Women’s Jazz Festival: Bernice Johnson Reagon Compositions In Harlem

March 15, 2016

Composer, songleader, scholar and producer Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011 in Washington. (Sharon Farmer/sfphotoworks)

Bernice Johnson Reagon, a scholar, singer, song leader, composer, activist for over half a century, has been a profound contributor to African-American and American culture. Born in Southwest Georgia, her repertoire is grounded in her experiences in church, school, and political activism.  As a composer, she has created a narrative inspired by activism through her songs and larger compositions.  

Reagon performed as a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Freedom Singers during the sixties. She also founded an all-women a capella ensemble, The Harambee Singers, during the Black Cultural Movement in addition to founding and leading the internationally acclaimed Sweet Honey in the Rock for thirty years until her retirement. Paralleling her work in music, Reagon is one of the leading authorities in African-American cultural history.  In addition, Reagon is a recipient of the Heinz Award for Arts and Humanities, MacArthur Fellowship, Presidential Medal, and Charles E. Frankel Prize for Contributions to the Public Understanding of Humanities. 

This concert will feature performances by Reagon, Toshi Reagon, Helga Davis, Randy Jeter, Karma Mayet Johnson, Marcelle Davies Lashley, Josette Newsam Marchak and Jason C. Walker! 

The Schomburg Center’s Women’s Jazz Festival 2016 is curated by Toshi Reagon, singer, composer, producer and activist. 

Purchase tickets:

Schomburg Society Members: $25, General Admission: $30

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library
515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037, www.schomburgcenter.org

Photo credit: Composer, songleader, scholar and producer Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011 in Washington. (Sharon Farmer/sfphotoworks)


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Harlem World Magazine, 2521 1/2 west 42nd street, Los Angeles, CA, 90008, https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
We're your source for local coverage, we count on your support. SPONSOR US!
Your support is crucial in maintaining a healthy democracy and quality journalism. With your contribution, we can continue to provide engaging news and free access to all.
accepted credit cards

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles