The Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts

Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts (ELFSA) was founded in 1950 by Elma Lewis. The school, based in Roxbury, Boston, provided classes in a variety of artistic, social, and cultural topics, including art, dance, drama, music, and costuming. Lewis founded the school with the intention of promoting "programs of cultural enrichment for the benefit of deprived children" in Roxbury, Dorchester and throughout the Greater Boston area. The school closed at its Elm Hill Avenue location following an arson fire in 1985.

Elma Ina Lewis (September 15, 1921 – January 1, 2004) was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. An alumna of Emerson College, Elma was a prominent American arts educator. Her work with the African American community in the arts, as well as her dedication to social service, resulted in her being one of the first recipients of the MacArther Fellows Grant in 1981. She also received a Presidential Medal for the Arts from President Ronald Reagan in 1983. Elma was also the recipient of 28 honorary doctorate degrees. Elma Lewis died in 2004 at the age of 82.

Elma Lewis opened the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts in 1950. Its original location was a rented 6-room apartment at 7 Waumbeck Street in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The school was created with the purpose of providing African-American community members in the Boston area with an education in the arts.

On its first day of operation in 1950, 25 students enrolled in classes. In order to enroll, students had to pay a $5 monthly tuition.

The ELSFA was incorporated as a non-profit on October 19, 1966. At the time of incorporation, Elma Lewis was the secretary, Ruth Batson served as the chairman, and Darnley Corbin was acting treasurer. The school received its first federal grant that year.

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