We know the star women vocalists of jazz: Billie, Ella. But beyond the fame are the women who toiled behind the scenes, faced discrimination, and set a course for women in the arts. In particular, artists owe a debt to the great composer and arranger Mary Lou Williams. Listen to the women of jazz, the obstacles they faced and the rights they claimed.
"The Journey to Jazz and Human Rights" is hosted by Alana Bridgewater.
Little Rock Arkansas, 1957. Schools will not end segregation. Pop music, which wants to sing about girls and cars, pays no attention. But jazz,...
The Cold War, two superpowers divvying up the global map. Each side, Soviet and Western, had their missiles, but they also had cultural weapons:...
In 1910, most African-Americans live in the south. But economic hard times push them north, to find work. And jazz follows. The problem is...