Black History Month events remembered

Neville Murray discusses his artwork with Angela Knowles, a clinical study assistant in the department of internal medicine-pulmonary.

Not since the late great Preston Love performed two years ago has the Eppley Science Hall reverberated with such soulful sounds as from the singing group Nu Beginning. The performance by the quartet of UNO students was one of three Black History Month events on campus last month.

On Feb. 23, the audience received an in-depth historical account of the famed Tuskegee Airmen of World War II – America’s first African American military aircraft pilots and support personnel. The Tuskegee Airmen set a standard of excellence and achievement that still resonates throughout all the nation’s armed forces.

Bob Rose, president of Nebraska’s Alonza W. Davis chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, presented a detailed video history of the group. He then showed another video promoting the 2004 Tuskegee Airmen National Convention in Omaha on Aug. 2-8. Rose also is president of the convention.

Bob Rose talks about the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II.

The convention video, a remixed version of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce marketing video, includes comments by Johnny Rodgers, Bob Boozer, Bob Gibson and other notable African Americans from Omaha, encouraging African Americans to come to Omaha for the convention. The Nebraska Medical Center contributed the funds needed to make 40 copies of the convention video tape. Rose was able to send a copy to all 45 chapters of the Tuskegee Airmen in the United States and the Caribbean.

Rose shared background information on major events surrounding the Tuskegee Airmen, including the HBO television movie – Tuskegee Airmen – released in 1996. One of the most critical moments in gaining public acceptance for blacks to fly as military pilots was when Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, insisted on having one of the students give her an airplane ride, thus showing the world her confidence in their flying skills. Rose said in the movie a student flew Mrs. Roosevelt, but in reality she was flown by one of the instructors masquerading as a student.

Bob Rose, front row second left, with members of the Employee Diversity Network and campus staff.

“There was no way in the world, unit leader Capt. Benjamin O. Davis was going to let a student fly the First Lady of the United States – what are you nuts?” Rose said as the audience laughed.

Nu Beginning opened with an harmonic version of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” then performed for almost an hour, using only a small boom box with a CD of pre-recorded music tracks for accompaniment.

About half of their material was original R&B tunes, along with some well-known R&B covers. The four women, Rachel Sanders, Charlotte Cox, Kionna Shaw and Christi Woods, also sang “Giving Him Something He Can Feel” by the Grammy-winning female group En Vogue. Then, taking audience requests, Nu Beginning sang “The Lord’s Prayer” and a rhythmic rendition of “Over the Rainbow” that drew a standing ovation from the nearly 100 people in the audience.

Nu Beginning’s first CD is due for distribution in late spring. In addition, the group will be featured in an upcoming Omaha musical, performing several original compositions.

Nu Beginning members, from left, Kionna Shaw, Christi Woods, Charlotte Cox, and Rachel Sanders.

Neville Murray brought more than a dozen major paintings to campus for display in the East Atrium. His work was well received by a steady flow of visitors for four hours. His paintings were highlighted by rich, vibrant colors and textures that that seemed to transform with the angle of view and reflection of light. The themes of Murray’s art pieces were African, Afro-Caribbean and African American experiences musicians, dancers, village life, children and urban and island natural landscapes.

“My art reflects the experiences that I have encountered in my life.” Murray said. “As a Jamaican who currently resides in Nebraska, I can clearly see the importance of one’s art to one’s culture. My art deals with issues that confront Africans in the Diaspora [international distribution of African slaves], from the poise and dignity reflected in the proud but poor Caribbean market vendors, to the positives as well as the despair and addictions that take place in our inner cities, to simply evaluating our place in the 21st century.

“Through my art I try to express issues that relate to my history, including slavery, loss of identity and language, and how this experience manifests itself in the 1990s.”

Neville Murray with Linda Cunningham, center, coordinator for cultural competence, UNMC Community and Multicultural Affairs, and co-chair of Employee Diversity Network; and Susan Langdon, clinical coordinator, UNMC Medical Technology Education.

Murray is currently employed as the multicultural art manager for the Nebraska Arts Council. He said he is fortunate to work with various cultural groups in Nebraska, including Native American, Hispanic, Asian and African American populations and that he is continually enlightened by the similarities between cultures.

“Because of these experiences I feel it is very important for me to record and document my own heritage, specifically western Jamaica and its rapidly changing environment,” Murray said.

Campus employees also enjoyed a video screening of this year’s Martin Luther King Day presentation by journalist Tony Brown. For more on his presentation, see the UNMC Today Archives on Jan. 20.