World of Arts & Culture
Roxbury has a vibrant arts and culture scene, with a rich history of artistic expression and creativity. The town has been home to many notable artists, including the renowned African American sculptor Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller. Roxbury was also home to the historic Roxbury Center for the Arts.
ELMA LEWIS, SEPTEMBER 28, 1975
Her achievements are obviously remarkable. Twenty-five years ago, she started a private arts school in the heart of Roxbury. As in the stuff of legends, she has built it into a singular Black institution with more than 500 students, a faculty of 88 and a budget of more than 1 million.
GROUP FROM SOUTH END MUSIC SCHOOL, MAY 7TH, 1944.
The Boston Pops Concert, a highly anticipated event, will take place on the evening of May 7th to support a renowned music center. Legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein will lead the performance. The accompanying photo features key members of the center, including Louis Walcott, Samuel Endicott, Ensign Byron Doren (USNR), and others such as Sonia Smith, Elaine Pinkman, Janet McKey, Charlie and Bobby Bait, Joan Titcomb, Theresa and Marion Imbrogna, Eleanor Collier, and Eleanor Bait. The joyful image captures everyone in elegant attire, with an energetic dachshund, Wendell Willkie, adding to the cheerful atmosphere
IRVING ASHBY
Irving Ashby, born in Somerville, MA, on December 29, 1920, began playing guitar at age 9. He studied at the New England Conservatory and played with Lionel Hampton's band in 1940. After moving to LA, Ashby worked with jazz legends like Gerald Wilson and Lester Young, and performed with the King Cole Trio and Oscar Peterson Trio. He also recorded with Count Basie in 1973. Known for playing Stromberg guitars, Ashby’s is part of the Smithsonian collection. His sister, Phyllis, and her son, Kenneth Kamal Scott, also had notable careers in jazz and the arts.