International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro Celebrates Jazz Great Max Roach

The International Civil Rights Museum memorializes the courageous stand of the Greensboro Four as they launched the sit-in movement at the downtown F.W. Woolworth lunch counter in on February 1, 1960.

The museum’s focus on the sit-in activities inspires the vigilance and fortifies the spirit of oppressed people everywhere to step forward in the on-going struggle for human freedom. On Monday night, September 30th at 6:30p, the International Civil Rights Museum will use music and a unique collaboration with UNC at Greensboro’s Spartan Jazz Collective to raise awareness of the musical contributions of legendary bebop pioneer, jazz drummer the late great Max Roach.

The North Carolina native worked with Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Duke Ellington just to name a few.  Roach also led his own groups where he made powerful musical statements relating to the African American civil rights movement. The UNCG Spartan Jazz Collective will perform several of Roach’s works arranged by the student band members and their professors: saxophonist Chad Eby and trumpeter Brandon Lee. We sample from those arrangements in today's show, recorded live in the UNCG Recital Hall. It’s there that David Ford met International Civil Rights Museum Curatorial Program Associate Lolita Watkins in between rehearsals. 

On Saturday morning, September 28th at 11 am a group of dynamic community leaders will conduct a story hour, and afterwards, children will complete their very own make-and-take arts activity. All books are written for children, and are geared toward ages 5-12. Then, on Monday night, September 30th at 6:30p, the museum and the UNCG Spartan Jazz Collective will celebrate the music and Civil Rights activism of legendary drummer, the late great North Carolina native Max Roach. Be sure to listen in this Friday at 1:00pm when David speaks to the Spartan Jazz Collective student and professor band mates to find out more about the collaborative nature of their jazz program there. We’ll also hear lots more of their music live from the stage at the beautiful UNCG Recital Hall.