H HYBRID CLASS: This class will be both in-person and on Zoom, at the same time.
For planning purposes please email the Elderwise office to let them know if you are coming to the Vineyard Church in-person class or you are going to be attending online, via Zoom.
For at least a decade during the Great Depression and World War II, jazz was America’s popular music. Leading white band leaders of this period – Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, the Dorsey brothers, Glen Miller – retained their fame. Despite black Americans’ exclusion from or marginalization in most of popular culture, they were prominent in the swing era. Join us in this class as presenter Mike Homel places them on the main stage. Mike will describe and share recordings of Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Chick Webb, Jimmy Lunceford, Earl Hines, and others. He will explore the world of jazz music and musicians and will discuss the obstacles racism threw in the paths of these creative artists.
Michael Homel is Professor Emeritus of history at Eastern Michigan University. Mike’s special expertise is in the fields of 20th century American history and American urban history. He is the author of Unlocking City Hall: Exploring the History of Local Government and Politics, and other publications on urban politics and education.
