Smithsonian Institution. Program in African American Culture Search this
Container:
Box 26, Folder 6
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
2003 February 27-March 1
Scope and Contents:
Conference held Thursday, February 27, through Saturday, March 1, 2003, National Museum of American History, Behring Center, Smithsonian Institution. Program celebrated the twenty-second annual national observance of African American History Month. Program created as a conference, community tribute, and cultural fair, in collaboration with the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program of the United States National Park Service. It included performances, films, presentations hands-on activities, lectures, and panel discussions.
Participants included:
Allison Blakely, Ph.D., professor of European and Comparative History, Boston University
David W. Blight, Ph.D., scholarly advisor to the Passages to Freedom conference; professor of history, Yale University
Charles L. Blockson, curator and historian
Spencer R. Crew, Ph.D., executive director and chief executive officer, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Mary A. Edmond, chairperson of the Michigan Freedom Trail Commission; founder and president, Michigan Black History Network
Jerry Gore, historian, scholar and one of the founders of the National Underground Railroad Museum, Incorporated
Allen Grundy, founder, International Freedom Institute of the Southwest (IFIS); cofounder of Talking Back Living History Theatre (TBLH)
James Oliver Horton, Ph.D., scholarly advisor to the Passages to Freedom conference; Benjamin Banneker Professor of African Studies and History, George Washington University
Lois E. Horton, Ph.D., professor of history, George Mason University
Wilma King, Ph.D., Strickland Professor of American History and Culture, University of Missouri
Jane Landers, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Arts and Science; associate professor of history and director, Center of Latin American and Iberian Studies, Vanderbilt University
Emma J. Lapsansky, Ph.D., curator, Quaker Collection and professor of history, Haverford College
Diane Miller, planning committee member, Passages to Freedom conference; and national coordinator, National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program,
National Park Service (NPS)
Orloff Miller, Ph.D., planning committee member, Passages to Freedom conference; director, Freedom Station Program; and interim director, Research Programs, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kevin Mulroy, Ph.D., director of research collections and chair, Research Services, University of Southern California libraries
Cathy D. Nelson, founder and president emeritus, Friends of Freedom Society; and state coordinator, Ohio Underground Association
Freddie L. Parker, Ph.D., chair, Department of History, North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina
Bryan Prince, Buxton National Historic Site and Museum, Ontario, Canada
Vivian Abdur-Rahim, founder and director, Harriet Tubman Historical Society; and founding member, Underground Railroad Coalition, Delaware
Bernice Johnson Reagon, Ph.D., scholar, composer, singer, and activist, Cosby Chair Professor of Fine Arts, Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia
Jane Rhodes, Ph.D., associate professor, ethnic studies, University of California, San Diego
Hilary Russell, independent scholar and researcher
Milton C. Sernett, Ph.D., professor of African American Studies and history and adjunct professor of religion, Syracuse University
Barbara A. Tagger, historian and regional coordinator, National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program
Ron Tyler, Ph.D., is director of the Texas State Historical Society and professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin
John Michael Vlach, Ph.D., professor of American studies and anthropology and director of the Folklife Program, George Washington University
Judith Wellman, Ph.D., professor emerita, History Department, State University of New York, Oswego
Deborah Gray White, Ph.D., professor and chair, history department, Rutgers University
Carol Wilson, Ph.D., associate professor of history, Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland
Church Historians
Ambassador Horace G. Dawson Jr., Ph.D., historian, Metropolitan AME Church, Washington, DC
Janet Lee Ricks, member and vice chair, history committee, Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, Georgetown, Washington, DC
Lonise Fisher Robinson, church historian, Asbury United Methodist, Washington, DC
Performers and Artists included:
Nasar Abadey Trio
Drums - Nasar Abadey, drummer and composer, founder and leader of SUPERNOVA
Piano - Allyn Johnson, Washington, DC native, attended the University of the District of Columbia
Bass - James King, bassist, composer, and arranger
Michael E. Baytop, founder and president, Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC
Gwendolyn Briley – Strand
The Chancel Choir of Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church
The Daughters of Dorcas and Sons
The Duke Ellington School of the Arts Show Choir
Samuel L. E. Bonds, director and voice teacher, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Washington, DC
Irma Gardner-Hammond, professional storyteller who tells stories from the African oral tradition known as the Griot tradition
Bus Howard, actor and artist in residence, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC
In Process…, African American women's a cappella ensemble
Jo Ann James, avid collector of recipes, a student of African American history, and a craftsperson
Kimberly Kelly, member of planning committee for the Passages of Freedom conference
Magpie - Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner, musicians
Alice McGill, well known for her portrayal of Sojourner Truth
Gretchen McKinney, term member, Speech Choir and Drama Team, Asbury United Methodist Church
Dietra Montague, independent artist who has lived and studied the arts and crafts of North and West Africa, Central and South America, Mexico, and Europe
Fred Morsell, actor
Ayo Ngozi, collage, multimedia, and book artist based in Mt. Rainier, Maryland
Reverb, a cappella group of African American gospel, quartet, and doo-wop singing
Mary Kay Ricks, freelance writer, researcher, and history tour guide who specializes in the Underground Railroad, Washington, DC
Kath Robinson, Washington, DC resident interested in the study of Ethnobotany and the study of misaims
Charlie Sayles, blues harmonica player
Program number AC408.120.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Access and use of audiovisual materials available in the Archives Center reading room or by requesting copies of audiovisual materials at RightsReproductions@si.edu
Collection Rights:
Copyright restrictions exist. Collection items available for reproduction Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Program in African American Culture Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
