Exhibit

Eileen Southern's Story

portrait of eileen southern looking at the camera and smiling
Professor Eileen Southern, photographed by Lilian Kemp, 1986
Credit: Radcliffe College Archives, PC 479-1-2
Three people standing close to one another and smiling widely at the photographer. The man in the center of the group has a camera around his neck, and the two women are carrying shoulder bags. They are outside at night, in front of a metal railing.
Rulan Pian, Joseph Southern, and Eileen Southern on holiday, 1979[?]
Credit: Courtesy of the Chinese University of Hong Kong Library
A hand-addressed envelope sent via air mail from Grenada, with two colorful stamps, one of a fish and one of a group of people in a boat.
One of the many letters sent to Professor Southern from scholars and readers around the world.
Credit: Eileen Southern Personal Archive. HUM 253, Box 1, Folder 20. Harvard University Archives, Harvard University.
A poster with a montage of 12 scenes of Black performers singing, dancing, and playing instruments. The text reads “Announcing the Second Edition of The Music of Black Americans by Eileen Southern, Harvard University.”
Publicity for the second edition of The Music of Black Americans.
Credit: Eileen Southern Personal Archive. HUM 253, Box 3, Folder 22. Harvard University Archives, Harvard University.
portrait of eileen southern looking at the camera and smiling Three people standing close to one another and smiling widely at the photographer. The man in the center of the group has a camera around his neck, and the two women are carrying shoulder bags. They are outside at night, in front of a metal railing. A hand-addressed envelope sent via air mail from Grenada, with two colorful stamps, one of a fish and one of a group of people in a boat. A poster with a montage of 12 scenes of Black performers singing, dancing, and playing instruments. The text reads “Announcing the Second Edition of The Music of Black Americans by Eileen Southern, Harvard University.”

Feb 7, 2022 through Apr 11, 2022

Open to the public

Location

Richard F. French Gallery, 2nd Floor
Loeb Music Library
3 Oxford Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
See All Hours
Directions

In 1971, Eileen Southern published The Music of Black Americans: A History. This exhibition celebrates the golden anniversary of her achievement, which changed musicology in this country and beyond.

Professor Southern was a scholar of Renaissance and Black American music, and the first African American woman tenured in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University. Highlights of the exhibition include:

  • the first edition of her landmark book
  • over fifty letters from an admiring (and international) public
  • three never-before-displayed portraits of Professor Southern

Eileen Southern's Story was curated by Harvard University students, faculty and staff. The exhibition is held in conjunction with the virtual symposium Black Music in the American University: Eileen Southern's Story on April 7th and a live, in-person performance of works inspired by Professor Southern's writings on April 8th.

PLANNING TO VISIT?

Eileen Southern's Story is on view February 7 – April 11, 2022. The Music Library's exhibitions are open to current Harvard University students, faculty, and staff, and to all visitors with proof of vaccination and booster.