Black Civil War Soldiers
Juneteenth Worldwide Concert
Denyce Graves
Mezzo Soprano
Recital
John Malveaux of
writes:
Part 12-LBCAA 30 year history
MusicUNTOLD Juneteenth Worldwide Concert at the Terrace Theater (Long Beach Convention
& Entertainment Center), June 19, 2011 was the first event produced by an
African American founded non-profit organization in the City’s history. Mezzzo-Soprano
Denyce Graves
had won accolades for her performances in opera houses across North and South America,
Europe and Asia. She had performed for three presidents, Pope Benedict XVI,
dignitaries at the U.N. Summit on the Environment, at the National Prayer
Service following the 9/11 tragedies, and at concerts benefiting U.S. military
personnel. She had appeared with the leading symphony orchestras and conductors
throughout the world. She made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in the
1995-96 season in the title role of Carmen. In
1996 she was the subject of an Emmy-award winning profile on CBS’s 60 Minutes.
The recital was
followed by a reception for Ms. Graves and preceded by an exhibit of rare objects in the lobby
area of the theater. The Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum exhibited a
variety of rare objects, sheet music, photographs, books and works of art
chronicling African American history and culture. (Rare photographs of African
American operatic singer, Marian Anderson, an autographed copy of the first
book of poetry written by an individual of African American descent. The book
titled, Poems on Various Subjects Religious and Moral, was written by the
enslaved, African American, Phillis Wheatley and was published in London,
England in 1773). The exhibit also highlighted African American participation
in a number of music genres. Rare signed sheet music by Duke Ellington and a
variety of other historical artifacts were on display in celebration of Black
Music Month. Please see Pic1-event flyer; Pic2-Phillis Wheatley book
If prevalent and accepted accounts of American History – both scholarly
and those portrayed by Hollywood – are to be believed, the face of the Union
Army was white. The truth is, though most were not recognized as citizens or
even free man, more than 200,000 African Americans took up arms in the Civil
War. Yet most accounts of their valiant actions are absent from history books
and contemporary film.
November 20, 2011, MusicUNTOLD screened the documentary FOR LOVE OF LIBERTY: Stories of Black
Patriots in The Civil War, Ernest McBride Park Community Room. Writer-director Frank Martin discussed making
the film followed by audience Q&A. See Pic3-Union soldiers
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