ABCL

The Association of Black Citizens Lexington (ABCL) is celebrating the Life and Times of legendary jazz musician Art Blakey, one of the world’s most influential and prolific Black artists, with a virtual fundraising event. Art Blakey recorded over 400 records and was a respected mentor who was known to nurture artists and allow them the opportunity and space to grow and come into their own artistry.

We are honored to have Yawu Miller, editor of the Bay State Banner and nephew of the late great Art Blakey, moderate the conversation between Bill Pierce and John Ramsay.  Both Mr. Pierce and Mr. Ramsay played with Mr. Blakey.  Mr. Pierce has been a featured saxophonist at major international jazz festivals and is a former Woodwind Department Chair for the Berklee College of Music. Mr. Ramsay, a Lexington resident, is a former Percussion Department Chair for the Berklee College of Music. Mr. Ramsay is a drummer, recording artist, author, educator and a famous clinician who wrote Art Blakey’s Jazz Messages. The book is an insider’s view of Art Blakey’s unique drumming style and a “must have” for jazz drummers and all jazz musicians.

Click here to Purchase Tickets at eventbrite or enter the following URL https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-life-and-times-of-art-blakey-the-message-lives-on-tickets-148251390901

Affordable housing resource in Lexington and surrounding towns can be found here https://www.rhsohousing.org/affordable-housing-opportunities/pages/familyindividual

This challenge seeks 15 Donors of $500 or more in honor of the Turner Family of Grafton, Vermont and their Lexington, Massachusetts Descendants. A Turner descendant has lived in Lexington since the turn of the 20^th century.  Read more about the Turner family here, Daisy Turner’s Kin: An African American Family Saga.

Thanks to our Turner 15 Challenge Donors and to all of our donors to date we have surpassed our fundraising goal of $25,000. See below the Turner 15 Challenge Donors list as of February 10, 2021.

We are excited to announce that ABCL’s Black History Portrait Banners have a new landing page. Here you can view the individual banners and read the short biographies.

LexMedia has a recording of the ABCL Black History Portrait Banners Unveiling Ceremony. Run time is 1 hr 48 min.

Author of ‘Think Black: A Memoir’: Clyde Ford
Saturday, February 6 @ 1:00 PM 

More on Think Black: A Memoir

Seattle Times column, July 28
Library Journal reviewed THINK BLACK and gave it a thumbs-up
Kirkus Review issued their highest rating for THINK BLACK
Publisher’s Weekly also issued their highest rating for the book
A podcast of the author being interviewed by editor Tracy Sherrod at the American Library Assn. annual convention in DC in June

Reserve your access pass here https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/45420

The Mountaintop is a play by African American playwright Katori Hall. It is a fictional depiction of events the night before the assassination of the civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. After delivering one of his most memorable speeches, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” Dr. King retires to his motel room where an encounter with a maid causes him to reflect on his mission and purpose. The play is set in 1968, Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN.
Streaming run time: 90 minutes, no intermission.
Contains Adult Language.
**Ticket proceeds tonight are shared with The Association of Black Citizens of Lexington for continued programming and The Lexington Players!**

This challenge seeks 15 Donors of $500 or more in honor of the Turner Family of Grafton, Vermont and their Lexington, Massachusetts Descendants. A Turner descendant has lived in Lexington since the turn of the 20^th century.  Read more about the Turner family here, Daisy Turner’s Kin: An African American Family Saga.

Thanks to our Turner 15 Challenge Donors and to all of our donors to date we have surpassed our fundraising goal of $25,000. See below the Turner 15 Challenge Donors list as of December 12, 2020.

Donate with a direct payment via PayPal or credit card https://www.abclex.org/donate-to-the-black-history-project-of-lexington/

Because of you we have exceeded our fundraising goal of $25,000!  Writing on behalf of the Black History Project of Lexington fundraising team, we are grateful for your generous and heartfelt support. 

• ABCL’s Black History Portrait Banners
  • The portrait banners are scheduled to be displayed in Lexington Center from Thursday, January 14, 2021 through Monday, March 1, 2021, and then displayed annually.
  • The portrait banner biographies are scheduled to be available at www.abclex.org by January 14, 2021.
• The Oral and Visual History Project of Lexingtonians of African Descent
  • The Period of Emphasis for February 2021 is 1960 to Present.
  • To schedule a donation contact us at admin@ablex.org.
• ABCL’s Lexington Black Heritage Trail
  • According to scholars, cousins Eli and Silas Burdoo and Prince Estabrook fought on April 19, 1775.  We will honor these Black Lexingtonians with our first set of historical markers.
  • Additional monuments and markers commemorating the lives and histories of Black people in Lexington from the 18^th century to the present will be installed.

This challenge seeks 15 Donors of $500 or more in honor of the Turner Family of Grafton, Vermont and their Lexington, Massachusetts Descendants. A Turner descendant has lived in Lexington since the turn of the 20^th century.  Read more about the Turner family here, Daisy Turner’s Kin: An African American Family Saga.

Thanks to our Turner 15 Challenge Donors and to all of our donors to date we are close to reaching our fundraising goal of $25,000. See below the Turner 15 Challenge Donors list as of November 16, 2020.

Donate with a direct payment via PayPal or credit card https://www.abclex.org/donate-to-the-black-history-project-of-lexington/

Greetings friends and neighbors,

Black Lexington residents fought on the Lexington Green and have continued to contribute to the rich history of Lexington and the Commonwealth.  To increase the knowledge and recognition of the history of Black people, the Association of Black Citizens of Lexington (ABCL) invites you to donate to the Black History Project of Lexington.

Your donation will support the Oral and Visual History Project of Lexingtonians of African Descent, ABCL’s Black History Portrait Banners, and ABCL’s Lexington Black Heritage Trail.  One of our 24 portrait banner honorees is Isaac Barbadoes.  Mr. Barbadoes was born in 1755. His parents Quawk Abel and Kate Barbadoes raised him, his sister Mercy, and his brother Abel in Lexington. Isaac Barbadoes died in 1777 while serving in the Revolutionary War as a soldier in the 15th Massachusetts Regiment.

Any contribution will help ABCL reach its goal of $25,000.

Black History Project of Lexington