Heroes

BassReeves-new

Bass Reeves

During the Old West, many African-Americans distinguished themselves as brave and resourceful lawmen. The most prominent was Bass Reeves, who rose from ex-slave to U.S. Marshall. Reeves taught himself to be fast with a revolver,...
CrispusAttucks_576

Crispus Attucks

The first person to die for the cause of American independence was a runaway slave who became a sailor and ropemaker. On March 5, 1770, British soldiers show and killed Attucks along with four other...
AlexanderHamilton_576

Alexander Hamilton

Yes, he’s the guy on the ten-dollar bill (during the Civil War, he was also on the $2, $5, $10, and $50 bills). And to many school children he may be more famous for being...
HarrietTubman_576

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman was one of the most courageous people in history. Most people know that she was a prominent figure in the Underground Railroad, helping dozens of runaway slaves to escape into Canada. But what...
DizzyGillespie_576

Dizzy Gillespie

OO-BOP-SH-BAMThis light-hearted Dizzy Gillespie song is the epitome of both the man and the Bebop movement that he helped popularize. At first, the jazz traditionalists were put off by Bebop because of its fast tempos,...
CharlieParker_576

Charlie Parker

ConfirmationThis classic 1953 Charlie Parker work is a lively blend of Parker’s alto sax with accompanying piano, bass, and drums. It’s clear to see why the “Bird,” along with Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk, were...
Imhotep-new

Imhotep

Imhotep was a Renaissance man long before the rest of the world knew what a renaissance was. While Europeans were scratching themselves where the sun don’t shine, this adviser to the pharaoh was busy exploring...
LarryYoung_576

Larry Young

Jazz organist Larry Young (aka Khalid Yasin Abdul Aziz) set new standards and technique for jazz organ. Thought he started as a soul-jazz player, under the influence of John Coltrane he developed into a much...
SarahVaughan_576

Sarah Vaughan

The Man I LoveThere’s a reason Sarah Vaughan was known as “The Divine One.” She was a cutting edge jazz vocalist for most of her long career and this song shows her total mastery of...