Anna Bishop was a great friend of Hot Times, the annual music and arts festival, and also the poet laureate of the "Listen For The Jazz- Key Notes in Columbus History". Her poem: "That's Jazz" is a dedication printed on the opening page of this book that chronicles the history of Jazz in Columbus in collected oral histories, personal memories and family photo albums. Arnette Howard was a major contributor to the book. Much of the material included was culled from his extensive collection of stories and artifacts. Once again he sends us a fascinating bit of Columbus history.My People,
I give my greetings with a heavy heart this day; my friend Eddie Colston, Jr. died yesterday morning. Eddie was a noted painter and educator, teaching at the Martin Janis Center, part of the Columbus recreation and Parks Department. His father, Eddie Colston, Sr., was an entertainer and journalist and much of his writing and photgraphy has helped me uncover the legacy of Columbus' Black entertainers. Eddie Jr. is to be honored with a funeral mass on Saturday at St. Dominic Parish on North Twenty-five Street.
The Mother of Black History in Columbus is Anna Bishop. In addition to being an educator in Columbus schools, a singer, poet, composer, actress and tireless community activist, she was the author of Beyond Poindexter Village: The Blackberry Patch.
In 1982, the first of four parts of her writings were published by the Columbus Metropolitan Library. Beyond Poindexter Village chronicled the community that began after W.W.I when Black southerners moved north to take advantage of the industrial boom that was occurring in many midwestern cities. The Blackberry Patch was settled in East Columbus bordering Long Street, Mount Vernon Avenue, Ohio Avenue and Mink Alley.
According to the book, southerners brought strange customs and cultural patterns to Columbus. "On warm days different people came through the streets selling different things. The watermelon man drove a flat bed truck with a hand made sign that said 'Georgia.' You could hear him coming, singing, 'Watermelon, watermelons! Georgia watermelons, red, ripe, red watermelons!"
Jake and Lena, Italian immigrants, had a horse drawn wagon and they sold vegetables. The people on Champion Avenue knew what Jake meant when he called out, "Epple! Epple! Good, juicy red Epple!" All of the people in the neighborhood would run out to get fresh apples, green beans, corn and potatoes.
One man rang a bright metal hand bell as he walked along the streets and all of the children ran out to the musical sound. The scissors grinder carried a contraption on his back that was machinery for sharpening knives and scissors, screwdrivers for umbrella repairing and for fixing things. He was their science and mechanics teacher.
When the rag man called out, "Iron, rags, glass," the people in the Blackberry Patch knew they could exchange the things that they had been collecting in buckets around the neighborhood for cash. The rag man was the original recycling business.
In her four volumes Anna Bishop interviewed the golden agers, born in the south at the beginning of the century, who had the recipes that helped families survive the terrible times of the depression years of poverty. She documented the details of neighborhood business, theaters, nightclubs, transportation and personalities.
One fascinating businessman was James Albert Jackson, a successful feed merchant in the day when Columbus citizens kept small flocks of chickens in their backyards. He and his business partner, James Williams, opened the Empress Theater at 768 East Long Street in the 1920s. When a theater owner on Mount Vernon insisted on keeping Black customers out, Mr. Jackson said that he'd fix them, "I'll build a theater better than any one in the United States."
When the Ogden (Lincoln) Theater opened in 1928, the whole interior took you back to Egypt with marble pillars carved and painted to look like Egyptian antiques. The carpeting was plush and the Club Lincoln was where Sammy Stewart's Orchestra performed and little Sammy Davis, Jr. was four years old when he made his first impromptu appearance onstage.
Anna Bishop passed in 2004, but the legacy that she not only left with her active life but documented in Beyond Poindexter Village, continues to inspire me.
A
http://creolefunk.com/historical/blackhistory/blackhistory.html
The entry below mentions the exhibit at the Zenith Gallery, but neglected to show any samples of Candy Watkin's work. The image shown here is called Transition 1. It consists of glass tubes shaped in coils containing neon gasses that are pulsed throught the tubes creating the effect of light balls traveling the lenghth of the tubes. Just a sample of the fine works displayed at the gallery exhibition below.
My good friend Candy Watkins, who creates wonderful neon sculptures, is off to Washington DC where she and 35 other artists are showing their works for the 28th Anniversary Exhibition, March 3 - March 28, 2006.
Mei Tei Smith
Assembly
CAPACITY, CAPA's Youth Arts Program, will be closing the CAPACITY Studios on February 28 but we'll still be in the neighborhood.
This message was sent in By Katherine Burkman. Women at Play has produced many wonderful and memorable productions in Columbus for te past 12 years. Sadly, we are now informed that the company is disbanding. A real loss for all who love good theatre. -charlie
Anna Bishop was a great friend of Hot Times, the annual music and arts festival, and also the poet laureate of the "Listen For The Jazz- Key Notes in Columbus History". Her poem: "That's Jazz" is a dedication printed on the opening page of this book that chronicles the history of Jazz in Columbus in collected oral histories, personal memories and family photo albums. Arnette Howard was a major contributor to the book. Much of the material included was culled from his extensive collection of stories and artifacts. Once again he sends us a fascinating bit of Columbus history.
THE FRIENDS OF DOO DAH
Lindsay Gallery, 986 N. High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43201, 614 291 1973.
The 2006 session of the School for Mime Theatre, at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio runs June 26 through July 7. The youth seminar is scheduled for June 12-22.
Bread and Circus Theatre Company presents “A Doll’s House” at the Tripleforce Artistic Center, 3979 Parkway Lane in Hilliard. Evening performances at 8 PM Friday March 3, Saturday March 4, Friday March 10, and Saturday March 11; matinee Sunday March 5 at 2:30 PM. Reservations $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors; call 614-470-4895 or visit www.bctco.org
Kenyon Farrow will be at the Monkeys Retreat store, Tuesday 2/21/06 from 6-8 pm to promote and sign his book LETTERS FROM YOUNG ACTIVISTS: TODAY'S REBELS SPEAK OUT
Arnett Howard, once again, sent in this amazing gem of Columbus jazz history. I always love looking at the old photographs, but that piece of original music recorded more than 70 years ago is killer, to say the least. Be sure and listen to the mp3 attached below. Just click on the link.
If I Could Plant A Dream...
Arnett Howard, a well known Columbus musician and band leader, has long had a passion for collecting memorabilia and stories relating to the Black music experience in town. In honor of Black History Month, he sent us this little piece of (almost) forgotten radio history. Legendary DJ Dr. Bop introduced thousands of local teens, me included, to the joys of rock music in the late 50s. Thanks Arnett.
On a trip to New York city a few years ago with my friend Stan (who was a past contributor to innerart and is a partner in Monkeys Retreat), he invited me to an all-night diner in the lower East side where I was introduced to a most interesting, eloquent character, who regaled us for hours over refilled coffee cups. Steve Ben Israel, an actor and general comentator on the human condition, had been involved with the legendary Living Theatre and has performed world-wide. He may also be remembered as an occasional guest comentator on NPR radio.
This email release was contributed by Christin McCabe with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra
DISPLACED
February 15 19
This release arrived on february 9, 2006
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