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The tunes were raw and gritty, smooth and haunting, and sometimes charged and electrifying. The lyrics that leapt out were of hate and love, humanity and inhumanity and struggle and freedom. 

Jazz music co-starred with civil rights historical facts during the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Black Heritage Month’s (BHM) opening ceremony at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1, held virtually and hosted by The Inclusive Excellence, Education and Development Hub (The Hub). Renowned jazz flutist Galen Abdur-Razzaq was the keynote speaker. The theme for BHM is “Black Excellence in Action.” 

“In celebration of our Black Heritage Month, we honor the many contributions that Black students, faculty and staff have made to SIUE and our surrounding communities,” said SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook. “SIUE works every day to make our community more inclusive, diverse and accessible. Every year, the month of February comes with the opportunity to reflect on the challenges but also on the accomplishments and hard work of our community.  Once again, for the eighth consecutive year, our University received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, sharing this distinction with only 10 other higher education institutions in the nation.” 

“Black Heritage Month gives us an opportunity to appreciate the Black excellence we see in action all year long,” added Tarsha Moore, The Hub assistant director, “from our first Black Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris, to our first Black SIUE chancellor who will be joining us next month, to our inaugural vice president for antiracism, diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer at the system level, Dr. Sheila Caldwell, and our first vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion at SIUE, Dr. Jessica Harris. We want to thank them for their leadership. And just this semester, Dr. Howard Rambsy became the first Black distinguished professor at SIUE. We truly have a lot of Black excellence in action here on our campus.” 

Introducing Abdur-Razzaq, an extraordinary flutist with an extensive performance career, was The Hub graduate assistant Shavontae Lindsay. “He is a riveting speaker on the topic of jazz,” she said, “and he will discuss the phenomenal impact of jazz musicians during the Civil Rights Movement.” 

Abduz-Razzaq, who began his presentation, “Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement,” with a captivating piece on his flute, did not disappoint. Then he turned to the year of 1955.

“There were many Black geniuses who laid the foundation in 1955,” he noted. 

He referenced the legendary trumpet player, band leader and composer Miles Davis and his album “Milestones” on the Columbia record label. Other players accompanying Davis on the album were World-renowned jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane, (Julian Edwin) Cannonball Adderley on alto, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. The audience was treated to a brief clip from an audio recording of “Milestones.” 

“It was one of the greatest records of all time,” apprised Abduz-Razzaq. “But in 1955, there were three Americas – white, Black and Native American. There was a gentleman who would record a composition to depict what was going on during that time period. But “Emmett” was banned from the U.S. airways. The artist was a folk singer by the name of Bob Dylan.” Abduz-Razzaq played a sample of “Emmett,” by Dylan, appraised as one of the greatest songwriters of all time. 

He explained how the brutal murder of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old from Chicago, on Aug. 28, 1955, in Money, Miss., was catalyst for the civil rights movement. 

Abduz-Razzaq turned the audience’s attention to the year of 1963. “It was a layered year. There was civil unrest and assassinations right and left. Then there was all this music coming out of the studios,” he said. “Musicians would be in the studio recording almost every single day for Blue Note Records, Roulette Records, Prestige Records and other labels in the jazz idiom.” 

He referenced the 16^th Street Baptist Church bombing on Sept. 5, 1963, in Birmingham, Ala., that killed four girls. Coltrane, along with a small ensemble, recorded a piece about the brutal bombing, which Abduz-Razzaq played briefly. 

Other key pieces of Civil Rights history mentioned included:

• “Stand in the Schoolhouse Door” on June 11, 1963 when then Alabama Governor George Wallace blocked entrance of two Black students wanting to enroll in the University of Alabama in attempt to keep his campaign promise of “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”
• The March on Washington on Aug. 28, 1963
• The assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas Texas
• The Civil Rights Act of 1964
• The Voting Rights Act of 1965 

“During this time and in the midst of all of this, musicians were in the studios pulling that passion out like crazy,” said Abduz-Razzaq. 

Some of the artists highlighted and pieces of their work he played included:

• Harry Belafonte, “Abraham, Martin and John”
• Al Hibbler, “Never Turn Back”
• Ray Charles, “Rock the House”
• Nina Simone, “Mississippi Goddam”
• Sammy Davis Jr., “Feeling Good”

“During the 50s and 60s, there were people of various backgrounds who were Irish, Polish and not necessarily people of color, who joined in to try and right the wrongs,” he continued. “One gentleman was of an Italian background and was one of the greatest icons of time. They called him old blue eyes. The late great Frank Sinatra, before it was fashionable, had Black and white musicians on his recording sessions.” 

“Black Excellence does not end at the conclusion of February,” said Assistant Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence, Education and Development Lindy Wagner. “It is something that we should be celebrating throughout the entire year, and I welcome you all to join me in doing so. We will have several events happening throughout the month. Many campus partners have collaborated to make these events possible, including the Black Studies Program, the Department of Political Science, Campus Activities Board, the IMPACT Academy and many more.” 

Photo:
Renowned jazz flutist Galen Abdur-Razzaq