Duke Ellington

Feb 14 2013

Stands 26 feet high by 88 feet in length

The sun had faded the larger-than-life images on the south-facing wall outside the Capitol Records building in Hollywood, and the famous music company wanted it restored. Artist Richard Wyatt was asked to re-do the mural he first painted in 1990. Rather than repaint the images, only to see them fade again years later, Wyatt re-did the images in tile. The artwork, now much more permanent, was recently unveiled.

Aug 2 2012

Music chases a funky groove

The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA) will perform with the World music mega group Mandrill at the John Anson Ford Theater on Aug. 4.

Mandrill, featuring the Wilson brothers from Panama, has thrilled audiences the world over for more than three decades with its classic Funk, and fusion of R&B, Jazz, Rock, Latin, African and Caribbean music.

Apr 19 2012

One of the oldest African American venues

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Howard Theatre, the historic arts landmark that launched the careers of Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye and The Supremes, re-opened after a $29-million renovation and a 32-year hiatus. The Howard Theatre came back to life with an opening lineup that included Wale, Wanda Sykes, The Roots, Robert Randolph, Taj Mahal, Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def), Meshell Ndegeocello, Bad Brains, Chuck Brown, Chuck Berry, Esperanza Spalding and a weekly Sunday Brunch featuring the Harlem Gospel Choir. The full schedule is available at www.thehowardtheatre.com. 

Mar 24 2011

BBA recognizes leaders

“For every one honoree, there are thousands of other African American women [who] also deserve to be recognized. As a people, we should acknowledge and pay homage to African American women, not just for one day or one week or one month, but every day of the year.” — Skip Cooper, president, Black Business Association

Six California women will get at least a portion of their historical and honorary due at a luncheon at the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles on Saturday.

Brittney M. Walker  |   OW Staff Writer
Oct 14 2010

HBCU half time on stage

LANCASTER, Calif.—Sunday night, the Lancaster Performing Arts Center was packed with residents from all over the Antelope Valley there to enjoy the thunderous sounds of DRUMLine Live.

The multi-talented group of dancers, singers, instrumentalists, and performers hailing from Atlanta, Ga. got the crowd dancing, clapping and singing along. From the beautiful sounds of Africa to today’s modern Hip-Hop, DRUMLine Live took Lancaster on a journey through music.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”