Latest news with #BattleHymnoftheRepublic
Scoop
13-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Commemorating Mummy: Reflections On Mother's Day
Commercial gimmicks are sometimes impossible to beat off. Their stench and pull follows, even as you look the other way. One occasion is most prominent in this regard. Nostrils get clogged and eyes get fogged, and the message is this: Remember Mommy. Mothers' Day is rarely more than the draw and pull of extracted business and mined guilt. This is the worshipped and leveraged, the human breeder elevated and remembered, if only for one day. It resembles, in some ways, the link between poverty and the church box of charity. Give a few coins and save the child. Your conscience can rest easy. The day itself denigrates the mother in false respect and guilts the family for ignorance to that fact. It sanctifies a family relation for reasons of commercial worth. Suddenly, Mummy escapes her metaphorical sarcophagus, the nursing home, the flat, and finds herself seated at the end of a table with regrets. The hideous spectacle follows. The grumbling, the sneers. Mummy wonders what she is doing there. Monument? Reminder? A disgusting reminder to die off? Thoughts turn to the will. It was not necessarily intended that way. In the aftermath of the American Civil War (1861-65), Julia Ward Howe, author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, proposed that women unite in common cause and promote peace. In time, it would become the Mother's Day Proclamation. In 1908, the idea became more concrete with West Virginian Anna Marie Jarvis's church memorial in honour of her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis. Ann Jarvis had been a committed peace activist aiding wounded soldiers during the Civil War. On May 9, 1914, US President Woodrow Wilson officially announced the establishment of Mother's Day as an occasion of national observance to be annually held on the second Sunday of May. Such observance was to involve the display of the American flag on government buildings and private residences 'as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.' Mother's Day in Australia only took off with Sydney's Janet Heyden, who insisted in 1924 on remembering the aging mothers at Newington State Hospital, many of whom had been widowed by the calamitous slaughter of the First World War. As an activist, she encouraged local schools and businesses to furnish the ladies with donated gifts. In its more modern iteration, it has evolved into a family affair. As Australian historian Richard Waterhouse benignly describes it, 'It's not just about recognising the role of mothers, though that's still there, but it's really recognising Mother's Day as a day in which families can get together.' As with other days of elected memory, Mother's Day draws in the retail and restaurant dollars. Guilty emotions are easy fodder for the capitalist impulse. Unremarkably, it was the United States that propelled its commercialisation, beginning with card companies like Hallmark and enterprising florists keen to make a profit. Jarvis, so instrumental in establishing the tradition, took to loathing it, attacking such marketing gimmicks as 'Mother's Day Salad'. For years, she harangued politicians, organised protests and sought audiences with presidents to arrest the trend towards commodification. Such efforts eventually exhausted her, leading to a lonely, poor death in a sanatorium. Even as the Second World War raged, the scope of merchandise in anticipation of the day burgeoned. An April 1941 issue of New York's Women's Wear Daily notes how 'Mother's Day as a gift event has continued to grow in importance, and is now second only to Christmas'. In Dallas, one Margaret Evans, promotion manager of A. Harris & Co., enthused at the growing number of departments offering gift choices for the occasion. These included bags, gloves, hosiery, handkerchiefs, toiletries, and jewellery. Eventually, women's libbers cottoned on to the idea that a commemorative occasion supposedly emphasising the importance of mothers had been hijacked and shamelessly exploited. In 1971, a pamphlet issued by the Adelaide women's liberationists suggested that the woman remained invisible, a chained martyr to the home, a slave to domestic chores and the cult of domesticity. Mother's Day was that one occasion of the year that a woman's invaluable role in the home was acknowledged, and even then, only imperfectly. Such a mother's 'basic needs', including a degree of independence from their children, remained unmet. But the pamphlet went further, arguing that women 'renounce [their] martyrdom' and reenvisage themselves as human beings and 'not just 'mum'.' The nexus with children was also a point of comment in that decade. Radical feminist Shulamith Firestone's The Dialectic of Sex: The Case for Feminist Revolution, took solid aim at the distorting role played by parenting, and mothering, in the formation of children. Implicit in her argument was that both the mother and the child needed emancipation. It remains a pertinent point, even as the swamp of commercialisation looks deeper than ever.
Associated Press
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Student gospel singers take stage at New Orleans festival known for celebrity acts
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival each spring is known for hosting some of the world's most famous jazz, funk and rock acts. Yet it's also become a showcase for lesser-known talent: local schoolchildren. Gospel choirs from area high schools took the stage Friday at the festival's famed Gospel Tent, continuing a decades-long tradition for Louisiana students. First up to perform was the Eleanor McMain choir, jolting the audience with a blast of musical joy, from the rollicking call-and-response of 'Melodies From Heaven' to an a cappella rendition of the 'Battle Hymn of the Republic.' Choir member Chloe Bailey, 18, said the performance is about pride. 'Not only do I get to make myself proud, my parents proud, I get to make the whole world proud and have a look of how beautiful it is to see Black people and Black children thriving and going up higher, because we don't get a lot of opportunities like this,' she said. In a city with a rich music heritage, the festival is a prized opportunity to celebrate arts that teachers say do not receive the attention they once did in schools. Music education suffered in New Orleans in the 1990s due to funding cuts, said Matthew Sakakeeny, a professor of music at Tulane University. Up until then, majority Black schools typically had at least one full-time music teacher, even when schools were segregated, but dozens of teachers lost their jobs and offerings were 'drastically cut back,' he said. Hurricane Katrina was another blow, leading to the city's traditional public schools being replaced with charter schools. Sakakeeny said there's enormous pressure to focus on core academics, rather than arts, as they'll get shut down if their test scores are not good enough. 'It's just ironic that we're the birthplace of jazz, yet middle school students, elementary school students might not even go to a music class,' said Emeka Dibia, the choir director McDonogh 35, the first public high school established for Black students in New Orleans. Gospel has been an integral part of Jazz Fest since it began in 1970, headlined by gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. Students from McDonogh 35 started performing in the 1970s, and more schools followed, Dibia said. It's now tradition for Jazz Fest to have a day featuring student gospel choirs. Even the artist featured on this year's official Jazz Fest poster, Tarriona 'Tank' Ball of Tank and the Bangas, performed in the Gospel Tent when she was in ninth grade. Choirs from another historic Black public high school, L.B. Landry, as well as two local Christian schools performed Friday, while McDonogh 35 will perform next week. McMain soloist Tyree Arso, 18, said it's amazing to think about performing at the same festival as artists like Lil Wayne. 'It makes me recognize the people who have come before me, and it reminds me to try to do my best to honor them,' said Arso, who will attend the Boston Conservatory at Berklee next year. Gospel choir is an extracurricular activity at schools like McMain, where choir director Clyde Lawrence has been mentoring young singers for decades. He said religious music is allowed in a public school setting because there's educational value to learning about a variety of musical styles. 'I want to expose them to our heritage, to gospels, to hymns,' he said. Choirs are paid to perform at Jazz Fest, which provides funding for arts education. But the opportunity matters for other reasons to students like Leah Hawkins, a sophomore at McDonogh 35. Leah says she's been surrounded by gospel her whole life, but in front of an audience she'd shake with stage fright. Her mom told her to join choir anyway: 'You're going to sing.' Since then, Leah, 16, said her confidence has blossomed. 'You can't care about what people think. If you have a voice then use it, it doesn't matter what it's for,' said Leah. Her choirmate Wesley Whitsett, 17, said he also needed an adult to push him to get over his nerves. Both students sang with a student choir at the opening of this year's Super Bowl, performing 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' with Ledisi. 'I didn't know I could do that. I thank God that he gave me the opportunity to sing,' said Wesley. Yet even for kids who have performed at the Superdome, there's something about the Gospel Tent stage. There may have been millions of people watching the Super Bowl, but Jazz Fest represents New Orleans' soul. 'I don't even know what kind of feeling it is,' said Leah. 'It's a very big feeling, I can say that.' ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Independent
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Student gospel singers take stage at New Orleans festival known for celebrity acts
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival each spring is known for hosting some of the world's most famous jazz, funk and rock acts. Yet it's also become a showcase for lesser-known talent: local schoolchildren. Gospel choirs from area high schools took the stage Friday at the festival's famed Gospel Tent, continuing a decades-long tradition for Louisiana students. First up to perform was the Eleanor McMain choir, jolting the audience with a blast of musical joy, from the rollicking call-and-response of 'Melodies From Heaven' to an a cappella rendition of the 'Battle Hymn of the Republic.' Choir member Chloe Bailey, 18, said the performance is about pride. 'Not only do I get to make myself proud, my parents proud, I get to make the whole world proud and have a look of how beautiful it is to see Black people and Black children thriving and going up higher, because we don't get a lot of opportunities like this,' she said. In a city with a rich music heritage, the festival is a prized opportunity to celebrate arts that teachers say do not receive the attention they once did in schools. Music education suffered in New Orleans in the 1990s due to funding cuts, said Matthew Sakakeeny, a professor of music at Tulane University. Up until then, majority Black schools typically had at least one full-time music teacher, even when schools were segregated, but dozens of teachers lost their jobs and offerings were 'drastically cut back,' he said. Hurricane Katrina was another blow, leading to the city's traditional public schools being replaced with charter schools. Sakakeeny said there's enormous pressure to focus on core academics, rather than arts, as they'll get shut down if their test scores are not good enough. 'It's just ironic that we're the birthplace of jazz, yet middle school students, elementary school students might not even go to a music class,' said Emeka Dibia, the choir director McDonogh 35, the first public high school established for Black students in New Orleans. Gospel has been an integral part of Jazz Fest since it began in 1970, headlined by gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. Students from McDonogh 35 started performing in the 1970s, and more schools followed, Dibia said. It's now tradition for Jazz Fest to have a day featuring student gospel choirs. Even the artist featured on this year's official Jazz Fest poster, Tarriona 'Tank' Ball of Tank and the Bangas, performed in the Gospel Tent when she was in ninth grade. Choirs from another historic Black public high school, L.B. Landry, as well as two local Christian schools performed Friday, while McDonogh 35 will perform next week. McMain soloist Tyree Arso, 18, said it's amazing to think about performing at the same festival as artists like Lil Wayne. 'It makes me recognize the people who have come before me, and it reminds me to try to do my best to honor them,' said Arso, who will attend the Boston Conservatory at Berklee next year. Gospel choir is an extracurricular activity at schools like McMain, where choir director Clyde Lawrence has been mentoring young singers for decades. He said religious music is allowed in a public school setting because there's educational value to learning about a variety of musical styles. 'I want to expose them to our heritage, to gospels, to hymns,' he said. Choirs are paid to perform at Jazz Fest, which provides funding for arts education. But the opportunity matters for other reasons to students like Leah Hawkins, a sophomore at McDonogh 35. Leah says she's been surrounded by gospel her whole life, but in front of an audience she'd shake with stage fright. Her mom told her to join choir anyway: 'You're going to sing.' Since then, Leah, 16, said her confidence has blossomed. 'You can't care about what people think. If you have a voice then use it, it doesn't matter what it's for,' said Leah. Her choirmate Wesley Whitsett, 17, said he also needed an adult to push him to get over his nerves. Both students sang with a student choir at the opening of this year's Super Bowl, performing 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' with Ledisi. 'I didn't know I could do that. I thank God that he gave me the opportunity to sing,' said Wesley. Yet even for kids who have performed at the Superdome, there's something about the Gospel Tent stage. There may have been millions of people watching the Super Bowl, but Jazz Fest represents New Orleans' soul. 'I don't even know what kind of feeling it is,' said Leah. 'It's a very big feeling, I can say that.' ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Winnipeg Free Press
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Student gospel singers take stage at New Orleans festival known for celebrity acts
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival each spring is known for hosting some of the world's most famous jazz, funk and rock acts. Yet it's also become a showcase for lesser-known talent: local schoolchildren. Gospel choirs from area high schools took the stage Friday at the festival's famed Gospel Tent, continuing a decades-long tradition for Louisiana students. First up to perform was the Eleanor McMain choir, jolting the audience with a blast of musical joy, from the rollicking call-and-response of 'Melodies From Heaven' to an a cappella rendition of the 'Battle Hymn of the Republic.' Choir member Chloe Bailey, 18, said the performance is about pride. 'Not only do I get to make myself proud, my parents proud, I get to make the whole world proud and have a look of how beautiful it is to see Black people and Black children thriving and going up higher, because we don't get a lot of opportunities like this,' she said. In a city with a rich music heritage, the festival is a prized opportunity to celebrate arts that teachers say do not receive the attention they once did in schools. Music education suffered in New Orleans in the 1990s due to funding cuts, said Matthew Sakakeeny, a professor of music at Tulane University. Up until then, majority Black schools typically had at least one full-time music teacher, even when schools were segregated, but dozens of teachers lost their jobs and offerings were 'drastically cut back,' he said. Hurricane Katrina was another blow, leading to the city's traditional public schools being replaced with charter schools. Sakakeeny said there's enormous pressure to focus on core academics, rather than arts, as they'll get shut down if their test scores are not good enough. 'It's just ironic that we're the birthplace of jazz, yet middle school students, elementary school students might not even go to a music class,' said Emeka Dibia, the choir director McDonogh 35, the first public high school established for Black students in New Orleans. Gospel has been an integral part of Jazz Fest since it began in 1970, headlined by gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. Students from McDonogh 35 started performing in the 1970s, and more schools followed, Dibia said. It's now tradition for Jazz Fest to have a day featuring student gospel choirs. Even the artist featured on this year's official Jazz Fest poster, Tarriona 'Tank' Ball of Tank and the Bangas, performed in the Gospel Tent when she was in ninth grade. Choirs from another historic Black public high school, L.B. Landry, as well as two local Christian schools performed Friday, while McDonogh 35 will perform next week. McMain soloist Tyree Arso, 18, said it's amazing to think about performing at the same festival as artists like Lil Wayne. 'It makes me recognize the people who have come before me, and it reminds me to try to do my best to honor them,' said Arso, who will attend the Boston Conservatory at Berklee next year. Gospel choir is an extracurricular activity at schools like McMain, where choir director Clyde Lawrence has been mentoring young singers for decades. He said religious music is allowed in a public school setting because there's educational value to learning about a variety of musical styles. 'I want to expose them to our heritage, to gospels, to hymns,' he said. Choirs are paid to perform at Jazz Fest, which provides funding for arts education. But the opportunity matters for other reasons to students like Leah Hawkins, a sophomore at McDonogh 35. Leah says she's been surrounded by gospel her whole life, but in front of an audience she'd shake with stage fright. Her mom told her to join choir anyway: 'You're going to sing.' Since then, Leah, 16, said her confidence has blossomed. 'You can't care about what people think. If you have a voice then use it, it doesn't matter what it's for,' said Leah. Her choirmate Wesley Whitsett, 17, said he also needed an adult to push him to get over his nerves. Both students sang with a student choir at the opening of this year's Super Bowl, performing 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' with Ledisi. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. 'I didn't know I could do that. I thank God that he gave me the opportunity to sing,' said Wesley. Yet even for kids who have performed at the Superdome, there's something about the Gospel Tent stage. There may have been millions of people watching the Super Bowl, but Jazz Fest represents New Orleans' soul. 'I don't even know what kind of feeling it is,' said Leah. 'It's a very big feeling, I can say that.' ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Student gospel singers take stage at New Orleans festival known for celebrity acts
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival each spring is known for hosting some of the world's most famous jazz, funk and rock acts. Yet it's also become a showcase for lesser-known talent: local schoolchildren. Gospel choirs from area high schools took the stage Friday at the festival's famed Gospel Tent, continuing a decades-long tradition for Louisiana students. First up to perform was the Eleanor McMain choir, jolting the audience with a blast of musical joy, from the rollicking call-and-response of 'Melodies From Heaven' to an a cappella rendition of the 'Battle Hymn of the Republic.' Choir member Chloe Bailey, 18, said the performance is about pride. 'Not only do I get to make myself proud, my parents proud, I get to make the whole world proud and have a look of how beautiful it is to see Black people and Black children thriving and going up higher, because we don't get a lot of opportunities like this,' she said. In a city with a rich music heritage, the festival is a prized opportunity to celebrate arts that teachers say do not receive the attention they once did in schools. Music education suffered in New Orleans in the 1990s due to funding cuts, said Matthew Sakakeeny, a professor of music at Tulane University. Up until then, majority Black schools typically had at least one full-time music teacher, even when schools were segregated, but dozens of teachers lost their jobs and offerings were 'drastically cut back,' he said. Hurricane Katrina was another blow, leading to the city's traditional public schools being replaced with charter schools. Sakakeeny said there's enormous pressure to focus on core academics, rather than arts, as they'll get shut down if their test scores are not good enough. 'It's just ironic that we're the birthplace of jazz, yet middle school students, elementary school students might not even go to a music class,' said Emeka Dibia, the choir director McDonogh 35, the first public high school established for Black students in New Orleans. Gospel has been an integral part of Jazz Fest since it began in 1970, headlined by gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. Students from McDonogh 35 started performing in the 1970s, and more schools followed, Dibia said. It's now tradition for Jazz Fest to have a day featuring student gospel choirs. Even the artist featured on this year's official Jazz Fest poster, Tarriona 'Tank' Ball of Tank and the Bangas, performed in the Gospel Tent when she was in ninth grade. Choirs from another historic Black public high school, L.B. Landry, as well as two local Christian schools performed Friday, while McDonogh 35 will perform next week. McMain soloist Tyree Arso, 18, said it's amazing to think about performing at the same festival as artists like Lil Wayne. 'It makes me recognize the people who have come before me, and it reminds me to try to do my best to honor them,' said Arso, who will attend the Boston Conservatory at Berklee next year. Gospel choir is an extracurricular activity at schools like McMain, where choir director Clyde Lawrence has been mentoring young singers for decades. He said religious music is allowed in a public school setting because there's educational value to learning about a variety of musical styles. 'I want to expose them to our heritage, to gospels, to hymns,' he said. Choirs are paid to perform at Jazz Fest, which provides funding for arts education. But the opportunity matters for other reasons to students like Leah Hawkins, a sophomore at McDonogh 35. Leah says she's been surrounded by gospel her whole life, but in front of an audience she'd shake with stage fright. Her mom told her to join choir anyway: 'You're going to sing.' Since then, Leah, 16, said her confidence has blossomed. 'You can't care about what people think. If you have a voice then use it, it doesn't matter what it's for,' said Leah. Her choirmate Wesley Whitsett, 17, said he also needed an adult to push him to get over his nerves. Both students sang with a student choir at the opening of this year's Super Bowl, performing 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' with Ledisi. 'I didn't know I could do that. I thank God that he gave me the opportunity to sing,' said Wesley. Yet even for kids who have performed at the Superdome, there's something about the Gospel Tent stage. There may have been millions of people watching the Super Bowl, but Jazz Fest represents New Orleans' soul. 'I don't even know what kind of feeling it is,' said Leah. 'It's a very big feeling, I can say that.' The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. is solely responsible for all content. Find 's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .org.
