When James Avery died at the age of 68 on December 31, 2013, he was universally memorialized as the beloved Uncle Phil from the popular TV series “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” But Avery, a UC San Diego graduate in literature and drama (1976), was a man of many parts: Navy veteran, classically-trained actor, poet, screenwriter, scholar, philanthropist, social activist, and above all, an inspiration to a generation of African-American performers.
Avery returned often to his alma mater as a featured guest, performer and commencement speaker. He and his wife Barbara (also a UC San Diego alum) established the James Avery Scholarship at UC San Diego to support African-American students studying performing arts. Considering his close ties to the campus, the afternoon of theatre, live music, poetry readings and personal reflections that comprised James L. Avery – A Celebration of an Artist’s Life stands as a fitting tribute to Avery’s lasting influence.
I didn’t know James Avery personally, but thanks to the diverse group of faculty, friends, performing artists and professional colleagues in attendance at the memorial, I feel I now have some sense of the man. There were expressions of love and loss throughout the afternoon, and something more; a profound sense of gratitude for a life well lived. I am pleased that UCSD-TV is able to share this moving and entertaining event with a wider audience.
Watch James L. Avery – A Celebration of an Artist’s Life.
The family and friends of James Avery have established the James Avery Memorial Scholarship to honor Avery’s achievements and to support undergrad students studying the performing arts. Click here for more information.
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Contributed by Arts & Humanities Producer, John Menier