Barbara
Wright-Pryor, President of the Chicago Music Association, forwards an
email from Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma to Howard Reich of The
Chicago Tribune:
“Dear
Colleagues,
This
is Dominique-René de Lerma's reply to
Howard
Reich in re: his recent articles revealing the possible closing of
CBMR and CJE published in The Chicago Tribune. Please note: It is
NOT confidential.
My
regards,
Barbara
Wright-Pryor
PRESIDENT
Chicago
Music Association”
Subject:
CBMR
To:
Howard Reich, The Chicago Tribune
Sent:
Tuesday,
March 27, 2012 5:05 AM
“Dear
Sir:
Your calm coverage of the problems of the Center for Black
Music Research is profoundly appreciated and have been read here and
abroad by those who hold the Center in very highest regard.
“I
have been a personal friend and professional associate of Dr. Samuel
A. Floyd, founder of the Center, for 46 years and I remember that
time, almost 30 years ago, when he told me he had been invited
to develop the Center at Columbia College. The news was so welcomed,
after knowing how his dreams had been frustrated elsewhere, that I
did little more than ask what was Columbia College, not pausing to
express a concern that the project would be more appropriate at an
established institution already recognized for its support of
research and advanced studies. I have not had a discussion with him
on any matter, however, in more than a year.
“I
cannot speak about the College's financial considerations, but I do
give emphasis to my understanding that this was an invitation,
thereby carrying an implicit obligation of support. It is not Sam's
fault, nor those who followed him after his retirement, that the
Center became an extraordinary success of world
importance.
“Off-campus funds were secured for special
projects. The avenue was opened for individual donations and for
subscriptions to the Center's scholarly products. The Archives
became possible with a grant from the Ford Foundation when I donated
a large portion of my personal library -- to the Center, by the way,
not to the College, and with the legal understanding the materials
could not be moved from the Center. Priceless materials came with
many other donations, with the same understanding. It is offensively
ungracious of the administration to ignore music estates thusly
entrusted to the Center and to express the thought that we also had
the financial obligation to provide support. With 14 years
experience as Music Librarian for Indiana University, I am quite
sensitive to the responsibility of a library to serve all of the
public, and that a non-profit institution, such as Columbia College,
should expect no less.
“I
am one of many who have seen and admired the faculty Blueprint
report, but we are also alerted to the possibility the Center's
library and archives may be subject to incorporation with a unit
outside of the Center. The donors and other supporters of the Center
cannot permit this to happen.
“It does not seem likely that
the June decision will be one we will support. Columbia College can
save itself additional international disgrace if it will seek the
transfer of the entire operation -- staff, projects, and materials --
to an institution with an interest and recognized potential to accept
the mission and nurture its growth. A request for an appointment to
discuss this possibility with the president has quite recently been
denied!
“While I submit this by myself, I have been in
extensive communication this month with virtually the entire corpus
of Black music scholars, on four continents. I have no reason to
doubt they will be in full accord.
“Thank you for your most
valuable reporting.
Dominique-René de Lerma, Ph. D.
Appleton
WI”
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