Presented to artists or individuals whose lifetime achievements have made a lasting contribution to the world of theatre.

Helen Dorothy Martin was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but only lived there long enough to "give St. Louis the blues," as she is fond of saying. A precocious child, she realized at the age of seven that she wanted to be on the stage. As a youth in Nashville, Ms. Martin performed with various local theatre groups and organized a 12-piece, all-male band which she conducted and in which she sang. In 1940, the American Negro Theatre (ANT) was founded in Harlem with Helen Martin as one of the original members. In ANT’s first production of On Strivers’ Row, in the role of Ruby Jackson, was the recently arrived Helen Martin. With this role, Ms. Martin would launch her career,which would span more than 50 years and include 10 Broadway productions, 18 feature films, more than 32 television roles and countless summer stock and circuit stage productions. While ms. Martin was working at ANT, in 1941 she was cast as Vera in the stage adaptation of Richard Wright’s Native Son. Directed by Elia Kazan, the production opened on September 26, 1945 at the Fulton Theatre and enjoyed a 477 -performance run. Ms. Martin’s role was that of the maid Honey Turner. In 1953, she had her first opportunity to perform with a young actor named Louis Goussett, Jr., in Take a Giant Step. Shortly, after, Ms. Martin performed at the Greenwich Mews Theatre in what she considers one of her more memorable roles: Rum Mitchens in George Bernard Shaw’s Major Barbara. Ms. Martin affected a Cockney accent for her portrayal of the "lass" at the West Ham Shelter, and her characterization was touted as "excellent" and the most consistent in the cast.(NY Age Defender) In 1957, Ms. Martin had been one of 80 black actors to perform in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of The Green Pastures. On May 4, 1961, Ms. Martin opened in what has come to be her favorite dramatic role, Felicity Trollop Pardon in Jean Genet’s The Blacks. The play ran for 1,408 performances. Ms. Martin returned to Broadway in Ossie Davis’ Purlie Victorious. It opened at the Cort Theatre on September 28, 1961 and ran for 261 performances. In 1965, Ms. Martin landed a role in another of her favorite works, James Baldwin’s The Amen Corner. When Purlie Victorious was adapted as the musical Purlie, Ms. Martin returned to Broadway in the role of Idella. It opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 15, 1970 with a run of 688 performances. Ms. Martin’s also worked on radio. She would return to the theater often in subsequent years and it would always remain her first love. In 1977, Ms. Martin was part of what has come to be called "one of the most remarkable achievements in television history," Roots. Many have come to know her more recently as Aunt Sukey. Ms. Martin resides in Los Angles. She no longer works in white folks’ kitchens.

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