Blue Note @ 75 at the Goethe Institut View this email in your browser

Blue Note @ 75 in the Goethe-Institut's Blue Note Lounge Exhibition, Films, Concerts and Discussions  May 3 - July 3, 2014 The Blue Note @ 75 Lounge features drinks during the concerts; furnishings provided by Miss Pixie's Furnishings and Whatnot...

Blue Note @ 75 Blue Note Records, one of the world’s most distinguished jazz labels, celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2014. Throughout May, the Goethe-Institut, in partnership with the German Historical Institute, joins in Blue Note @ 75, a citywide tribute to the long-lasting global influence of Blue Note Records. More about Blue Note @ 75 Opening Reception Saturday, May 3, 6 - 8 pm Search for a New Sound. The Blue Note Photographs of Francis Wolff, with curator Tom Evered and PianistJason Moran, the Kennedy Center's Artistic Advisor for Jazz and current Blue Note Records artist. Open through July 3. More about the Exhibition Films Blue Note - A Story of Modern Jazz Monday, May 5, 6:30 pm One Night With Blue Note: The Historic All-Star Reunion Concert  Monday, May 12, 6:30 pm As Time Goes By in Shanghai Monday, May 19, 6:30 pm   Concerts Lennie Cujé Band Monday, May 5, 8:30 pm The Allyn Johnson Trio - The Music of Jutta Hipp Tuesday, May 6, 8:30 pm Shannon Gunn and the Bullettes Quintet Tuesday, May 28, 8:30 pm   Discussions Jazz - The Classical Music of Globalization Wednesday, May 21, 6 pm German Historical Institute The Role of Music in Cultural Diplomacy Wednesday, May 28, 6:30 pm

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POET LORE 125

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/04/30/americas-oldest-poetry-journal-celebrates-125-years-of-great-verse/

BLACK TIE    •    COCKTAILS    •    DINNER PRESENTATION OF PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award & PEN/Toni and James C. Goodale Digital Freedom Award &  PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award Visit us online to download a RSVP form or to purchase tickets or tables  » Tickets: $1,250 Tables: $12,500 and up GALA CHAIRS Annette Tapert Allen, Joanna Coles, Roxanne Donovan, Carol Mack, Anne Hearst McInerney, Jay McInerney, Ann Tenenbaum, and John Troubh

Copyright © 2014 PEN American Center, All rights reserved. You are receiving this e-mail because you have previously shown an interest in PEN activities. PHOTO CREDITS: Salman Rushdie: Syrie Moskowitz; Dick Costolo: Timothy Greenfield-Suanders; Toni Morrison: Francois G. Durand; Milstein Hall of Ocean Life: Beowulf Sheehan Our mailing address is: PEN American Center 588 Broadway Suite 303 New York, NY 10012 Add us to your address book

A Hard Rain Is Gonna Fall

Tornadoes hitting Arkansas and Mississippi - heavy rain here in DC...still we seem to be drowning in conversations around race. It's going to rain again after it stops. No way - someone else won't get caught for racist talk. The private is now public and the public has no borders or boundaries. There will be attempts to separate language from action. Individuals will be punished for racist thought while corporations continue to get away with institutional racism.

There are so many issues we need to focus on but we keep changing like the weather.

My concerns begin with Fukushima, Gay attacks in Africa, cholera in Haiti, the absence of a Middle East Peace solution, and instant replays in baseball.

Library of Congress

Webinar: Bringing Poetry to the Public 04/29/2014 01:05 PM EDT Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 30th, 12:00 Noon For this webinar celebrating National Poetry Month, Rob Casper (Head, Library of Congress Poetry and Literature Center) is joined by Mike Melia (PBS NewsHour Senior Broadcast Producer) and Craig Teicher (Director of Digital Operations at Publisher's Weekly and poetry critic for National Public Radio) in a conversation about how the news media promotes poetry. This webinar is free and open to the public. Registration Required--confirmation and log on instructions will be sent via e-mail. Visit http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/web-discussions_form.php to register.

THINKING AT IPS

Photo by Ethelbert

IPS FOUNDER MARCUS RASKIN TURNS 80

Marcus Raskin photo by Ethelbert

Quote of the Day

The relationship that Stiviano had with Sterling was bad; the one that the NAACP had with him was worse. Even as the billionaire was being exposed in 2009 as one of the largest slumlords in the country, he was being honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the glitziest branch of the nation’s oldest civil rights organization.

    - Courtland Milloy, The Washington Post

BROWN TODAY

6:30 p.m.

National Poetry Month: Tribute to Sterling Brown

Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library

Sterling Allen Brown was an African-American professor, author of works on folklore, poet, and literary critic. He studied chiefly black culture of the Southern United States and was a full professor at Howard University for most of his career.

This program will look back on the life and works of Sterling Brown and his contributions as a prominent D.C.-area poet. Panel members include E. Ethelbert Miller from Howard University, Joanne Gabbin from James Madison University, and James Early from the Smithsonian Institution.

The program will include an audience Q&A followed by a meet-and-greet with the panel members.

What's Next for Ethelbert?

Let's Shallal One More Time...

http://www.ips-dc.org/blog/the_enduring_impact_of_andy_shallals_mayoral_run

Breaking from Newsmax.com State Farm, CarMax Drop Clippers State Farm and CarMax pulled their sponsorship of the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday after an audiotape was released containing racist remarks allegedly made by the professional basketball team’s billionaire owner, Donald Sterling. Steve Stoute, the CEO of the marketing firm Transition, which represents State Farm, announced on ESPN’s "The Herd" radio show hosted by Colin Cowherd that the insurance company would not sponsor the teams as long as Sterling is the owner, according to Mediaite. CarMax has also dropped its sponsorship, according to an email that the used car chain sent to The Huffington Post. Read More Here

Washington History

The April 2014 Washington History is a special issue on jazz in D.C., edited by Dr. Maurice Jackson of Georgetown University and Dr. Blair Ruble of the Woodrow Wilson Center.

• From the Editors, by Blair Ruble and Maurice Jackson
• “Seventh Street, Black D.C.’s Music Mecca” by Blair Ruble
• “Great Black Music and the Desegregation of Washington, D.C.,” by Maurice Jackson
• “Washington’s Duke Ellington,” by John Edward Hasse
• “Interview with Bill Brower,” by Willard Jenkins
• “Jazz Radio in Washington, a memoir,” by Rusty Hassan
• “Legislating Jazz,” by Anna Celenza
• “Researching D.C. Jazz,” by Mike Fitzgerald
• Three poems by E. Ethelbert Miller

More information, including exact release date and cover art is forthcoming. To subscribe toWashington History, please view the following infromation.

Subscriptions

Subscribe to Washington History by joining the Historical Society. Some member levels include access to all past issues of both Washington History and the Records of the Columbia Historical Society online through JSTOR.*

Individuals and organizations may also subscribe to new print copies of Washington History for $40 per year (two issues), including domestic shipping and handling. Subscribers are not HSW members and do not receive any additional benefits.

Subscriptions may be paid online through PayPal or by check may be made out to HSW sent to the following address:

Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
Attn: Subscriptions
801 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20001

Legislative Alert: NEA Nomination Advancing

NEA Nomination Advancing From: Isaac Brown, Legislative Counsel Vol. 14:06 April 25, 2014 NASAA has learned that on Monday, April 28, Dr. Jane Chu, president Obama's selection to lead the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will meet with key staff of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The HELP Committee has jurisdiction over the nomination of the NEA chair. Monday's meeting is an important step in Dr. Chu's nomination process. Since she was named in February, there had been little progress on her confirmation. After Monday's meeting, members of the committee will have the opportunity to send Dr. Chu questions in writing. Should those inquiries be answered to the satisfaction of the committee members, they will meet in executive session to consider her selection. Following that vote, Dr. Chu's nomination will be forwarded to the Senate floor for a vote by the full chamber. The timing of each of these steps is uncertain, but we hope Dr. Chu's nomination will be finalized as quickly as the Senate's calendar allows. NASAA is working with states represented on the HELP Committee to ensure that the importance of the state-federal partnership is included in the committee's conversations. We will keep members informed as the process unfolds. In the meantime, do not hesitate to contact me with questions.

About NASAA | About State Arts Agencies | Member Benefits | Contact NASAA National Assembly of State Arts Agencies 1029 Vermont Avenue, NW, 2nd Floor | Washington, DC 20005 202-347-6352 | fax: 202-737-0526 | TDD: 202-347-5948 | nasaa@nasaa-arts.org Terms of Use / Privacy Policy © National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.

Happy Birthday Marcus Raskin - Founder of the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS)

80 Years of Beautiful Music

If there is such a thing as intellectual greatness it would have to be associated with Marcus Raskin.

My wife often refers to him as Einstein which is no different than calling Thelonious Monk- jazz.

I consider Raskin to be a gentle genius of a man. He has always been a visionary, hearing the new

music and just waiting for people to play it. He is a prophet for progressives. In these times of struggle

our world would be a deeper blue if it had not been for his work. Where would we be without IPS?

It would be like the failure of daybreak after darkness, all our tomorrows knowing despair.

Raskin has been our light bearer all these years. He has been nothing but classical - a man

who taught us how to play the keys - to organize and believe. To shelter us from the storm.

Thank you Marcus Raskin for 80 years of beautiful music.

E. Ethelbert Miller

Board Chair, Institute for Policy Studies

Marcus Raskin and John Cavanagh photo by Ethelbert

April 26, 2014   Beyond the Years   Paul Laurence Dunbar

I Beyond the years the answer lies, Beyond where brood the grieving skies     And Night drops tears. Where Faith rod-chastened smiles to rise     And doff its fears, And carping Sorrow pines and dies—     Beyond the years. II Beyond the years the prayer for rest Shall beat no more within the breast;     The darkness clears, And Morn perched on the mountain’s crest     Her form uprears— The day that is to come is best,     Beyond the years. III Beyond the years the soul shall find That endless peace for which it pined,     For light appears, And to the eyes that still were blind     With blood and tears, Their sight shall come all unconfined     Beyond the years.            This poem is in the public domain. About This Poem   “Beyond the Years” by Paul Laurence Dunbar appeared in the posthumous collection The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar (Dodd, Mead, and Company, 1913).   Paul Laurence Dunbar, one of the first African American poets to gain national recognition, was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872. He published ten collections of poetry, and many short stories and novels, before his death in 1906. Poetry by Dunbar   The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar (University of Virginia Press, 1993) "Love Story in Black and White" by Toi Derricotte "Age and Death" by Emma Lazarus "To Chloe: Who for his sake wished herself younger" by William Cartwright Poem-a-Day   Launched during National Poetry Month in 2006,Poem-a-Day features new and previously unpublished poems by contemporary poets on weekdays and classic poems on weekends.

The Western Journal of Black Studies

The Spring Issue: Vol. 38, No. 1

Interpretative Profiles on Charles Johnson's Reflections on Trayvon Martin: A Dialogue between George Yancy, E. Ethelbert Miller, and Charles Johnson.

Page 1 - 12.

SPIRIT HEALTH

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/26/us/a-spiritual-legacy-endures-in-healthy-eating.html?_r=0

UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED

Waiting for the bus on 16th Street yesterday - everyone driving in their cars were playing with their cell phones.

Should I be given the power to issue tickets or must I learn to drive first?

APRIL 24, 2014    This week the world celebrated Earth Day, though it's not clear whether the Earth itself participated in the celebrations. "Forget the flowers and the long speeches," the Earth is saying to anyone who'll listen, "and do something to bring down my temperature already!" As Nathalie Baptiste writes this week in FPIF, climate change is not some future catastrophe but a problem in the here and now, particularly for the island nations of the Caribbean. And inWorld Beat, I discuss the actual price tag associated with drastically cutting carbon emissions without sending the global economy back to the 14th century. We also have a pair of pieces on Cuba this week, as columnist Laura Carlsen explores the shift in public opinion in Florida in favor of a thaw in U.S.-Cuban relations and Arturo Lopez-Levy proposes a mutual release of political prisoners. International lawyer Reza Nasri explains the sources of Iran's mistrust of the international community. And I take a look at the increase in military spending in Asia (which reminds me: we inadvertently dropped a decimal point in last week's newsletter — global military spending is actually $1.7 trillion, not $17 trillion). Finally, on a sad note, we pay tribute to FPIF columnist Carl Bloice, who recently passed away. He was an acute observer of international relations from the ground up. Fellow columnist Conn Hallinan celebrates his life and work this week. John Feffer Co-director, Foreign Policy In Focus World Beat Earth: Game Over? John Feffer Video games usually provide you with multiple lives. If you step on a landmine or get hit by an assassin, you get another chance. This formula applies to first-person shooter games as well as simulation exercises like SimEarth. The real Earth offers a similar kind of reboot. Catastrophe has hit our planet at least five times, as Elizabeth Kolbert explains in her new book, The Sixth Extinction. During each of these preceding wipeouts, the planet recovered, though many of the life forms residing in the seas or on land were not so fortunate (“many” is actually an understatement—more than 99 percent of all species died out in these cataclysms). As Kolbert points out, we are in the middle of a sixth such world-altering event, and this will be the first—and possibly the last—extinction that we will witness as human beings. The planet and its hardier denizens may soldier on, but for us it will be game over. Read more… FPIF Features Climate Change Comes to the Caribbean  Nathalie Baptiste Climate change is already wreaking havoc on the Caribbean's vital fishing, tourism, and agriculture industries. Goodbye, Carl Bloice  Conn Hallinan Conn Hallinan remembers Carl Bloice—an FPIF columnist, longtime journalist, and lifetime advocate for the dispossessed. Why Iran Doesn’t Trust the International Community  Jahandad Memarian International law expert Reza Nasri explains Iran's distrust of international media, institutions, and NGOs. Free Alan Gross—and the Cuban Five!  Arturo Lopez-Levy If the U.S. wants Cuba to release USAID contractor Alan Gross, it should give up its own political prisoners from Cuba. Sunshine State Thaws U.S.-Cuba Relations  Laura Carlsen A majority of Floridians now favor thawing U.S. relations with Cuba. Will Washington follow? World Cuts Back Military Spending, But Not Asia  John Feffer Driven by a rising China and arms exports from the United States, military spending in Asia is on the increase. Focal Points Blog Five Ways the Myth That Iran Was Developing Nuclear Weapons Was Hyped  Russ Wellen How an Iranian nuclear-weapons program became accepted wisdom. From Grozny to Crimea: Russia Learns to Finesse Military Intervention  Russ Wellen Russia has come a long way from military operations in which casualties to civilians were of little concern. U.S. and Saudi Arabia: A Loveless Marriage  Amanda Ufheil-Somers It’s time for the United States and Saudi Arabia to make a clean break. German Activism: Bridging the East-West Divide John Feffer  Twenty years ago, the West German Greens and the East German citizen movements created a political alliance that continues to this day. Scientists Support Seymour Hersh Russ Wellen  Don’t underestimate Syrian rebel know-how: they may have made the rockets used to launch chemical weapons at Ghouta. Support FPIF! To protect our independence, we never run ads on FPIF. We take no money from governments or corporations. We survive on donations from readers like you. We’re a small non-profit with a tiny staff, so your dollars go a long way. Donate today!