernest ▁Dun bar , ▁K atherine ▁Dun ham , ▁L onne ▁E lder