Evelyn Preer: The First Lady of the Screen
Evelyn Preer, one of the first African American silent screen actresses to transition into sound Hollywood films, was born on July 21,...
Mary Lou Williams in One Word: 'The Lady Who Swings The Band'
To say that Mary Lou Williams had a long and productive career is an understatement. Although for decades she was often called jazz's...
Billy Strayhorn: His Lush Life
Within his own milieu, he was admired for his keen intellect, his generosity of spirit, his Auntie Mame-like zest for life and his...
The 'Chitlin Circuit' When Segregation Worked for Blacks
A circuit of nightclubs and theaters that feature African-American performers and cater especially to African-American audiences. When...
Amiri Baraka "Jazz and the White Critic"
Most jazz critics have been white Americans, but most important jazz musicians have not been. This might seem a simple enough reality to...
