February 10, 1988, Portland Observer, Section II, Page 9
Public Radio Celebrates Black History
Month: Music From African to the Americas
a / ashington , D
C. — Over the cen-
:uries the richly varied music of Afri
ca' traveled to various part of the
Americas, blending with other cul
tural influences and customs to pro
duce a striking range of musical
styles.
In celebration of Black History
Month in February, National Public
Radio's "Horizons" explores the
legacy of the African musical heri
tage, focusing on African music in
the United States, Cuban regilious
music, the Brazillian samba, and
African-American hymns. "Music:
From Africa to the Americas," a
series of four half-hour document
aries in stereo, is hosted by music
ian Taj Mahal.
"Horizons", a weekly half-hour
documentary series, may be heard
on NPR member stations across the
country. Check local listings for
broadcast times.
"The legendary Taj Mahal is an
ideal host for this examination of the
fascinating musics of Africa," says
"Horizons" series producer Donna
Limerick. "A brilliant musician and
ethnomusicologist, Taj Mahal has
explored
many
African-derived
musical styles during his more than
20-year musical career, including
Caribbean music styles, early jazz,
and Arican antecedents of the
blues."
Traditional and innovative African
music created by African-American
musicians is featured in the series
first program. The slave era de
stroyed many African musical tradi
tions which African-American musi
cians later relearned in an attempt to
preserve their cultural heritage.
Among such musicians in New Yor
ker Nana Yao Opare Dinizulu.
The distinctive traditions of
Cuban religious music are explored
in the second "Horizons" documen
tary. Music plays a crucial role in
"Santeria,’.' an originally West Afri
can religion in which the gods are
summoned through dance, prayer,
drumming, and song. Combining
elements of African worship and
Catholicism, Santeria still is prac
ticed in Cuba, throughout Latin
America, and in the United States.
Master drummer and Santeria
priest Milton Cardona plays his
music for "Horizons" listeners, ex
plaining how each sound in the San
teria musical ceremony has a speci
fic meaning related to the god being
worshipped. A Puerto Rican, Car
dona currently lives in New York.
In Brazil, African rhythms and
Portuguese influences have com
bined to produce the Brazillian sam
ba, which is the subject of the third
program celebrating Black History
Month.
Cyro Baptista, a samba
musician in New York, shares his
insights on the samba, which is not
one but many musics, representing
many regions in Brazil. The docu
mentary features different sambas
from Rio de Janeiro and Bahia,
and music by "Roots of Brazil, a
group dedicated to the performance
of traditional Brazillian music.
African musical traditions also in
fluenced the singing of Protestant
hymns during the slave era in the
United States. The fourth "H ori
zons" documentary in February dis
cusses how the techniques of "lin
ing o ut" hymns originated when
slaves sang hymns in the fields and
in rural churches, with each line
dictated by a lead singer and then
echoed I the congregation. The
stvle has become more elaborate
over the years — with the voices
of the lead singer and the congrega
tion ove iping in intricate melo
dies and i dhms - and is demon
strated or. Horizons' with record
ings of Dr. C.J. Johnson of Atlanta
and his family.
Producer of "Music: From Africa
to the Americas" is Karen Jeffer
son. "Horizons" is a program of
NPR's Department of Specialized
Audience Programming.
Series
producer is Donna Limerick. Execu
tive producer is Frank Tavares.
Born in dire poverty in a slave hut
Became a manual worker at the
age of nine.
Selected to develop
Tuskegee Institute
from 1881-1915.
An outstanding leader
in education.
Honored by Harvard
University and
C ou rte sy o f Tuskegee In s titu te
1856-1915
Dartmouth College.
Zi\ Albertsons
® C opyright 1987 by Albertson s. Inc
All Right» Re»erved
The Oregon Department of Transportation
IL L T U i t E A U
An Oregon Eng7 reer and Educator Making Oregon History
The Oregon Deport
nt of Tro spoliation is proud to pay tribute to
one of its own, C’’ ebeau.
Tebeau was tl e first black engineer to work for the Department
of Transp^atton He began his career with the Highway Division in
1948, after gradual ng from Oregon State University with a degree
in Chemical engineer’ng.
Rill
Bill beaan his ODOT career as an engineering Aide in Baker,
Oregon. He retired in 1984, as the Highway Division s Planning
Survey engineer.
He was a cornerstone for the planning and research of Oregon s
hiqhway construction and improvement programs, and was
responsible for mapping Oregon s cities, counties, and urban areas.
Developing Today’s Engineers
"Bill Tebeau has had more influence on the education, professional
development and mentorship of ODOT employees than any other
individual," stated Bob Bothman, Director of ODOT.
Tebeau has taught at Chemeketa Community College since 1958.
"My boss wanted to get his engineering license, r e n t e d Tebeau,
"which required an organized course of study. He asked me to
teach the class."
Tebeaus boss passed Tebeau's course Since then he has taught
classes in engineering, land surveying, hydraulics economics,
engineering mechanics, chemistry ancl thermo dynamics.
Tebeau teaches the Cnqineer-ln-Trgining Review the Professional
engineering Review, and the Land Surveying Review.
the
QJorkinq with the Association of ^ in e e r in o Cm^oyees^BiH wrote
iw
Study Guide for the states examination for engineering A ide and
Highway engineer positions.
The Jefferson High School Program
Bill’s commitment to education did not stop at ODOT. He was
committed to the Jefferson Program, which recruited h,gh school
seniors at Jefferson and prepared them to pass the engineering
aide examination.
T e b e a u and other ODOT engineers taught math classes at the
school, and conducted field cesses, such assurveying, storting
iho. h o ll fields and parks of Northeast Portland.
Students were employed during the summer on survey crews. A
number of students in the Jefferson Program found permanent jobs
with the Highway Division.
Looking Back
Bill has been named Employee of the: Year by the 0 ^ ° " State
Employees Association (now OP€U) and Teacher of the Year oy
Chemeketa Community College.
After the statewide "Christmas flood" of 1964, the Highwau Division
asked Tebeau to organize and staff the Divisions first Hydraulics
Unit— which determines the size and type of drainage structures
necessary for highways to cross waterways.
Tebeau was also asked to work with a private consultant to
determine the cause of the collapse of tne John Dou Bridge.
Standing out in the mind’s of ODOT's employees is th e direction,
advice, and encouragement they have received
model he has provided management on how to treu
iploL<2«s.