the world has never, ever, seen a cultural maven as unique as Deborah K. Allen (BFA ’72, DHL ’93), better known as Debbie. She has broken barrier after barrier in the performing arts, boldly putting not just her own phenomenal talent on display, but those of other artists as well. Whether she is working with well-established performers or those just beginning to step into their greatness, Allen has a singular ability to bring forth what can only be called creative magic. She is that rare artist who is relevant in any time period. Her first Emmy win, for example, was in 1982; her latest was in 2021, 39 years later. This year, she’ll receive an honorary Oscar for her lifetime of artistry. Generations of multi-talented creatives have used her as a role model, muse, and sensei. She’s taught, mentored, and influenced scores directly and countless more she will never meet. On any given day, Allen could be called by a multitude of titles — director, actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, producer, author, teacher, or simply superstar. Over the course of a career spanning decades, the consummate professional has been at the center of innumerable cultural phenomena, from her trailblazing starring role in the groundbreaking television and movie hit “Fame,” to her work as producer of the Oscar-nominated “Amistad,” to her turn as director of the iconic HBCU tribute show, “A Different World.” It seems every time Allen has reached the peak of her career, she reinvents herself. There is also another title important to her — Howard alumna. Allen graduated from Howard cum laude in 1971 with a BFA in classical Greek literature, speech, and theatre and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by the university in 1993. Allen has a reputation for being the definition of a multi-hyphenate entertainer, able to sing, dance, or act on par with any artist in modern history. It’s hard to believe that her path to Howard went through the North Carolina School of the Arts, a college that rejected her. Even though she was used as a model for others during her auditions, she was told she could not attend because she, supposedly, did not have the right type of body for ballet. Earlier, as a child, the Houston Foundation for Ballet had also told her no, before eventually making her the company’s first Black dancer. Both rejections had the tinge of racism. In fact, Allen spent part of her childhood in Mexico after her mother, Pulitzer Prize- nominated poet Vivian Ayers, relocated her children so they could experience life without the racism of the American South. In a full circle moment, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts would eventually award Allen an honorary doctorate for her excellence. Unlike the other institutions who told Allen “No,” Howard told Allen “Yes.” In coming to Howard as a student, she followed in the footsteps of her father, Dr. Andrew Arthur Allen (DDS ’46) and older sister Phylicia Rashad (BFA ’70), who would become a multiple Tony Award winner, star of television’s number one show
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NEWLY MINTED SUPERSTAR Soon after graduation, Debbie Allen returned to Howard to perform as part of the Faison Dancers. Photo: The Bison 1972, p.75, Howard University Archives, Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Washington, D.C.
for successive years, and dean of Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. But younger sister was never one to lurk in the shadows of others. As a Howard student, she set about making her mark on the world in one of the boldest bursts of pure talent the 158-year-old institution has seen. After her experience in North Carolina, Allen had decided to pursue other subject matters at Howard. But performing was something she just couldn’t shake. She went to an event hosted by legendary dancer and Howard instructor Mike Malone (M.A. ’67) and was simply enjoying herself, randomly dancing but using high kicks, twirls, and other forms of dance. Malone noticed her, pulled her aside, and convinced her that she could be a star. The next day, she was in his dance class, and the rest is history. “Mike Malone saw me at a dance at a party, and he saw me do like a triple turn and kick my leg to my face,” she recalled. “He was like, ‘who is that?’ He started talking to me about his dance company and told me that he had been in Dance Magazine. Dance Magazine was a big thing when I was a kid, and I had never seen a Black man in Dance Magazine. He showed me the magazine, and I was like, ‘Wow!’ So the next day I was in rehearsal and never separated from Mike until I went away to New York, and even when I did ‘Fame,’ I brought him to choreograph an episode. He was beyond an inspiration for me and any young person that he touched.” In fact, as she told the International Choreographers’ Organization and Networking Services (ICONS), Howard provided her first opportunity to act as a real choreographer. “I was invited to do something in college, at Howard
Debbie Allen MAVEN OF THE ARTS BY CEDRIC MOBLEY
Photo by Marvin Joseph
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Howard Magazine
Fall 2025
Fall 2025
Howard Magazine
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