Monday, June 10, 2019

The Forgotten Schoolhouse Free Library of Philadelphia Concert June 17, 7 PM

Cynthia Lee and Hazel Lee

Cynthia Lee

The Forgotten Schoolhouse
An Original Song and Poetry Tribute to Honor Black Civil Rights Leaders in Education
 

(PHILADELPHIA, PA-JUNE 3, 2019):  COME HEAR AND SEE The Forgotten Schoolhouse, a new stirring concert tribute to Civil Rights Leaders in Education featuring the powerful original songs and poetry of the award-winning Cynthia Cozette Lee and Hazel Ann Lee, sister songwriting team. Join us as we commemorate Juneteenth Day by honoring great Black American Civil Rights educational leaders on Monday, June 17, 2019 at 7:00PM in the Montgomery Auditorium of the Parkway Central Free Library Branch located at 1901 Vine Street in Philadelphia. Admission is free and open to the public.

This year our program is titled The Forgotten Schoolhouse, an original song and poetry tribute to Black American Civil Rights educators, such as Mary McLeod Bethune, George Washington Carver, W.E.B. Du Bois, Fanny Jackson Coppin and Booker T. Washington. Other Civil Rights Leaders important to education, such as Thurgood Marshall and Linda Brown, also will be honored through the exhilarating opera music and inspiring poetry composed by the versatile talented songwriting Lee sisters. These historical figures were pioneers in education and on whose shoulders we stand today. They changed the face of education and made education a positive and important experience for Black Americans. They helped shape our Black American history and educational traditions so that we can succeed today to help build a better society for all people.

Join us to hear and see the highly esteemed United States Colored Troop re-enactors from the 3rd Regiment conduct a Question and Answer session at the end of this unique program. In addition, learn about 7 Ways to Honor Civil Rights Leaders in Education. The Free Library Central Parkway Branch Music Department is sponsoring this entertaining historic event celebrating Juneteenth Day. The origins of Juneteenth Day began in 1865 where the end of slavery was finally enforced in Texas occurring two years after the 1863 release of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. People of all ages will enjoy this cultural program.
 
The melodic lyric voices of sopranos, Hazelita Fauntroy and Evette Rose, and illustrious voices of tenor, Claude Finger and baritone, Gregory Greene, will be heard performing moving songs by this exuberant Lee sister songwriting duo. Excerpts from the historical Lee sister’s Civil War opera, Partway To Freedom, inspired by their great-grandfather, Sergeant Warren Garner’s, heroic spirit while serving during the Civil War in the United States Colored Troops, 4th Regiment, Company I, will be presented. In addition excerpts from Cozette’s opera about urban America, Adea, about the courageous spirit of a Black family surmounting the despair of poverty will be performed. Cynthia Cozette, composer/flautist, also will be performing her original flute songs.
 
Cozette explains, “My poet-lyricist sister, Dr. H.A. Lee, and I like to use our poetry and music creations to promote public awareness in Black American contributions to education. What better way to honor these icons in Civil Rights and education than by creating a Juneteenth Day concert tribute of unique poems and music titled The Forgotten Schoolhouse. We are grateful to the Free Library Central Branch Music Department for supporting and sponsoring this inspiring event.” 
For more information, contact the Parkway Central Free Library Branch,

Phone-215-686-5316; Email: erefmus@freelibrary.org Website: www.freelibrary.org        or contact the composer, Cynthia Cozette Lee, directly at Email: CynLee215@yahoo.com

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