Naomi Bruton

Naomi Bruton was a Dallas actress, born in Boswell, OK, the middle of 3 daughters to Princella Hartman (3rd youngest of 13 siblings). She moved to Dallas, TX with her mother Princella and older sister Clara. She attended predominantly-black Booker T. Washington High School and participated on the Bulldog Drill Team. She met and married Cicero Bruton, star running back for Booker T. Booker T. Washington is now a World-renowned Arts Magnet High School. They bought a home in1955 in Hamilton Park, the first neighborhood "built from the ground up" for colored families" in Dallas, TX. Naomi was a pioneer in Dallas, moving out of the domestic worker ranks to be one of the the 1st black people to work at Texas Instruments and the first black person to work in Reservations at Braniff International Airways. Naomi and Cicero had 4 children: Laura, who attended Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas, majoring in Sociology and making a career in the Job Corps system; twins Cecelia and Cecil- Cecil attended Southern Methodist University and Cecelia attended The University of Oklahoma and pursued a career in Entertainment; and Ciscoe II who attended The University of Houston, Southern Methodist University and enjoyed a vibrant Dancing career on Broadway with Bob Fossee and Tommy Tune. "Nee Tee" as she was fondly called by family and friends, performed on all of the Dallas area stages, Dallas Theatre Center, Theatre 3, The Junior Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Dallas Minority Repertory Theatre where she served on the Board, and The Round Up Players where she was a Founding Member. For years, she was the only local black actress and in high demand throughout the City. She worked with Rex Ingraham, Reggie Montgomery, Irma P. Hall, Erika Badu, her son Ciscoe Bruton II, and her daughter Cecelia Antoinette. In her honor, The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, has named their Main Auditorium, seating 1700 people, The Naomi Bruton Auditorium.