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Roland S. Martin Book Signing on January 14th
posted January 7, 2010
Come celebrate the release of “The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House as Originally Reported by Roland S. Martin”
The evening will feature excerpts and behind-the-scenes insights from “The First”, followed by a Q & A and special book signing by CNN contributor, TV ONE host & author,
Roland S. Martin
Hosted by The National Visionary Leadership Project, Thursday, January 14th, 2010
6PM – 8:30PM, EST
You must RSVP to attend, click below:
NVLP Honors Obama's Nobel Prize Win
posted October 9, 2009
In honor of President Barack Obama winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, NVLP offers this clip from the NVLP Oral History Archive. The late Coretta Scott King, civil rights activist and widow of Martin Luther King, Jr., talks about her late husband winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, when he became the youngest person to be awarded the prize. (Interview videotaped in 2002.)
NVLP Launches New Bi-Monthly Podcast
posted September 8, 2009
The premiere episode begins with an introduction to NVLP and then provides a brief "tour" of the NVLP Oral History Archive. This "tour" features audio clips from Maya Angelou on the importance of laughter, Quincy Jones on how he came to work with Michael Jackson, Gordon Parks on being homeless at the age of 15 and then concludes with a clip from Tuskegee Airman Lee Archer in celebration of his 90th birthday (b. September 6, 1919).
The first episode is available on iTunes, DailySplice.com, Podcastblaster.com, PodBean.com and BluBrry.comThe first episode can also be heard HERE (right-click to download).
Journalists Honor NVLP Visionary Robert Churchwell
posted July 22, 2009
The award is given to reporters and editors who make a lifetime contribution to the field of journalism. Churchwell was a news pioneer and a World War II veteran.
In 1950, Robert Churchwell was hired at The Nashville Banner , and became one of the first blacks to work full-time as a reporter at a prominent daily Southern newspaper. At the time, the Banner was known for its defense of the "old South" and its segregationist ways. Churchwell was originally hired to report on the African American community, as a way to increase readership among blacks. "They hired me so the Banner could start running pictures of Negroes and Negro stories all over the paper, not just in one part," said Churchwell during his videotaped interview with NVLP in 2002. Churchwell later became the paper's education writer.
At first, employees at the Banner would not let Churchwell work in the newsroom. For five years, he wrote his stories at home and walked to the paper to deliver them to the city editor. Later, when he was given a desk in the newsroom, according to Churchwell, only a half dozen of his white colleagues would speak to him. For 31 years, Churchwell worked for the Banner , retiring in 1981.
Churchwell's previous writing experience included a news magazine he co-founded, called Yours , and writing columns for the Commentator , a local tabloid-size paper published for the African American community.
On February 1, 2009, Churchwell passed away. He was 91. Churchwell is survived by his wife, Mary Elizabeth Buckingham, and their five children.
Helen Thomas was a longtime White House correspondent whose journalism career spanned almost 60 years.NVLP Visionary's Dream Realized by Sojourner Truth Honor
posted April 29, 2009
Dr. C. DeLores Tucker
First Lady Obama said she's proud to see this strong memorial to the struggles of women. "What they had to endure to gain the right to vote," said Mrs. Obama. "Now many young boys and girls like my own daughters will come to Emancipation Hall and see the face of a woman who looks like them."
In addition to Ms. Obama, the unveiling ceremony included remarks from The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State; and The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee, U.S. Representative, Texas. There were a number of performances as part of the celebration, including Yolanda Adams, Dorinda Clark Cole, and Lomax Spaulding singing "Nothing But the Truth," The Ron Clark Academy, Atlanta, Georgia performing "Sojourner's Truth," and actress Cicely Tyson's dramatic reading of Ms. Truth's famous 1851 speech to an Ohio women's rights convention titled Ain't I Woman?
The bust will remain on exhibit at Emancipation Hall inside the U.S. Capital Visitors' Center and will forever remind us all of the former slave who secured her own freedom and went on to fight hard for the rights of all women.
NVLP Visionary John Hope Franklin dies at 94
posted March 26, 2008
Through his life's work, Dr. Franklin reshaped the way African American history is understood and taught as an essential part of American history. In fact, he laid the ground work that made it possible for the National Visionary Leadership Project, and many other organizations, to collect and share African American history.
Dr. Franklin was a prolific author whose literary landmark, From Slavery to Freedom , is now in its eighth edition and has been translated into five languages. In 1997, he co-edited with his son John W. Franklin, My Life and an Era: The Autobiography of Buck Colbert Franklin, the story of his own attorney-father. And in 2005, he published his bestselling memoir, Mirror to America: The Autobiography of John Hope Franklin. Through his many books, Dr. Franklin has shaped 20th century American history with his integrated visions of scholarship and activism, passion and prudence.Among his many treasured achievements, was his appointment as the first African American department chair at a predominately white institution, Brooklyn College, and the first African American president of the American Historical Association.
Dr. Franklin will be very much missed, but we are pleased that we can continue to share his wisdom through inspiring video clips from his NVLP interview and participation in NVLP discussions, available at:
- John Hope Franklin's biography page on the NVLP website: http://www.visionaryproject.org/franklinjohnhope
- NVLP's YouTube Channel: http://www.YouTube.com/visionaryproject
Also, please join us in remembering John Hope Franklin by sharing your thoughts, reflections and fond memories about him on the NVLP Facebook Group page. Click on "Join this Group," to join.
NVLP Board Chair Johnnetta Cole to head Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art
posted March 3, 2009
Dr. Cole says her job will be to provide leadership for continuity and change. "It will be a privilege and a joy to work with the board, the staff and all stakeholders of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art," said Cole. "Serving as the director of this museum will bring together my passion for African Art, respect for an anthropological knowledge of the people and cultures of the African continent and my involvement in the world of education."
In addition to her work with NVLP, Dr. Cole serves as board chair of the Johnnetta B. Cole Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute, founded at Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, N.C. The mission of the nonprofit institute is to create, communicate and continuously support the case for diversity and inclusion in the workplace through education, training, research and publications.
Dr. Cole holds the distinction of being the only woman to serve as president of two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Dr. Cole served as president of Spelman College in Atlanta from 1987 to1997 and she was president of Bennett College for Women from 2002 to 2007. Before that, she served as Presidential Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Women's Studies and African American Studies (1998-2001) at Emory University in Atlanta. In 2002, she served as co-curator of the exhibition "Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity" at the Carlos Museum at Emory.
Dr. Cole has served on the Scholarly Advisory Board of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture since its inception, and she has worked with a number of Smithsonian programs since the mid-1980s.
Cole has conducted research in Africa, the Caribbean and the United States and has authored several books and scores of scholarly articles.
Dr. Cole has been involved with NVLP since its founding, becoming Chair of the Board in 2007. Dr. Cole will continue to serve as the NVLP Board Chair.
NVLP Launches DC Friends of NVLP
posted February 23, 2008
On February 4, 2009, Maxine Baker, Vice Chair of the NVLP Board of Directors, hosted an evening reception at NVLP headquarters to help launch the Founding Chapter of DC Friends of NVLP . NVLP Visionary Dr. Dorothy Height spoke at the event which introduced friends and colleagues of NVLP CEO Cheryl Clarke and NVLP COO Cynthia Dinkins to our organization and its programs.
DC Friends of NVLP is an opportunity to support NVLP's important work and ensure that the oral histories of African American leaders are recorded; archived at the Library of Congress; and shared with the young people who will lead us tomorrow.
It is a membership program that requires a contribution of $2,000 over two years as well as help in spreading the word about NVLP to the Washington, DC community. The benefits of membership include:
- Two year membership in the Washington, DC Founding Chapter of Friends of NVLP
- Complimentary ticket to one NVLP event
- Special recognition on the NVLP website and annual report
- Copy of NVLP's best-selling book of Visionary interview excerpts: A Wealth of Wisdom: Legendary African American Elders Speak , published by Simon & Schuster
Guests gathered in the conference room of NVLP's historic brownstone to hear Ms. Baker and Ms. Clarke talk about the history of NVLP, the importance of our work, and how people can get involved. However, it was Dr. Height who inspired the assembled group when she eloquently described the need to capture African American history from the people who lived it.
The event secured pledges of support from six founding members, including Ms. Lavern Chatman, President and CEO of the National Urban League, Addie Richburg, President of the National Alliance of Faith and Justice, Mr. Keith Early, Director of Diversity, Finnegan Law Firm and Mr. Mike Schwartz, Director of Community Relations, Freddie Mac.
As the evening concluded, a buzz was generated throughout the building and groups of brainstorming sessions had popped up. Friends and supporters were discussing ways NVLP could provide opportunities for greater involvement in their giving and greater impact with their gift. African American history was not just something to cherish, but through NVLP it is a living legacy to support and protect, and a foundation to build upon for future generations.
NVLP Honors Eartha Kitt on YouTube
posted January 8, 2009
Eartha Kitt, an award-winning singer, actress and author was popularly known for portraying "Catwoman" in the television series "Batman" and for speaking out against the Vietnam War to Lady Bird Johnson at the White House. Her distinctive voice enthralled audiences for more than 50 years and she was one of only a handful of performers to contend for entertainment's "Triple Crown" with two Emmy Awards and nominations for three Tony Awards and two Grammys. Ms. Kitt sang in ten different languages, has performed in over 100 countries and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
During her 2006 interview with NVLP, Ms. Kitt talked about how, throughout her career, she seized opportunities and never let obstacles keep her down. "When the opportunity presented itself, I grabbed it. Whether I could do it or not, I still tried... every moment to me has been a path, a step to the next moment on that path. I've never gotten bored. I've been down, yes, of course I have been, but while I'm down, I'm reconstructing, thinking about where, what, how I'm going to make my next move. How I'm going to do it."
Click "VIDEO"
to watch Ms. Kitt
talk about her
signature roles.
Although she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2006, Ms. Kitt continued to perform. Singing engagements included appearances with The Atlanta Symphony, The Portland Symphony, Detroit's Music Hall, Washington, DC's Blues Alley, Seattle's Jazz Alley, the 51st Annual JVC Newport Jazz Festival and the Miami Beach JVC Jazz Festival. On January 17 2007, Miss Kitt turned eighty years old and marked the occasion at Carnegie Hall with a celebratory concert, JVC Jazz presents "Eartha Kitt and Friends."
In 2008, NVLP paid tribute to Ms. Kitt during its Wisdom Award Celebration (Click to watch her accept her award). She was honored for her leadership and contributions to the performing arts, along with dancer/choreographer Carmen de Lavallade; Grammy-winning gospel and soul music recording artist Cissy Houston; and composer, arranger, record and film producer, Quincy Jones. The next day, Ms. Kitt met with students from the Schomburg Center Junior Scholars Program in Harlem, New York as part of an NVLP educational outreach program.
On December 25, 2008, Ms. Kitt's long battle with cancer ended. She was 81. She is survived by her daughter, Kitt Shapiro and two grandchildren.NVLP Visionary Odetta dies at 77
posted December 3, 2008
Known as "the Voice of the Civil Rights Movement," Odetta performed at the historic 1963 March on Washington. Considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th Century, she toured the world singing folk, blues, Negro spirituals, jazz, and work and protest songs, telling the stories of America's southern experience. Her 1950s and 1960s classic recordings of He's Got the Whole World in His Hands , Amazing Grace , and This Little Light of Mine became folk and spiritual classics throughout the world. Deeply moving her audiences with a message of hope, love, and social change, Odetta is credited with inspiring some of the great performers of the second half of the 20th century--Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, Janis Joplin, Sweet Honey in the Rock, and Joan Baez. Joan Armatrading and Tracy Chapman are among her notable "musical daughters."
Pictured here during her 2003 interview with NVLP, Odetta said, "I was always headed towards music somehow or other. I think I was born to learn whatever I have to learn through music."
Click "VIDEO"
to watch Odetta
talk about her
life as an
activist.
Odetta continued to sing until very recently. Seven weeks ago, she performed before tens of thousands of fans at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park with Emmylou Harris, Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett and Wavy Gravy. And although she was growing weak, she refused to cancel upcoming concerts. Then, on October 31, after returning from performances in Toronto, Odetta entered a New York City hospital for tests. The next day she experienced kidney failure. For three and one half weeks, her indomitable spirit would not give up, and she was passionately looking forward to Barack Obama's inauguration.
For more than a decade Odetta had fought chronic heart disease and pulmonary fibrosis in her lungs. She is survived by a daughter, Michelle Esrick of New York City, and a son, Boots Jaffre, of Fort Collins, Colo. A memorial service is being planned for next month, said Douglas Yeager, Odetta's friend and manager of 12 years.NVLP Visionary on National Radio
posted November 6, 2008
During the interview, Gen. Petersen, the first African American to be promoted to the rank of general in the U.S. marines, talks about breaking racial barriers in his career and offers suggestions to president-elect Barack Obama.
Using first-person accounts to present the news in historical perspective, “The Story with Dick Gordon” is a passionate, personal, and inspiring program aired by more than 60 stations in cities such as Los Angeles and Miami, as well as on regional networks in Iowa, upstate New York and Mississippi. Lt. Gen. Petersen's interview, as well as other episodes of "The Story," are available as podcasts at http://thestory.org.Visionary Interviews aired on C-SPAN Radio
posted August 21, 2008
The show focused on two NVLP Visionaries who paved the way for Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's historic presidential campaigns. You'll hear Chisholm and Brooke--in their own words--talk about their political "firsts." Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to congress, and the first to seek the American presidency on a major party ticket. Brooke was the first African American to be popularly elected to the U.S. Senate. From childhood stories to memories of their historic campaigns, Chisholm and Brooke give a glimpse of how they became true Visionaries.
As part of the program, NVLP CEO Cheryl S. Clarke explained the historic significance of NVLP's archive and how it is used to create academic and leadership programs for young people. The show aired on August 23 on 90.1 FM in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and nationwide on XM Satellite Radio channel 132. Visit www.c-span.org for details.New Leadership at NVLP
posted August 21, 2008
Ms. Clarke with Lt. Col. John Mann during
his July '08 interview
Since joining NVLP, Ms. Clarke has been actively engaged in helping the organization capture and preserve the historic first-person oral histories of our extraordinary Visionaries. Foremost among her many priorities are: setting strategy; strengthening business management systems; increasing development opportunities and promoting the organization's visibility among existing and new constituents and partners . "I knew this was the perfect next step for me because I can bring my wealth of corporate and business experience to a fantastic nonprofit. NVLP gives me a connection to history, heritage and human rights that inspires me to work harder."
Coming to NVLP was also an opportunity for Ms. Clarke to return to her passion for education, oral and written communication and working with young people. Prior to joining Freddie Mac, Ms. Clarke worked for the District of Columbia Public School system as a special education teacher with emotionally and behaviorally challenged boys. "At NVLP, I have the chance to unite the best of all my loves -- to record human memories that foster excellence in learning and an intergenerational collaboration that improves the quality of life for all people. Here, I can continue to develop our academic and leadership programming for young people and help the next generation to become excellent leaders."
Click HERE for Ms. Clarke's full biography.
New Interviews Added to NVLP Website
August 21, 2008
Check out the latest Visionary profiles added to our website:
Calvin Brown, pioneering Hollywood stunt performer; Yvonne Burke, the first African American congresswoman from California; Evelyn Cunningham, pioneering reporter, editor and columnist; Ethel Ennis, Jazz musician and entrepreneur; Ella Jenkins, Grammy award-winning children's folk music artist; Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson, NASA mathematician and physicist; B.B. King, Internationally renowned "King of the Blues;" H. Carl McCall, former comptroller of New York State and 2002 Democratic candidate for New York governor; Norma Miller, dancer, actress, choreographer, comedienne, known as the "Queen of Swing;" and Betye Saar, pioneering artist whose works, infused with a sense of mysticism and family, poignantly critiqued racism, sexism and oppression.
Listed in the Visionary Videos section of our website, you'll find one web page for each Visionary that includes the elder's biography, video clips, external links and related links.
2008 Wisdom Awards Celebration
posted July 3, 2008
Carment de Lavallade accepts
her Wisdomc Award
On April 18, 2008, the National Visionary Leadership Project paid tribute to four National Visionaries for their contributions to the performing arts during the 2008 Wisdom Awards Celebration at the Mutual of America building in New York City. The honorees were: dancer/choreographer Carmen de Lavallade; Grammy-winning gospel and soul music recording artist Cissy Houston; composer, arranger, record and film producer, Quincy Jones and actress and chanteuse, Eartha Kitt.
To celebrate the legacy of each honoree, the magical evening included performances by specially-selected artists from the honoree's field. Renee Robinson , now in her twenty-seventh year with the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, performed a dance choreographed by Carmen de Lavallade called "Sweet Bitter Love." Twelve year-old Melissa Hanson , a protégé of honoree Cissy Houston, sang "Wind Beneath my Wings" to honor her mentor. Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and his jazz quintet performed in tribute to Quincy Jones. And singer Dee Daniels , whose versatility and range have earned her international acclaim, performed "A Song for You" in appreciation of Eartha Kitt.
Eartha Kitt speaks with a student from the
Schomburg Junior Scholars Program
Proceeds from the event will help NVLP continue to build our historic archive of Visionary interviews and develop educational programming, such as multimedia lesson plans for classrooms across the country.
VHFP Scholarship Winners Announced
April 1, 2008
NVLP is proud to announce the winners of our Visionary Heritage Fellows Program (VHFP) scholarship awards. Six students who participated in the 2007-2008 VHFP class won cash scholarships for documenting the lives of amazing African American elders who helped shape American history, society and culture. The students identified these extraordinary "Visionaries" from their home or college communities, conducted videotaped oral history interviews and completed a comprehensive research project.
The scholarship winners and their Visionary elders are:
First Place ($3,000):
Courtney Ward of Martinez, GA; student of Hampton University in Hampton, VA
Visionary Elder : Mary T. Christian of Hampton, VA ; the first African American since Reconstruction to be elected to the 92 nd District of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the city of Hampton.
Second Place ($2,000):
Ashley Payne of Atlanta, GA; student of Fisk University in Nashville, TN
Visionary Elder : Susie May Newsom McClure of Nashville, TN ; community leader; lifelong volunteer and missionary.
Third Place ($1,000):
Jessica S. Nwokocha of Atlanta, GA; student of Howard University in Washington, DC
Visionary Elder : Dan A. Moore, Sr. of Atlanta, GA; Founder and CEO of the Apex Museum in Atlanta and filmmaker.
Honorable Mention:
Cori Tucker of Bakersfield, California; student of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
Visionary Elder : Cecil L. "Chip" Murray of Los Angeles, CA; minister, activist and an influential figure in reconciling the Los Angeles community after the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
Honorable Mention:
Eddie L. Holiday of Arlington, VA; student of Howard University in Washington, DC
Visionary Elder : Frederick I. Scott, Jr. of Baltimore, MD; the first African-American graduate of Johns Hopkins University; founder of Beta Sigma Tau an interracial fraternity that discourages hazing.
Honorable Mention:
Derrick Johnson of Detroit, MI; student of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA
Visionary Elder : Tobe Johnson, Jr. of Atlanta, GA; the longest tenured faculty member at Morehouse College, and Avalon professor of political science.