Background
Henderson was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Ruby Naomi and Elihue Henderson.
Henderson was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Ruby Naomi and Elihue Henderson.
He finished his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting at the North Carolina School of the Arts in 1972. He later studied at Purdue University where he received his Master of Arts in Theatre in 1977.
He spent a year at Lincoln University, Missouri and was originally part of Group 1 at the Juilliard School Drama Division before he left. He also spent summer sessions at Rose Bruford College in London and William Esper Studios in New York City. Henderson is known for his role as Arthur in the acclaimed Home Box Office film, Everyday People.
Other film credits include White House servant William Slade in Steven Spielberg"s 2012 film Lincoln, Lester in the 2011 film Tower Heist, Bobo in the 1989 version of A Raisin in the Sun, Cooper"s husband in the 1985 movie Marie, and roles in the films Keane (2004) and If You Could Say lieutenant in Words (2008).
In addition to his films, Henderson was a series regular, Omar on the FOX series New Amsterdam, which premiered in early 2008. Henderson is known mostly for his stage work.
Previously, he appeared as Van Helsing in the Broadway production of Dracula, the Musical. On Broadway, he has also performed in Drowning Crow, the revival of Ma Rainey"s Black Bottom, and the premiere of King Hedley World War II Henderson is especially recognized as a veteran performer of August Wilson"s ouvre.
He had created the role in the 1996 premiere at the Pittsburgh Public Theater, then honed it (as Wilson was honing the script) in other regional theaters before its arrival Office-Broadway in 2000.
In addition, he appeared in A Raisin in the Sun and directed Zooman and the Sign. With the LAByrinth Theatre Company, he portrayed Pontius Pilate in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. Television work includes Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Newsroom, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Tyler Perry"s House of Payne, Third Watch, New Amsterdam and Blue Bloods.
He currently teaches in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University at Buffalo where is a former department chairman