The First “King of Jazz”: James Reese Europe

“People don’t realize yet today what we lost when we lost Jim Europe. He was the savior of Negro musicians. He was in a class with Booker T. Washington and Martin Luther King. I met all three of them. Before Europe, Negro musicians were just like wandering minstrels. Play in a saloon and pass the…

“Black Swan” : a story of courage and talent

Join us during Black History Month and Women’s History Month as we follow Elisabeth Taylor Greenfield‘s singing career through mid-19th century newspapers.  There are a number of inspirational resources available to the public to listen, read, learn, and share stories of African Americans, celebrating their journeys and contributions to society.   The Library of Congress, Smithsonian…

Black History Month : Phillis Wheatley and a reminder to read

Did you know libraries across the country have been working to diversify and add new voices to their collections? In the Arts and Special Collections Research Center we have increased the number of women and Black composers in the collection, as well as composers from international countries. This gives our faculty and students new voices…