Barbara Frum District Blog

This month cultural institutions across the City of Toronto and elsewhere in the world design programs that teach people about the history of African Diaspora. It’s also a time when we celebrate the wonderful cultural goods introduced by African peoples like the groovy invention of jazz music, which owes much of its entirety to African heritage and African-American musicians.

The Incentive Spirit of African Americans	The History of Jazz	African American Women Scientists and Inventors

The question of how jazz evolved to be the sultry, soulful, upbeat and energetic sound that it is today is an interesting history on its own. You can bet that legendary musician, Louis Armstrong, is included in the discussion. After all, who better made us aware of all the priceless and often overlooked beauty in our lives? Here's the open lyrics from the epic production, "What a Wonderful World" to give you a flavour of what I mean.

I see trees of green…. Red roses too I see’ em bloom… for me and for you And I think to myself… what a wonderful world.

Aaah… puts you in a good mood doesn’t it?  If you are in the Armstrong mood, order these CDs and play them the next time you have guests over.

The Very Best of Louis Armstrong	Hello Louis! the Hit Years	Falling in Love with Louis Armstrong

If you are interested in knowing more about the history of Jazz, Louis Armstrong and the relationship between African heritages then you have the opportunity to listen and interact with Hans De Groot, a devout Louis Armstrong admirer and former English professor at the University of Toronto.   The program is scheduled for Tuesday February 15 at 2 p.m.

For more Black History and Jazz programs at Barbara Frum Library and nearby libraries

• Thursday February 2, 2012 at 2 p.m. at Barbara Frum, we are screening The Colour Purple (1985), a classic film that depicts disparities faced by African-American women in the early 1900s. 
• Thursdsay February 16, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. at Centennial Library, a live concert featuring Diana Brathwaite and Chris Whiteley.
• Tuesday April 24 at 6 p.m., please also join us in a live Jazz concert performed by musician and raconteur, Mboya Nicholson at Barbara Frum.  More information to follow in the coming months, stay tuned!
• For more Black History Month programs at Toronto Public Libraries, click here.