Freddy Lights

We are dedicating this issue of DIY WITH DEI to FREDDY LIGHTS! In honor of his Lifetime Achievements and Black History month, EAG member and Freddy's Goddaughter  Alyxx Scorch Morgen has composed a loving tribute:

"The Godfather” 

You probably don't know the man underneath his signature yachting cap, one of the first African American Stage Managers at NBC-TV & of the Directors Guild of America, but you probably do know La MaMa Theatre. Freddy was that special person who'd been in my life since I was born. For some reason, I found out late in life he was my actual Godfather & someone I'd always been very close to no matter what part of the world I was in.

Frederick L. Lights born in 1922 in Houston, Texas to a dentist who then moved to Chicago, becoming part of the Stewart family, namely, Ellen & Ada. He was a Howard attendee, a Morehouse Graduate, and he earned his Master's at Yale. Freddy was also a playwright. A play of his was stolen by a successful Caucasian Broadway producer, and Freddy felt he didn't have a shot in hell of winning any type of lawsuit to reclaim his works due to rampant & ridiculous racism at that time. His stepsister Ellen Stewart wasn't having it and created La MaMa Theatre for him. Unfortunately, Freddy never got to put up any of his plays at La MaMa because they didn't see eye-to-eye after that. Toward the end of their lives and separately, both Ellen & Freddy told me the very same story, both regretting this.

To my knowledge, Freddy never wrote any plays afterward but did become part of the Dramatists Guild.

The racism run-ins continued but were kept from me until the last years of his life when it became necessary for him to share. I was having a hard time understanding why he kept making excuses to not meet me for lunch in the offices I had been working in as a temporary employee, when I was so proud of him, loved him to pieces & we'd always had some sort of adventure when out to eat or at a screening at the Director's Guild. 

It was a conversation I could clearly see was hard for this man to have, but again, necessary for both of us. Racism was rearing its ugly head again for him, and I was clueless to his plight. Hate by color, creed, or culture, etc. was something I was never taught...his 'sit-down' with me gave me all the 'why's'. It made me cry. It still does. 

May racism and hate be gone.

This man was a sweetheart with an enormous heart and beyond-great sense of humor who survived a kidney transplant, open heart surgery, and now cancer.  Protective of me--at 35, not 'allowing' me to cross the street with him unless I held his hand, kind to my friends, and telling me bluntly which boyfriends he liked and didn't, either in a handwritten note or some jingle he'd sing to me using a Broadway tune.

Before he passed, he gave me his plays & school papers, all written on a typewriter, which at some point I'd like the Smithsonian to have for safe-keeping. I treasure them. Freddy did continue with NBC up until his health issues prevented him from doing so.  

They loved him.

Everyone I knew loved him. So much so that he had at least 10 memorials after his passing. I could only bear to attend 4. 

RIP Dear Freddy. You are sorely missed.



Frederick L. Lights
April 25, 1922-November 23, 1995


If you would like further information on the DEI Committee, please contact Chair Chris Chinn at chrischinn2020@gmail.com.