Today In Black History
Eva A. Jessye, Acclaimed 20th-century African American Symphony Conductor
Issue #600 Today In Black History, Monday, May 13, 2024
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Today’s Black History WOW!
Eva A. Jessye was born on January 20, 1895, in Coffeyville, Kansas, and her musical talent was evident from a young age. She began studying music at age 12 and became the first African American woman to receive a degree from the Institute of Musical Art (now known as the Juilliard School) in 1926.
Jessye's career as a conductor began in the 1920s when she formed the Eva Jessye Choir, which quickly gained a reputation for its excellence and versatility. The choir performed a wide range of musical styles, including spirituals, art songs, and classical pieces, and became known for its dynamic performances and innovative arrangements.
Jessye's work with the choir earned her the nickname "The Dean of African American Choral Conductors,” and was also notable as a choral conductor during the Harlem Renaissance.
In 1927, Jessye published My Spirituals, a collection of her arrangements of spirituals, together with stories about growing up in southeast Kansas.
In 1929, Jessye went to Hollywood as the choral director for the MGM film Hallelujah!, which had an all-black cast directed by King Vidor. She received praise from members of the Black press when she spoke out against the discriminatory practices that she endured while on the set for this film.
One of Jessye's most notable accomplishments was her collaboration with composer George Gershwin on his groundbreaking opera, "Porgy and Bess." Jessye served as the choral director for the original production of the opera in 1935 and went on to work on subsequent revivals and productions of the show. Her work on "Porgy and Bess" helped to bring African American music and culture to a wider audience and solidified her reputation as a pioneering figure in the world of music.
In addition to her work on "Porgy and Bess," Jessye also toured internationally with her choir, performing at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and the White House. She was a vocal advocate for racial equality and used her platform to promote African American music and culture on a global scale. Jessye and her choir participated in the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Shortly before her death on February 21, 1992 at age 97 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, she established the Eva Jessye African-American Music Collection at the University of Michigan. She left most of her personal papers to Pittsburg State University in Kansas.
Today In Black History
In 1861, Queen Victoria announced that Britain would stay neutral during the U.S. Civil War.
In 1862, Robert Smalls and 12 other African American seamen captured a Confederate battleship and piloted it into Union lines, later presenting the ship to the Union Navy at Charleston Harbor.
In 1865, two white regiments and one Black regiment, the 62nd U.S.C.T., fought the last action of the Civil War at Whites Ranch, Texas.
In 1966, federal funding was denied to 12 school districts in the South because of violations of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
In 1969, James Charles Evers became the first Black Mayor of Fayetteville, Mississippi.
In 1985, police and firemen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, firebombed 61 homes, killing 11 people, including 5 children in a supposed attempt to capture a group named MOVE.
In 1990, George Augustus Stallings was ordained the first Bishop of the African-American Catholic Church.
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