Kansas

Meet the Black women making waves in this state—leaders, creators, and changemakers redefining what’s possible.

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Jan 20
January
Composer
Musician
Civil Rights
Eva Jessye
Dr. Jessye (1895-1992) was a preeminent Conductor, Choral Director, founder of the Eva Jessye Choir, and the first Black woman to earn international distinction as a director of a professional choral group. She was the first musical director for the original production of Porgy and Bess and, devoted to Civil Rights, Jessye and the Eva Jessye Choir were appointed by Dr. Martin Luther King the official choir of the 1963 March on Washington.

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