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TKAAM | 2025 Tribute to Trailblazers Awards Program
The Kansas African American Museum
An hour long program celebrating the 25th Annual Tribute to Trailblazers and the 2025 awards winners.
"[We] shine a light on the extraordinary Kansans whose vision, courage, and creativity have shaped our culture, unified communities, and uplifted future generations, trailblazing paths for others to follow." -- Video narrator
The Kansas African American Museum honors:
Kiah Duggins, Civil Rights Lawyer: Doris Kerr Larkins "Rising Star" Award
Dr. Eva Jessye, Professional Choral Director & Conductor
Harold Miller, First African American Air Controller in Wichita, KS
Dr. Marvin Lee Pelton, Leader in Education & Philanthropy
Adrian Griffin, NBA Basketball Player & Coach
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Jessye-DeGruson Airport Trip, Part 1
Eva Jessye and Gene DeGruson
Recording 1 of Gene DeGruson driving Eva Jessye to the airport. Eva lives in Ann Arbor now, her furniture has been flown out and she is now following. Conversation continues. 28 minutes long.
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Jessye-DeGruson Airport Trip, Part 2
Eva Jessye and Gene DeGruson
Recording 2 of Gene DeGruson driving Eva Jessye to the airport. DeGruson points out a limousine with American flags on it, joking that the US President is in there. 5 minutes long.
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Jessye-DeGruson Airport Trip, Part 3
Eva Jessye and Gene DeGruson
Recording 3 of Gene DeGruson driving Eva Jessye to the airport. Gene DeGruson accompanies Eva to her gate. 13 minutes long.
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Western Star, Part 1
Eva Jessye and Charles Cagle
Recording of the June 21, 1981 performance of Western Star, directed by Eva Jessye and adapted by Charles Cagle of the English Department. State Senator Don Allegrucci, Pittsburg native, acted as representative of Governor John Carlin. Part 1 is 45 minutes long. Not all songs were identified, unidentified songs have been distinguished by some of their lyrics.
Featured Songs:
- The Landing of the Pilgrims [Presumed]
- Tis the Gift to be Simple
- My Country Tis Of Thee
- Born Free
- How Great Thou Art
- Child of Grace
- Get on the Main Line
- Unknown song following a reading of “The Coming of the Trees” by Arthur Guiterman
- “The blue, blue Earth turns round and round, and we’re on Earth together.” [Unknown]
- "No time, the river runs and so does time” . . . “But hatin’ takes too much heart” [Unknown]
- The Boatmen’s Dance
- Gum Tree Canoe
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Western Star, Part 2
Eva Jessye and Charles Cagle
Recording of the June 21, 1981 performance of Western Star, directed by Eva Jessye and adapted by Charles Cagle of the English Department. State Senator Don Allegrucci, Pittsburg native, acted as representative of Governor John Carlin. Part 2 is 18 minutes long. Not all songs are unidentified so in lieu of a title, major lyrics from each have been provided.
Featured Songs:
- “I Want a Regular Man”
- Santiana/The Plains of Mexico: “Santa Anna's gone away, hurrah; Santa Anna’s, Santa Anna’s gone away; across the plains of Mexico”
- Instrumental jazz song
- “How do you do I’m an American and I'm proud of it each day; I am the envy of the millions in the countries of the world and God is watching o’er me every time I fight the [world?]”
- “Singing with a sword in my hand, Lord”
- “Freedom is a thing worth talking about”
Eva Jessye brings the performers onto the stage and thanks the audience for watching the show with a short speech.
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Langston Hughes Celebration Conference Speech
Eva Jessye
Dr. Eva Jessye giving an after dinner speech at the first annual Langston Hughes Conference, Missouri Southern State College. “Langston Hughes, His Works Do Follow Him”
Recording is 26 minutes long.
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Exodusters WREN Radio Station, Eva Jessye Special
Tom Roberts and Eva Jessye
An assortment of songs played on the Exodusters WREN Radio station, selected by Eva Jessye and produced by Tom Roberts. Recording is 33 minutes long.
00:00-01:14 – Introduction by Tom Roberts
01:15-03:25 – Shake Hands with Your Brother, performed by a black and white duo, neither trained but "the difference in vocal color is interesting”
03:26-05:46 – Interview section with Jessye
05:47-08:14 Exhortation, composed by Will Marion Cook, performed by Robert Smith, a student
08:15-10:36 – I Belong to that Band, performed by the Eva Jessye Choir, 1936 recording
10:36-14:17 – Interview section with Jessye
14:18-18:40 – Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me), performed by Richard Cook of Pittsburg State University faculty
19:10-21:57 – Bill, song from Show Boat, performed by Mary Offenbacker
21:58-24:11 – Interview section with Jessye
24:12-26:26 – I Want to Go to Heaven and Rest/Little David Play on Your Harp, arranged by Eva Jessye and recorded by a male quartet in 1945
26:27-30:10 – Hubert Humphrey tribute, arranged by Eva Jessye and Gene DeGruson, Special Collections librarian at Pittsburg State University
30:11-32:44 – Sunny Kansas, lyrics by Eva Jessye and Gene DeGruson
32:45-End – Outro by Tom Roberts
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Exodusters WREN Radio Station, Eva Jessye Special - Extras
Eva Jessye
An assortment of songs, possibly related to the Exodusters WREN Radio Station broadcast. Date of recording and performers unknown. Recording is 11 and a half minutes long.
00:20-00:55 – Unknown. Lyrics: [Staggered] Can you use me lord; Like I am I’m good for nothing, but you can make me something; I’ve been thinking here of late, that you can use me lord.
01:03-05:03 – Humoresques No. 7, composed by Antonín Dvořák
05:34-11:18 – Au fond du temple saint, Les pecheurs de perles
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Exodusters WREN Radio Station, Eva Jessye Special - Songs Only
Eva Jessye
An assortment of songs, most of which were played on the Exodusters WREN Radio station. Recording is 29 minutes long.
00:00-02:12 – Shake Hands with your Brother, performed by a black and white duo
02:19-04:27 – Exhortation, composed by Will Marion Cook, performed by Robert Smith, a student
04:46-06:56 – I Belong to that Band, performed by the Eva Jessye Choir, 1936 recording
07:20-8:52 – Strawberry Woman; Honey Man; Crab Man [Not played in original broadcast]
09:10-13:18 – Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me), performed by Richard Cook of Pittsburg State University faculty
13:34-16:22 – Bill, Show Boat, performed by Mary Offenbacker
16:42-18:53 – I Want to Go to Heaven and Rest/Little David Play on Your Harp, arranged by Eva Jessye and recorded by a male quartet in 1945
19:02-22:12 – Unknown. Lyrics: My love is in the sky with the moon [something]; my love is in the valley with the roses of June [Not played in original broadcast]
22:34-25:46 – Hubert Humphrey tribute, arranged by Eva Jessye and Gene DeGruson, Special Collections librarian at Pittsburg State University
26:05-28:25 – Sunny Kansas, lyrics by Eva Jessye and Gene DeGruson
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One Way Turn with Eubie Blake
Eva Jessye
One-sided phone conversation with Eubie Blake, American pianist and composer of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. We hear Eva Jessye's side of the conversation, informing him that she has moved to Pittsburg.
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Chronicle of Job
Reginald Beane
Recording of the piano score by Reginald Beane for Jessye's work, The Chronicle of Job, composed in 1936. This program, as Jessye describes, is "a modernized, dramatic version of History's most patient man. Theme: 'Blessed Be the Name of the Lord.' . . . (from the Black Church)."
Date of the audio recording and pianist are unknown. Recording is approx. 12 minutes long.
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Strawberry Woman
George Gershwin, Eva Jessye, Helen Dowdy, and Bert Williams
“This tape contains the only known recording of the original “Strawberry Woman’ from “Porgy and Bess” .... As first sung in the premiere production, 1935. Helen Dowdy was member of the Eva Jessye Choir for many years. Sidney Easton was known as the best imitator of the famous Bert Williams (comedian) .. “Nobody”.." - Note presumably written by Eva Jessye
00:00-01:23 - Strawberry Woman; Honey Man; Crab Man
01:44-04:37 - Unknown
05:14-08:44 – Nobody. Original music and lyrics by Bert Williams and Alex Rogers, published in 1905. The song was first publicly performed in February 1906, in the Broadway production Abyssinia
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Hall Johnson Choir
Hall Johnson
“This tape is by the famous Hall Johbson [sic] Choir. He is considered the peer of all arrangers, interpreters & Conductors of Afro-American folksons, especially worksong and spirituals. He was a fine violoinist, painter and my close colleague. He authores several folk-musicals and was feature in many Hollywood films.. And was the coir for the orignal “Green Pastures”... " - This note is presumably written by Eva Jessye.
Recording of the Hall Johnson Choir performing a series of spirituals. Details about the performance and performers is not available.
00:00-03:55 - I Cannot Stay Here by Myself
04:06-07:50 - Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen
07:57-09:20 - Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
09:22-11:10 - Walk Together Chillun
11:18-14:19 - Bye and Bye
14:26-17:43 - I've Heard of a City Called Heaven
17:49-21:14 - Lord I Can Ride
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Blue Monday
George Gershwin
Originally written in 1922, this jazz-opera was renamed 135th Street. Paul Whiteman, conductor of the original performance, loved Blue Monday and requested more music of this genre, leading Gershwin to compose "Rhapsody in Blue."
Recording is approx. 50 minutes long. Date of recording and performers are unknown.
This page hosts items, specifically videos and audio recordings, created by or about Eva Jessye, composer and conductor who was the Artist-in-Residence at Pittsburg State University.
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