NVLP NEWS
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.