Inside Duke Medicine
Dr. Discount: Free concert to mark Gardens’ 75th strikes just the right note
posted August 27th, 2009A free concert by the a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock caps a series of events celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.
The event also marks the start of Duke Performances’ 2009-2010 season.
The concert takes place at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, on the South Lawn of Duke Gardens. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required. For information: sarahpdukegardens.org
The Grammy Award-winning group was founded in 1973 in Washington, D.C. by civil rights activist Bernice Johnson Reagon. Reagon offered the keynote address at Duke’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in January 2005 following her retirement from the group. Current Sweet Honey members include Ysaye Maria Barnwell, Nitanju Bolade Casel, Aisha Kahlil, Carol Maillard, Louise Robinson and Shirley Childress Saxton.
The group’s songs -- rooted in the legacy and traditions of African American culture -- call on listeners to embrace justice, peace and the rights of individuals. Renowned for the depth and strength of their sound, Sweet Honey’s music reflects African-American vocal and musical traditions. The group performed at the White House in February 2009 as part of a celebration of Black History Month.
“This concert is the Gardens’ gift to the university and the community for all the support they’ve given the Gardens over the past 75 years,” says Bill LeFevre, the Gardens’ executive director.
The Gardens received support for the concert from senior administrators university-wide and from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust, LeFevre said.
As part of Sweet Honey in the Rock’s longtime commitment to making concerts accessible to the hearing impaired, an ASL interpreter will provide translations of the performance.