Ellis Haizlip

Ellis Haizlip (September 21, 1929 – January 25, 1991) was an African American theater and television producer. A 1954 graduate of Howard University, Haizlip had a career that included friendship with James Baldwin, Alvin Ailey, and other African-American luminaries. This led to producing Baldwin's AMEN CORNER in Europe, and Donald McKayle's BLACK NEW WORLD both in Europe and in New York City on station WNDT.

With SOUL!, a one-hour series on WNET in New York City, Haizlip presented five years of mixed entertainment and public affairs on PBS. He introduced and/or featured many singers and political figures, such as Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson; poet Nikki Giovanni, minister Louis Farrakhan, Muhammad Ali, and Amiri Baraka LeRoi Jones).

SOUL! is now getting new recognition as a ground-breaking and socially important television show, and Haizlip is being considered the guiding force in that African-American Renaissance.

Haizlip died of lung cancer in January 1991. After his death, a number of his fellow artists, including writer Amiri Baraka, gathered in New York City at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine to hold a performance in his memory.