“Jubilees to Jazz: Black Sacred Music, At Home and Abroad” Workshop

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director
jubilee-singers-at-the-court-of-queen-victoria-1873-fisk-university-library-1024x662111

Painting of the Fisk Jubilee Singers

 

Friday, January 22
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 23
10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Main Library
Fine Arts &
Special Collections
3rd floor
325 Superior Ave.
(216) 623-2818

Cleveland Public Library in partnership with Cleveland State University’s
Center for Excellence and Innovation in Education and Spiritual Gifts will
host a two day interactive workshop that examines the place of Black
sacred music in the history of the United States and other nations. The
workshop leader, Regennia N. Williams, PhD. is the Founder & Executive
Director of Spiritual Gifts: A Professional Black Sacred Music Repertory
Ensemble. Spiritual Gifts will fulfill its purpose through workshops, classes,
concerts, tours, publications, and conferences.
Special emphasis will be placed on the work of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, R.
Nathaniel Dett, the Wings Over Jordan Choir, the Spiritual Gifts Choir, Duke
Ellington, and Billy Strayhorn. Included will be live performances, audio
recordings, films, lectures, group activities, books, and articles. Library
books and CDs will be available for circulation. Community participants
are invited to attend all or some of the many workshop sessions over the
two day program. At the conclusion of the workshop, attendees will have the
opportunity to sing with the Spiritual Gifts Choir.

Admission is free and open to the public.

**Professional development credit is available for educators through Cleveland
State University’s Center for Excellence and Innovation in Education.
To register or obtain more information on the complete schedule of activities,
contact Regennia N. Williams (216) 244-6630 or r.williams@csuohio.edu
Additional fees apply.

 

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Phillip K. Jones, II & Friends Present FREE Concert Salute to Pianist Billy Strayhorn on November 19, 2015

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director
Phillip K. Jones, II

Phillip K. Jones, II

Phillip K. Jones, II & Friends will present a Centennial Birthday Concert Tribute to jazz legend Billy Strayhorn, on Thursday, November 19, 2015, 7:30 p.m., at Cleveland State University, Music and Communication Building, 2001 Euclid Avenue,  Drinko Recital Hall.  This event is free and open to the public.

Phillip K. Jones, II is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Oberlin College Conservatory and a Masters in Music from Cleveland State University. An incredibly versatile musician, Jones is comfortable performing works from a wide range of musical genres. His teachers have included Rodney Hubbard, Joe Hunter, Jackie Warren, Drene Ivy, and LaFayette Carthon, II.

 

 

BillyStrayhorn1958

Billy Strayhorn. Photograph by Carl Van Vechten (1958), Library of Congress Collections, Public Domain.

William “Billy” Strayhorn (1915 – 1967) achieved international recognition as one of the greatest American-born composers and pianists of the 20th century. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Strayhorn spent most of his formative years in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he attended the public schools, studied privately, and distinguished himself as a gifted keyboard artist. Many remember Strayhorn as Duke Ellington’s trusted colleague, a member of the Ellington Orchestra, and the composer of many of the group’s signature works, including “Take the A Train” and “Satin Doll.” However, less is known about his professional activities prior to the Ellington collaborations, his recordings with other artists, and his solo works. This concert and other programs during the centennial year will shed new light on the entire career of this brilliant American artist.

 

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Give the Gift of Music on #GivingTuesday, December 1, 2015

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director

Hello!
PleaDSC_1761se join me in supporting the ongoing work of Spiritual Gifts, a nonprofit arts education organization, by donating  to our gofundme campaign by ‪#‎GivingTuesday‬, December 1, 2015. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to support program expenses for 2016, so please tell your relatives, friends, co-workers, church members, and others. Here is the new customized link to Spiritual Gifts’ gofundme page: https://www.gofundme.com/SpiritualGifts.

Thanks!

Dr. Regennia N. Williams

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Thank You! — From the Bottom of My Hurston-Loving Heart

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director

I just want to say thanks to everyone who supported the Oral History Association’s Zora Neale Hurston activities in Eatonville, Florida, Hurston’s childhood home. I really enjoyed my museum visit, the interview with museum founder N.Y. Nathiri, and the Educator’s Roundtable in the library’s meeting room– and I look forward to listening to the edited interview via the 90.7 FM WMFE website. (Visit http://www.wmfe.org/ and search for other Hurston / Eatonville stories now.)

Branch Manager Patrice Florence-Walker (left) welcomed Hurston lovers to the Eatonville library at Zora Neale Hurston Square. All program participants received copies of Hurston's

Branch Manager Patrice Florence-Walker (left) welcomed Hurston lovers to the Eatonville library at Zora Neale Hurston Square. All program participants received copies of Hurston’s Mules and Men folklore collection.

Zora Neale Hurston PromoThanks, also, to Harper Perennial for donating 350 copies of Mules and Men for distribution at the Eatonville activities and the Oral History Association’s 49th Annual Meeting in Tampa.  OHA’s Committee on Diversity invited all interested readers to join them in celebrating the 80th anniversary of the book’s publication, since most of the folktales in this volume were collected in Central Florida.

The Oral History Association's Committee on Diversity hosted a reception at the Tampa Marriott Waterside (the conference hotel), on Friday, October 16th.

The Oral History Association’s Committee on Diversity hosted a reception at the Tampa Marriott Waterside (the conference hotel), on Friday, October 16th.

No matter how much I read, however, I always learn something new about Hurston when I discuss her life and work with others.    Let’s talk more at Eatonville’s ZORA! Festival in January 2016–as we celebrate the 125th anniversary of Hurston’s birth!  –Dr. Regennia N. Williams

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Doing Good in the Neighborhood and “the Circle”

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director

Never underestimate the difference that a few good men and women can make in a neighborhood and an organization.  On Saturday, September 19, 2015, current and former residents of Fairfax joined other history lovers in discussing the life stories, good works, and archival collections related to several people and organizations with ties to this historic Cleveland neighborhood, including Dr. Shirley Smith Seaton and pianist Evelyn Freeman Roberts, a 1941 alumna of the Cleveland Institute of Music who now resides in California.

 

These images document some of the memorable moments from the fourth and final event in the "Afternoons in the Archives" series at the Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical Society. (Jeff Ivey, photographer)

These images document some of the memorable moments from the fourth and final event in the “Afternoons in the Archives” series at the Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical Society. (Jeff Ivey, photographer)

“Famous in the Neighborhood and Beyond” was the fourth and final event in the “Afternoons in the Archives” series that I planned and produced in partnership with the African American Archives Auxiliary (“Quad A”) of the Western Reserve Historical Society.  In addition to highlighting some fascinating aspects of Cleveland’s past and Quad A’s 44-year history, the programs encouraged participants to consider how they might strengthen the Auxiliary, and support the library’s African American archival collections in the future.

The series also allowed participants to learn more about library archival collections at Cleveland State University, the University of California (Los Angeles), and the Cleveland Institute of Music.

 

 

Evelyn Freeman Roberts, a 1941 graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music and a former Fairfax resident, was honored as an outstanding CIM alum in 2008. (Photo courtesy of the Cleveland Institute of Music.)

Evelyn Freeman Roberts, a 1941 graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music and a former Fairfax resident, was honored as an outstanding CIM alum in 2008. (Photo courtesy of the Cleveland Institute of Music.)

If the inter-generational group (numbering more than 100 for the entire series) remains engaged, they will be able to make a world of difference in the life of the Auxiliary, and that will be a very good thing for Quad A, the Cleveland History Center in University Circle, and, in this digital age of online archives, history lovers the world over!

 

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Remembering the Stokes Brothers’ Smiles

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director
Congressman Louis Stokes with Regennia (left) and Cordell Stokes

Pictured here are (left to right) Regennia N. Williams, Congressman Louis Stokes, and Cordell Stokes (c. 2002) at Cleveland State University, Library Special Collections. (Photo courtesy Bill Barrow.)

This has really been a tough week for those of who love American history and the people who make it.  Before we recovered from the shock of losing Professor Julian Bond, we discovered that Congressman Louis Stokes had passed on.

In times like these, I find myself searching for just the right piece of primary evidence to take away some of the pain and feelings of loss, and to remind me of how incredibly wonderful life can be. (I can’t help it; I guess it’s just the historian in me!)

Earlier this week, I searched in vain for a copy of a Cleveland State University Library newsletter that is more than 10 years old, because I needed to see a special photo containing the smiling face of Congressman Louis Stokes.  I never found the newsletter, but I did find the image on Facebook today!  Not only did I get to see the Congressman’s smile, I also saw another beautiful smile on the face of the Congressman’s nephew, Cordell Stokes.  Until today, I never noticed how much Cordell’s smile resembled that of his late father, Mayor Carl B. Stokes.

So here’s to life, here’s to the infectious smiles of the Stokes brothers, and here’s to Bill Barrow, creator of the Cleveland Memory digital archive.  In case you didn’t see his image on Facebook, here is what I said about Bill’s post:

Even when our hearts are heavy, Bill Barrow has a way of reminding us of why CSU’s Library Special Collections are so special! Thanks, again, Bill, for sharing this photo (c. 2002) of me with Congressman Louis Stokes and Cordell Stokes, son of Mayor Carl Stokes. I will miss the Stokes brothers, but I cannot forget their social and political accomplishments — and their smiles!

 

 

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History Gives Back Beautiful Gifts!

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director
Jeff Ivey's photo collage from the August 15, 2015 tribute to the Honorable Leo A. Jackson.

Jeff Ivey’s photo collage from the August 15, 2015 tribute to the Honorable Leo A. Jackson.

Many years ago, I had the pleasure of attending a poetry reading by Gwendolyn Brooks.  On that wonderful afternoon at the Cleveland Public Library, she spoke volumes, when she stated, “Poetry gives back beautiful gifts!”   Today, I can honestly say the same thing about history, which gives me the gifts of inspiration and motivation on a daily basis.

 

On Saturday, August 15, 2015, I shared my feelings about history’s many gifts with the near capacity crowd that joined me in honoring the Honorable Leo A. Jackson at the Western Reserve Historical Society.  Special thanks to the Jackson family, United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland, and the African American Archives Auxiliary for helping to make Judge Jackson’s papers available to students, scholars, and other members of our community.  Thanks, also, to photographer Jeff Ivey for documenting this chapter in our history.  Jeff’s photo collage, incorporates images taken before, during, and after the event.

Judge Leo A. Jackson (1920-1996). Courtesy of Linda Jackson Sowell.

Judge Leo A. Jackson (1920-1996). Courtesy of Linda Jackson Sowell.

 

Yesterday, as I thought about the August 15th tribute to the Judge Jackson and the August 15th passing of social activist Julian Bond–the voice of the “Eyes on the Prize” documentary film series, I was reminded, again, of the importance of our on-going efforts to document and preserve African American history for all time.

“Keep your eyes on the prize. . .Hold on!”

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My Declaration of Independence

Posted on August 1, 2015 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director

A few days ago, a sister scholar wrote to say that someone told her I might be retiring soon.  While I appreciated the fact that she was concerned about my well-being, I assured her that, after spending 23 years in the same academic department, I realized that it was time for me to declare my independence–although I had not reached retirement age–and move on to life’s next great adventure. My last day on that job was May 13, 2015.

“Independent Scholar and Consultant.”  That really has a nice ring to it!  Nearly four weeks after the July 4th holiday, I am still celebrating the freedom to create, experiment, and innovate on a daily basis.  There are struggles, of course, but they are outweighed by the feelings of exhilaration that come at the completion of every successful project, and I know that I am not alone in feeling this way.

Earlier this week, I drove more than two hours from Cleveland, Ohio to Chautauqua, New

Ava DuVernay

Ava DuVernay

York, just to hear another firsthand account of the joys and challenges associated with being independent–this time from Ava DuVernay, the award-winning independent filmmaker and director of the critically-acclaimed “Selma.”  Her amphitheater presentation on the Chautauqua Institution‘s weekly theme, “Art & Politics,” was awe-inspiring, and I even had the opportunity to snap a quick photo  as she left the theater’s “back porch.”

If you want to be similarly inspired, and find out more about DuVernay’s work, please visit http://www.avaduvernay.com/.

Happy Independence Day, Every Day, to All Entrepreneurs!

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“Homegoings” for the Living: The Business of African American Funerals

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director

homegoings documentary

When one of my cousins informed me that I was not “invited” to the December 2014 homegoing services for his father (my mother’s brother), I was forced to admit something that I had long suspected. Homegoings, in my opinion, really are for the living: a chance to mourn loss, celebrate life, and do other things that would fill a small book about Life and Death in the African Diaspora.

(As far as I know, this “un-invitation” to a homegoing was the first in our family’s rich history, which is the subject of another book.) No worry, I participated in our family’s 2014 Pre-Christmas Concert in Cleveland, and had a great time singing background for my incredibly talented siblings –since they weren’t “invited” to the services either– and I realized that I really like concerts and family reunions much better than homegoings.  Like it or not, I also understand that homegoings are a part of life.

Last week, as I prepared for our family reunion in Marianna, Arkansas​, I also found myself preparing for my former mother-in-law’s homegoing services at our family church in Cleveland — because I wanted to support my sons and their cousins, especially, in the wake of their grandmother’s passing. After all, homegoings really are, in my opinion, for the living.

Many caring, African American business professionals–and scholars– have long sought to understand the importance of these death care services in African American history and culture.  If you would like to know more about this rich cultural history, please check out the trailer for Christine Turner’s documentary film, “Homegoings,” at http://www.pbs.org/pov/homegoings/.  This work focus on Isaiah Owens and his role as a keeper of his community’s funeral traditions.

 

You are also invited to review my book Homegoings, Crossings, and Passings: Life and Death in the African Diaspora to learn more about this topic.  Available on Amazon.com.

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The Nonprofit Business of African American History and Culture

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director

National Museum of African American History and Culture

The more I focus on the business side of nonprofit administration and leadership, the more I am impressed by the work of Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch and the staff of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.  Construction on the multi-million dollar facility is moving right along, and I am looking forward to its 2016 opening!

Dr. Regennia N. Williams

rmwbusinessenterprises@gmail.com

p.s.

They tell me that it is membership month at the museum, and you can read more about it at http://nmaahc.si.edu/.

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