Spelman's Performing Arts Center Renames Newly Renovated Building After Samuel L. Jackson And LaTanya Richardson Jackson

By Kyra Alessandrini

Spelman College celebrated the opening of its newly renovated Performing Arts Center on Oct. 24. The center was renamed after Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson as a tribute to their contributions and donations to the HBCU.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to alumna LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Samuel L. Jackson for their unwavering commitment and passionate support of the arts at Spelman,” Spelman College Interim President Rosalind Brewer said in a press release. “LaTanya and Samuel’s love story began on stage at Spelman, and their remarkable careers serve as a beacon of inspiration. It is only fitting that their journey is honored with a lasting tribute in the very place where it all began.”

The couple attended the official opening and were joined by director Spike Lee, cast members from the upcoming movie The Piano Lesson and former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. The event featured a performance by the Spelman College Arts division and included the unveiling of a new mural honoring the couple’s time at the Morehouse Spelman Players theatrical group, created by Atlanta artist Quintin Jackson.

Richardson and Jackson attended Spelman and Morehouse College, respectively, and have attributed their education to their successes in entertainment.

“Sam and I are continually invested in the success of Spelman College because Spelman first invested so much in us,” Richardson said. “Everything I know, all of my beginnings were in this building. It is an honor for us to help support the school’s vital mission, and to ensure that it continues to serve as a space of inspiration and training for the next generation of leaders. May the unveiling of this glorious mural be an inspiration to the beautiful artists past, present and future who walk these halls.”

In addition, they each respectively donated $5 million to renovate the Rockefeller Fine Arts Building, which is the largest donation made by alumni in Spelman’s history. The couple helped raise $17.3 million to help support the renovations.

“Tonight’s celebration heralds a vibrant new era for the arts at Spelman, where performances and presentations will now flourish in a cutting-edge facility designed to inspire creativity and excellence,” President Brewer said.

“Throughout our life together, it has been an honor to support Spelman College. It was the institution which served as the nurturing training ground for our careers in the arts,” Jackson and Robinson wrote in a joint post on Instagram.

“Last night we celebrated the installation of the Mural of Spelman’s theatrical history, in the newly renovated LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Samuel L. Jackson Performing Arts Center. We hope that the Mural will inspire the next generation of budding artists,” they added. “Once fully completed, this facility will be a center for creating and encouraging young artists to see the full spectrum of possibilities within themselves, through a rigorous and enlightened program of learning.”