2005 - Delilah Jackson, cultural historian and founder and artistic director of the Black Patti Research Foundation (named after Sisseretta Jones who organized the most prestigious group of touring black troubadours at the turn of the century), has amassed one of the most extensive collections of African American expressive culture in recent time-- more than 1000 rare slides, photos, and vintage films documenting the performances of musicians, singers, actors and dancers of Harlem during he 1920s and 1930s when New York City was the entertainment center of the world. Though conscientious collecting, Jackson has made sure that these artists are not forgotten. She worked as a consultant such films as The Cotton Club, the BBC production of Going Back to Harlem, and Essence Magazine's Women in Jazz. And has lectured at Columbia University, the New School for Social Research, Museum of Natural History, Schomburg Center for Black Culture, and Smithsonian Institution, and is the recipient of the Mama Lu Parks Achievement Award for Dance History and the 2001 Flo-Bert Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York City Committee to Celebrate National Tap Dance Day. In 1997 she curate a show at the Smithsonian entitled "Paris, the Jazz Age" (1914-40).

She is a lifetime member of the Negro Actor's Guild and the New Amsterdam Music Association, founded by James Reese Europe, and in 1993 was inducted into the Black Collector's Hall of Fame. Since the early 80's, she has worked with producer Cobi Narita co-producing numerous tap concerts at Cobi's Place. Last year, she took part in "The Eagle Flies On Friday", a program celebrating the centennial of Harlem's NAMA (New Amsterdam Musical Association), one of the worlds' oldest jazz clubs. She will also be part of a documentary on the organization currently being filmed. She has celebrated Tap Dance for over 25 years, presenting Dr. Buster Brown, Charles "Cookie" Cook, Lon Chaney, Chuck Green, Henry Le Tang, Jr., Tina Pratt, Mable Lee, Salt and Pepper, and The Cotton Club Girls, etc. in various shows during Harlem Week. We are proud to honor Delilah Jackson with the American Tap Dance Foundation's 2005 Tap Preservation Award at the New York City Tap Festival.