Otis Alexander

Otis Douglas Alexander (born June 1, 1951 in Norfolk, Virginia) is an American Hornist, choreographer, painter, author, and librarian. He was a co-founder with Bonnie Brooks of Street Theater. His original choreography has been performed in Brooklyn Academy of Music, Harrison Opera House, Island Center for the Performing Arts, Little Theatre of Trinidad at Carifesta. Alexander studied French Horn, a musical descendant of J.S. Bach, and made his operatic debut in William Grant Still's Highway 1, USA. He performed the tenor principal in with the Danville Area Chorale Arts Society. He is known for his French Horn performance of Leopold Mozart's Concerto in C. He was a principal dancer in Oscar Brown, Jr. and Lonnie Levister's Slave Song at the Black American Theater in DC.
Education
Alexander, was born and reared in Norfolk, Virginia, educated at Booker T. Washington High School , from which he graduated in 1967. Alexander received the B. A. degree in urban studies and music (French Horn, voice, and piano) from Federal City College. While in undergraduate school, worked at United Press International as a copy. After graduating in 1972, he remained at the College receiving an M.S. degree in media science in 1974. His M.L.S. degree in library science was earned at Ball State University in 1983, and the Ph.D in library science from International University.
Career
His first professional job after graduate school was on Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands, where he was the Itinerant Librarian for the islands only two public school- Julius E. Sprauve in Cruz Bay and the Guy Benjamin in Coral Bay. During his tenure on St. John, along with the anthropologist/musician Eddie Bruce, they founded the St. John Ethnic Dance Theater, funded by the St. John Arts Society.
In 1978, he accepted an offer as Assistant Librarian and Lecturer at Cuttington University College in Suakoko. At Cuttington, Alexander also directed the Traditional Dance Troupe on campus and stayed there until the Rice Riots in 1979, the prelude to the Military Coup.
He Returned to the Virgin Islands. However, on island of St. Croix as a high school music. His summers were spent teaching and choreographing dance at the Governor's School for the Talented and Gifted on the campus of the University of the Virgin Islands at St. Thomas; Spelman College Summer Dance Program, Dance Theater of Norfolk; and Atti Van Den Berg Bermudez's Theater Dance, a modern company in Christiansted.
After retiring as a music teacher from the Government of the Virgin Islands in 2001, Alexander directed academic and public libraries in the District of Columbia, Virginia, Indiana, Texas, Florida, and lectured the following courses: Controversial Issues in Contemporary American Culture, Children’s Literature, Introduction to African-American Studies, Research Skills, and Harlem Renaissance Literature, and the dance at Danville Community College, Southeastern, and Florida Memorial University. In 2012 he was appointed as Director of Gary Library Board. He is currently Head of Department, Faculty of Library Science at International University for Graduate Studies.
Awards and honors
*United States Department of Education Careers in Library Science Fellowship
*Ball State University Fellowship
*Atlanta University School of Library & Information Studies Scholarship
In 1996, Alexander was recognized in the Congressional Record for leading the St. Croix Central High School Mixed Concert Choir, Visual Dance Ensemble, and Madrigal Singers at the North American Music Festival. That same year, Eta Iota Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity recognized him as The Omega Man of the Year for his community services in the Fine and Lively Arts, and Mu Gamma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. awarded him for the years of choreography for their annual cotillion.
Publications
His research has appeared in Virginia Libraries Journal, Scribner’s Encyclopedia of American Lives, African American National Biography Project, Still not equal: expanding educational opportunity in society, ilovelibraries.org as excerpts from his doctoral dissertation, 'Public Library Outlets Response to the Poor and Unemployed with Emphasis on Danville, Virginia', has appeared in Public Library Quarterly.
*2007 - Still not equal: Expanding Educational Ppportunity In Society (chapter 14)
*2013 - African American National Biography: 12-Volume Set
*2013 - Examine the Saul Building Archives Museum
*2013 - Free Public Libraries Charging for Survival
*2008 - Public Library Services to Underrepresented Groups: Poor & Unemployed, Emphasizing Danville, Virginia
*2002 - Roy Wilkins

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