The North Carolina Black Repertory Company was founded in 1979 by Larry Leon Hamlin. It is the first professional Black theatre company in North Carolina. The Company is universally recognized for its artistic and administrative achievements and its international outreach program, The National Black Theatre Festival. Larry founded the Theatre Festival in 1989. The Theatre Festival brings more that 65,000 people to Winston-Salem.
L-r: Louis Gossett, Jr., Esther Rolle, Larry Leon Hamlin, Herman LeVern Jones and Dr. Maya Angelou in 1989 at the first National Black Theatre Festival.