Lift Every Voice and Drum: Celebrating Black Joy
Center for Contemporary Culture
Hartford Public Library
Hartford
Feb. 19, 2026
“You’ve got musician’s eyes.”
That’s what master drummer Joanne James said to me when she asked me what musical instrument I play. I assured her that I was there as a writer, to cover the Lift Every Voice and Drum event that the main branch of the Hartford Public Library hosted as part of its celebration of Black History Month. Longtime readers may know that I did play the clarinet, many moons ago, in high school.
The theme of the event was celebrating Black joy, a welcome reprieve from a world that has been delivering a stream of bad news. The event featured spoken word poetry and a short film. It was the music that drew out the most smiles from community members and invited guests.
James and her partner, longtime Hartford activist Cornell Lewis, didn’t just try to find the musician in me. They were gracious and open with the fourth graders of Betances Learning Lab who journeyed to the library for the event. They explained the various drums to the children, and invited them to join in the creation of the music both by bringing them up to the stage and engaging in call and response with the audience. Lewis and James broke out one of the classics of my youth, “Funga Alafia,” a traditional West African song that serves as a greeting song to wish visitors joy and peace.
The duo went on to perform more songs, stopping to explain the history behind “Afro Blue” by Cuban percussionist Mongo Santamaría. Lewis used the song as an opportunity to talk to the students about perseverance, sharing that it took him two years of practice to learn how to perform the song.
“Don’t think this is easy, 'cause it ain’t!” Lewis declared after his performance.
The big surprise of the day for me was learning that the Bloomfield High School Gospel Choir had come to perform. As I said earlier, I played the clarinet in high school. Bloomfield High School, to be exact. It was a wonderful thrill to see the musical tradition of my alma mater being carried forth by such talented young people under the direction of Director Lisa Clayton. It was also a humbling one, as not one of the students who performed was alive when I graduated all the way back in 2003.
Bloomfield continues to be an incubator for student excellence, demonstrated by Nadine Glanville, the soloist for Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday.” Glanville, still only a junior, has secured a gymnastics scholarship to the University of West Virginia. She said that when she gets there, she wants to join their gospel choir.
“Music is a really great form of expression,” she said. “I spend a lot of time practicing gymnastics, so I enjoy being able to sing.”
A Black History Month event centered around sharing and joy was exactly what I didn’t realize I needed. As I looked around the room, I saw a multicultural, multiracial group of people bonding over the pleasure of music and the continuation of tradition. Joy brings all people together.
NEXT
Jamil goes to see a new play about writer James Baldwin.
