Black History and Culture musical event at CWU celebrates ‘bedrock of American music’

Assistant Professor of Saxophone Dr. Kendra Wheeler and her students helped coordinate Central Washington University's first-ever Black History and Culture musical celebration on May 1, earning well-deserved recognition from CWU's student newspaper, The Observer.

The event, held in McIntyre Recital Hall, was highlighted by drill step, poetry and operatic vocals, among other disciplines, as Wheeler and her students delivered a post celebration of Black History Month, which is traditionally celebrated in February.

"Black people everywhere are Black every day, all day of the year, but history and culture can always be celebrated and can always be appreciated," Wheeler told Observer reporter Zileni Milupi. "It's great that we have that history month, but when we're talking about a rich history and culture of people and peoples, it is important that they are recognized more than just one time a year."

The performers showcased the works of prominent Black artists, such as Maya Angelou and opera composer William Grant Still. Wheeler explained that she wanted as much variety in the genre and style of performances as possible to embody Black influence in classical music.

"When we think about [Black] history and culture and music in particular, we might naturally gravitate towards jazz, which is an African diasporic art form and it's so important to the history and culture of America as a whole," she said. "But from the beginning of classical music in the US, we've also had a really strong Black operatic presence as well."

Black Student Union (BSU) representatives Shadaē Ingram and Tiesha Randle were joined by fellow student Heaven Pollard to perform their modern take on hamboning-a traditional rhythmic dance that involves hitting or slapping different areas of the body, including the chest, arms, and legs.

The dance form, which has evolved into drill step, originated from slavery, during which drums and other musical instruments were taken from Black people, leaving them to craft alternative ways to create messages through rhythm.

Ingram also performed an original poem called "Assault and Battery: Damnation" in which she detailed the violence and injustices that Black people face on a daily basis. She used "uncomfortable words" to elicit graphic imagery of death that illustrates the unfortunate reality of Black people in America.

"I use words like 'decapitated' and phrases like 'ripping my fingers off, only two drops of blood fill in,'" Ingram said. "The way I wrote it was to spark that feeling of, 'Oh this doesn't feel nice,' because it's not nice. As Black people today, we have to live through that not niceness, just to find a little crumb of niceness. So, I write it with disturbing words, because I want people to be disturbed and to think about it two or three weeks later."

Wheeler said she hoped the audience enjoyed their experience at the event.

"I hope they leave feeling inspired and motivated and energetic," she said. "And also perhaps feel they might have learned something new, either about a new composer or work, or just gained maybe even a deeper appreciation for Black history and culture."