A compact family archive tracing the people named by the Estate and their relationship to Blondell Cummings.
Father of Blondell
Roscoe “Jack” Cummings was Blondell’s father. With roots in South Carolina, he moved north with Oralee and infant Blondell, later working as a cab driver in New York.
Mother of Blondell
Oralee Cummings, née Williams, was Blondell’s mother. She moved from South Carolina to Harlem and worked in New York as a domestic aide and later as a nurse.
Artist · Sister
Blondell Cummings (1944–2015) was a pioneering choreographer, dancer, video artist, teacher, and founder of Cycle Arts Foundation. Her work transformed domestic gesture and memory into “moving pictures.”
Sister of Blondell
Hilda Cummings Davis was Blondell’s sister and part of the family constellation that shaped the artist’s early life and lasting memory.
Sister of Blondell
Gaynell Cummings is Blondell’s sister and a living part of the family lineage that continues to hold memory, care, and connection around the Estate.
Nephew of Blondell
Jamal Davis is Blondell Cummings’ nephew and part of the next generation connected to the family’s memory and legacy.
Nephew of Blondell
Bryon Lewis-Cummings is Blondell Cummings’ nephew and supports preservation, public communication, and continued visibility for the Estate.
We welcome inquiries related to exhibitions, permissions, research, programming, publications, screenings, collaborations, other matters connected to Blondell Cummings’ work, and more.
Also if you want to just say hello or share a memory, please do.
