In the middle of the Civil Rights Movement, and spurred by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, dancer Arthur Mitchell was inspired to help the youth around him.

Then Dance Theater of Harlem was born. 

Since 1969, the dance company has always sought to be inclusive, recruiting and training dancers of all colors and backgrounds and helping to break barriers in the arts. Nearly half a century later, Dance Theater of Harlem is still breaking those barriers, supporting and promoting female choreographers in a field dominated by men. 

With their new show, “System,” led by choreographer Francesca Harper, Dance Theater of Harlem addresses social justice issues in the Black Lives Matter era. 

Morning Shift talks to Virginia Johnson, art director of Dance Theater of Harlem, about the how the company continues Arthur Mitchell’s legacy today.