NPS - National Park Service

04/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/08/2024 15:51

Commemorate the Niagara Movement through Music on Aug. 11

News Release Date:
August 4, 2024

Join Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (NHP) on Sunday, Aug. 11 as we commemorate the legacy of the Niagara Movement and the lasting impact on civil rights, music and society. This event starts at 11 a.m. and will feature several educational programs and the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival's "Voices of the Niagara Movement" concert at 3 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public, though park entry fees or a valid park pass apply. Visitors are encouraged to RSVP for the concert to receive potential updates including changes due to weather.

Kick off the day at 11 a.m. with a ranger-guided walk through the beautiful former Storer College campus.

  • Discover the history of Harpers Ferry NHP with an emphasis on the history of Storer College and the Niagara Movement.

  • This 1-mile walk, expected to last 1-1.5 hours, will go from the lawn of the Stephen T. Mather Training Center to Harper House in Lower Town.

  • It includes a steep descent downhill with uneven steps over the last quarter mile.

Between 12:30-2:30 p.m., learn more about prominent members of the Niagara Movement.

  • Visit two park volunteers who will share individual stories and 3D stereoscope images of civil rights "Stars of the Niagara Movement."

  • The program will be along the sidewalk behind the Mather Training Center.

Enjoy a 15-minute program by distinguished historian Ray Smock at 2:45 p.m.

  • This program will be at the concert stage on the lawn behind the Mather Training Center.

  • This program will share the historical significance of the Niagara Movement within the context of the 20th century civil rights movement. Ray Smock is the Director Emeritus for the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, former Historian for the US House of Representatives, and the author of Booker T. Washington: Black Leadership in the Age of Jim Crow.

The Appalachian Chamber Music Festival's "Voices of the Niagara Movement" concert begins at 3 p.m. with a captivating program that bridges past and present. 

  • This program will be at the concert stage on the lawn behind the Mather Training Center.

  • The renowned Howard Burns Quartet brings the vibrant energy of jazz to the stage, a genre that owes much to the fight for equality championed by the Niagara Movement.

  • It features works by Storer College graduate and early 20th century musician Don Redman.

  • The second half of the program highlights the world premiere of a new chamber work about the Niagara movement by Rufus Reid, living jazz legend and Don Redman Award winner. A true innovator, Reid's composition promises to be a powerful testament to the enduring spirit of the Niagara Movement's vision

  • The program also includes a selection of enthralling chamber works by acclaimed Black American composers. This is a unique opportunity to experience the rich tapestry of music created by artists who continue to build upon the legacy of those who fought for a more just and equitable world.

Special shuttle buses will be provided from the park visitor center lot at 11 a.m., and ongoing from 2:15 p.m. until 5:45 p.m. Accessible parking is available at the Mather Training Center or by using the shuttle system.

The Niagara Movement is considered a precursor to today's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Leading African American intellectuals, including W.E.B. DuBois, held their first meeting on US soil in 1906 at the event venue-then Storer College. Storer College closed its doors in 1955; the campus became part of Harpers Ferry NHP in 1960.

This concert is sponsored by the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival, Harpers Ferry Park Association, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, the Corporation of Harpers Ferry, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information on Harpers Ferry NHP events, visit nps.gov/hafe. For more information about Harpers Ferry Park Association events, visit Harpers Ferry Park Association | Harpers Ferry Park Association (harpersferryhistory.org).