▁formally ▁made ▁the ▁company ' s ▁archiv ist ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁assist ed ▁by ▁a ▁grant ▁from ▁the ▁National ▁End ow ment ▁for ▁the ▁Arts . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁in - house ▁archiv ist ▁for ▁an ▁American ▁dance ▁company . ▁ ▁He ▁held ▁this ▁position ▁until ▁the ▁dis band ing ▁of ▁the ▁Mer ce ▁C unning ham ▁Company ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁after ▁C unning ham ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁C unning ham ▁archive ▁was ▁then ▁don ated ▁to ▁the ▁dance ▁collection ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Public ▁Library ▁for ▁the ▁Perform ing ▁Arts ▁at ▁Lincoln ▁Center . ▁ ▁At ▁C unning ham ' s ▁suggestion , ▁V aug han ▁coordin ated ▁the ▁C unning ham ▁Company ' s ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁six - month ▁world ▁tour ▁to ▁Europe ▁and ▁Asia , ▁with ▁composer ▁John ▁C age ▁serving ▁as ▁music ▁director , ▁and ▁artist ▁Robert ▁R aus chen berg ▁as ▁resident ▁designer ▁and ▁stage ▁manager , ▁a ▁tour ▁which ▁greatly ▁en hanced ▁the ▁company ' s ▁reputation ▁in ▁the ▁dance ▁world . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁after ▁The ▁Rock ettes ▁h ired ▁their ▁first ▁black ▁dan cer , ▁V aug han ▁wrote ▁an ▁opinion ▁piece ▁for ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Tim ess ▁critic izing ▁major ▁bal let ▁companies ▁for ▁falling ▁behind ▁other ▁types ▁of ▁cultural ▁organizations ▁in ▁giving ▁artists ▁of ▁color ▁regular ▁opportun ities ▁to ▁perform ▁because ▁of ▁long - h eld