I’m honored to be a part of this evening. The asterisk next to my name is because there’s a chance that I will only be there via video due to my travel. We’re pre-taping just in case there are travel issues getting back from the Pacific Northwest. But I will be singing a song from the era and presenting an excerpt of the piece I shared in 2010. This will be a powerful night. So many good friends are also presenting.
“From Emmett Till to SNCC & Beyond: Words + Music + Art“ is a special live performance/visual arts benefit to support Highways, that is Vol. III of Highways’ acclaimed 2005 (Vol. I) & 2010 (Vol. II) performance/visual artists collective series—each a thematic homage to Emmett Till—originally curated by Highways legacy artist, Kevin Spicer. This year’s Vol. III features a collective of renowned performance & visual artists (some ’05 and/or ’10 “alumni”), commemorating two historic flashpoints that helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement: the 70th anniversary of 14 yr.-old Till’s brutal murder, and the ground-breaking SNCC’s 65th Anniversary. SNCC was founded five years after Till’s death by college students who were around his age in 1955, and they went on to organize historic sit-ins, Freedom Rides and voter registration campaigns in the Jim Crow South. In fact, SNCC held its first multi-day conference October 14-16, 1960, and on October 11, there will be special performances by original SNCC member/artist-activist, Peggy Trotter Dammond Preacely and original Freedom Rider/artist-activist, David Crittendon.
Also performing in a powerful evening of words + music + art are (in alpha order): ADAAWE; Marc Broyard; Babe Evans; Brian Freeman; Joyce Guy; Jason Luckett*; Paul Outlaw*; Derek Shields*; and Pam Ward*; as well as Gia Scott-Heron and Art.Us Mansoir from the Off-Broadway hit, Gil Scott-Heron Bluesology, based on work by Gia’s Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award-winning father. While the visual artists graciously featuring select work in the special Highways Gallery installation include: artistic legend, Charles Dickson; artist-activist icon, Candace Hunter; and revered artist, Toni Scott; as well as Robert Stuart Lowden, Lori Antoinette, and award-winning artist, Hana Ward, who’s providing the digital version of a piece for narrative integration during the Benefit’s live performance. Also, in honor of Emmett Till and the youth that led SNCC, there will be a special exhibited piece by late aspiring teen artist, Justin Carr.
In addition, from now through Saturday, October 11, there is donated artwork available for bids** in the Benefit’s online Silent Art Auction—click here to bid. Co-curated by Spicer, the Benefit is being produced gratis by MoSamp Productions, with select segments directed by Phylliss Bailey Brooks. For further benefit details or questions, please go to tillartistscollective.org.
Get your Early Bird discounts now to support Highways with General Admission and Student/Senior Benefit tickets** (incl. post-show reception), as well as limited-quantity VIP Benefit tickets** (incl. the post-show reception, and the pre-show reception/art showing, with a listing in the Souvenir Program). By request Early Bird discounts have been extended through this Sunday, October 5, with regular rates resuming on Monday, October 6. For benefit sponsorship options, please click here. Highways is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, and its Tax ID is 95-4231812. For individual donations only, please click here.
Current sponsors for “From Emmett Till to SNCC & Beyond: Words + Music + Art” include: The William & Ellen Craft Foundation, The Justin Carr Wants World Peace Foundation (JCWWP) and Now & Zen Productions.
* (special multimedia performances)
** (silent art auction winning bids and benefit tickets are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law)
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