If Duke Ellington Were Alive Today He’d Own A Modern Cotton Club, Raise Awareness of Injustices, and Visit The Duke Ellington School of the Arts

BHL: Imagine if _____ Were Alive

As we remember Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington on what would be his 121st birthday, you start to ‘imagine’ what life would be like if he was still with us today. The prominent black composer, musician, and civil rights advocate held all of his projects to a high standard, so whatever he chose to do, it would be nothing short of exceptional. Today, we Imagine If Duke Ellington Were Alive.

Born and raised in the nation’s capital, Duke Ellington would continue his legacy where it started. If given the opportunity, Ellington would pour into the resources provided in Washington, DC. Top of his list would be stopping by the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. With Ellington passing the same year the school was established, he was never able to see his impact on a new generation of artists. As an alum of the school, I can’t help but think of how proud he would be to see black students learning from seasoned black artists. Since Duke Ellington pushed for equality in artistic spaces, I would imagine his heart filling up with joy as he walked through the halls of the newly renovated building. As he walks through the art gallery and dips his head into the dance history, music theory, and lighting design classes, he would take careful notes of black youth respecting and learning the arts. Memories of him refusing to play in front of segregated audiences would float through his head as he makes sense of this full circle moment.

To conclude his visit, he’d attend the annual Duke Ellington birthday concert the school performs, if he didn’t have other plans with his jazz buddies of course. On second thought, with his high standards he would probably serve as the creative director of the performance and have us in tech rehearsal all night to ensure we got it right.

Ever since Duke was a kid, his family emphasized the importance of the black community. Throughout his career, he vocalized the importance of representation and the advancement of African Americans. I would be surprised if he wasn’t involved in the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Imagine how warm your heart would feel watching the Obama’s waltz to In A Sentimental Mood. Even with the school in his name, Ellington would continue to create spaces where black artists felt welcomed. His love for clubs and live music would inspire him to open establishments similar to the cotton club. With roots in the city and in Harlem, Ellington would fund restaurants and clubs along the east coast. However, they wouldn’t be regular establishments; they would feature live jazz every night, a dance floor, and couples dressed in their finest.

Living during the pandemic, Duke Ellington would not only partner with organizations to donate relief funds, but also raise awareness to the injustices in the health field. With African Americans dying from the virus at a higher rate, Ellington would focus his funds on black families who have been impacted.

As a brother in the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, the first historically African American intercollegiate Greek-lettered fraternity, he would collaborate with his brothers to push national programs. As the presidential election approaches, Ellington would emphasize the A Voteless People, Is a Hopeless People program and encourage people to register to vote. Especially after seeing America’s track record.