SUNDAY THOUGHTS: HISTORY MATTERS

 

“…So of course, a lot of people don't know, but a lot of us, who were students at Howard University, banded together, and had a takeover. We took over the Fine Arts building, because the dean would not hear us, or hear our request in terms of establishing African American music, other than African American classical music, or Negro spirituals into our curriculum. We had no Jazz band; we had no Jazz department; we had no African American Music studies.

Everything was Classical—which I had no problem with—because I grew up on Classical music. But, I was like, if we can hear their music, and experience their music, why can't we experience our own? 

So, we took over the Fine Arts building; we pulled the piano out on the front steps, and I played gospel music for about three or four days, I guess, and we wouldn't let anybody in the building until the dean finally, I guess, said in order to get rid of these fools, let's hear what they got to say. 

We presented our lists of grievances, and what we wanted, and that's how the Jazz department got started at Howard.” 

“…there are times when you get music that seems like it’s already written. You’re just like the conduit, or the vessel that it comes through, because it comes through you completed.

You don’t go back and tinker with the melody, or the rhythm, or the harmonies. You know this is it. And that’s how “Total Praise” came to me.” 

~Richard Lee Smallwood

#musicmatters 

#sundaythoughts 

#historymatters 

#artmatters 

#HowardUniversity

“Pianoman” 

8.5” x11” ink on paper, 

VRW, 2025