Black Nouveau

(bright keys music) (upbeat guitar and horn music) - Hello everyone, and welcome to "Black Nouveau."

I'm Earl Arms, and this is our October edition.

It's also the start of our 32nd season of bringing you news, information, and entertainment by, for, and about African-American communities in southeast Wisconsin, the nation, and the world.

There's a new play from First Stage in Marcus Performing Arts Center, "Dream, Quickie!

Dream!"

inspired by the life of Super Bowl champion and Packers Hall of Famer, Donald Quickie Driver.

The play has adapted from his series of "Quickie" children's books.

We learned more about this inspiring story of hard work and dedication from our colleagues at the Milwaukee PBS series, "The Arts Page."

From the "Black Black Nouveau" archives, we'll remember when Earl Lloyd, the first African American to play basketball in the NBA, spoke at Marquette High School; and will talk with Kurt Dietrich, author of "Never Givin' Up," the new biography on Milwaukee's own minister of music, Al Jarreau.

And on another literary note, Milwaukee Public Library's first woman director was appointed in 1893.

It'd be nearly 100 years before another woman would take the role.

Tonight, Alexandria Mack introduces us to the first African-American woman to take on the position and the new chapter she's writing as the city's top librarian.

(upbeat guitar and horn music) (elegant strings music) - I think pretty much everything about my job is cool.

I just love the interdisciplinary nature of working in libraries.

- [Alexandria] When it comes to librarians, Milwaukee Public Library Director, Joan Johnson, has a forward to her fellow bookworms.

- People think all we do is read.

I don't get to read that much.

(laughing) - [Alexandria] But that doesn't mean she can't remember how she fell in love with the limitless stacks of literature at her fingertips each time she stepped into a library.

- I've been going to libraries ever since I was a little child.

I can verily remember my dad taking me to the library on Saturdays.

This was before we even moved to Milwaukee.

- [Alexandria] Finding inspiration amongst the pages.

- I keep Peter, who is the joyous character in Ezra Keats book from 1962, "The Snowy Day."

Ezra Keats was the first author to be published by a major publisher to feature a black character.

And it's so wonderful to have a children's book that has a black character for little kids to be able to really relate to, little kids of color.

Peter was the first character in a book that was black.

I'm the first black librarian.

We resonate with each other.

One of the things that I've always appreciated is that every day is different because somebody's always gonna surprise you with a question that you never considered.

And then in the process of trying to help answer that question, it's always a revelation.

There's often something new that I would learn when I was on the front lines.

- [Alexandria] A graduate of interior design, the woman who once decided a room's look is now helping others choose the right book.

- Once I started working, after I got graduated, I realized that some of my favorite parts of all of the projects that I was working on, as far as the design work that I was doing, all of that design work required research as a component, as part of the process.

And so, that took me back into the library to do the research for the design work that I was doing.

- [Alexandria] Setting her up for a hero's journey that would bring her back home to Milwaukee where she would later become the head of Central Library.

- When the deputy at that time retired, I was asked to move up into the deputy position, and then I did that for 11 years until the director retired.

And then in 2020, I was asked by the mayor if I would step up and lead the system.

- [Alexandria] Authoring a new chapter as the system's first African American director, overseeing more than a dozen branches.

- First, I wanna say that I do want to acknowledge and honor the African American women leaders who came before me, even though they were not directors, they were deputy directors, and really going back to the 90s.

So, I wanna acknowledge that we have had some admirable leadership and pioneers in this system for many, many years, I think, before many other libraries could say the same.

Cicely Tyson's autobiography, "Just as I Am," is one of my all time favorites.

Reading this story helped me learn how important it is to be proud and loud.

- [Alexandria] And she's proud to be serving in a trailblazing role at an iconic institution.

(cinematic piano music) - Central Library is truly historic.

It's been serving the public here for actually 145 years total, but this building did not exist until 125 years ago.

That's the anniversary that we're celebrating.

We have seven special collections, everything from local history to Great Lakes Marine Collection Milwaukee Road Collection, history of the Milwaukee Railroads, and we've got city archives in this building.

So, the collections are deep and broad and vast, and we have historians who use this library for research on a regular basis.

There are some amazing items in the Rare Books Collection which is right behind us here.

One of my favorite items in the Rarities Collection is the autograph book.

And the person who can talk about the autograph book is our rarities librarian, Tim Rush.

- The autograph book, or as is officially called, "A Book of Autographs," it features over 2000 autographs that were collected from 1896 to 1898.

- In my opinion, I feel like libraries are so significant because it helps people become knowledgeable about things that they might not otherwise have another way to learn about something.

- [Announcer] Your Milwaukee Public Library presents: - [Alexandria] This classic library - [Announcer] "Your Library and You."

- Libraries aren't just books, you know.

- [Alexandria] has been using contemporary ways, - You're right, Woody.

Today libraries have so much more.

Check this out It's a book as you can see I take it out from the local library - [Alexandria] bringing in a new generation of readers.

- [Newscaster] Incredible videos made by employees to help catapult their library into the modern age.

- We wanted people to know that we were still here and working on their behalf.

And so, we started to use social media more heavily to try to sort of connect back with people and engage with people who just kind of thought nothing was happening.

Some of the postings that were, you know, viewed by people got passed around and went viral, which was not something we anticipated.

And then the rest is kind of history.

- [Alexandria] At the core of every book is a spine.

And for Joan Johnson, that spine is a mission to help people read, learn, and connect.

- We're gonna continue the work of providing resources and services to a city of readers, lifelong learners, building healthy families and strong neighborhoods for strong a Milwaukee.

That's the role of the Milwaukee Public Library.

(upbeat guitar and horn music) (clapping and guitar music) - [Sandy] Donald Driver is a Wisconsin legend from his time playing wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, but he's just as extraordinary in retirement.

One of his accomplishments post-football has been his work as an author.

- I think it was just a childhood story, you know.

I think I wanted to write something that was really motivating to kids that go through difficult situations and different topics, right?

And so, the first book, as you know, "Quickie Makes the Team," was all about a kid trying to prove to the world that he can compete, that he can play, that he can be something more than just a kid, the average kid that's on the street.

- [Sandy] Along with the "Quickie" books, Donald has also written a New York Times bestselling memoir titled "Driven."

Gloria Bond Clunie adapted both Donald's autobiography and his "Quickie" books to form the script of the new play from First Stage and Marcus Performing Arts Center, "Dream, Quickie!

Dream!"

- So, I was inspired by not only the books, I had a chance to have a four-hour interview with Donald, and it was amazing.

We sat across from each other, and we talked all about his life.

So, that really informed me.

It really infused how his family was important, how he loved his family, how they supported him.

- This story, I feel like, encourages people to put in that hard work, put in that hard work for your dream.

- [Sandy] Dimonte Henning is the director of "Dream, Quickie!

Dream!"

Born and raised in Milwaukee, and a big Wisconsin sports fan, he was thrilled at the chance to lead this production about the Packer's all-time leader in receiving yards.

- Oh my goodness, he's been a treasure to be able to work with him.

I remember the first day that he came into the hall, I was like, "Can you teach us some football drills?"

And so, he taught us some, you know, chop it drills, how to catch the ball, how to position our hands, (footsteps pattering) - Good, good, good.

- [Dimonte] And those are things that people are going to see in the show.

- "Quickie" has been something that I've always wanted to come to reality.

I wrote the "Quickie" books to really try to set a tone of if you wanna work hard to achieve something in life, all you have to do is put the time in.

It doesn't matter, you know, how big you are just as long as you have a big heart, right?

And from that, I have always said, "What if I can make Quickie, a kid from the inner cities, become a actual kid show?"

I wrote 13 episodes with a good friend of mine.

We reached out to different people went to Hollywood, and we pitched it, and, you know, everyone wanted Quickie to have superpowers.

And I just felt like that wasn't for me.

I wanted Quickie just to be a kid from the inner cities.

Because when you talk about the generation, there's a lot of kids from lower poverty areas or low-middle class families, those are the kids that you wanna reach because that's my life, right?

I wanted people to understand that you can be from the bottom, middle class, and be very successful in life.

Those things didn't happen, but the Marcus Performing Arts Center and First Stage gave me this platform now that I can tell my story.

- [Sandy] In 2021, Donald became the first ever cultural ambassador for the Marcus Performing Arts Center.

- 1, 2, 3!

(indistinct chant) - [Sandy] The goal of the partnership is to make the performing arts more accessible to people of color.

- 21 years of my life, I've never been in the Marcus Performing Arts Center.

I'm a huge arts guy, theater guy, but I just never knew the things that were really going on.

And so, I really wanted to just like, how do we get more people of color into that world?

(lighthearted piano music) I had the pleasure of meeting the former CEO, Kendra Ingram, on LinkedIn, and we had a great conversation on her message on LinkedIn was that she wanted to make a culture change at the Marcus Performing Arts Center.

And from there I said, "Wow, this could be the perfect opportunity to reach out and see how could I be a part of that journey."

With me being a culture ambassador, I can tell the young men and women now that there's an opportunity, if that's performing on stage or that's behind the scenes learn it all because there's opportunities there.

And so, now we're really teaching young men and young women that you can be anything you wanna be in life, you just gotta work hard at it.

(upbeat guitar and horn music) - [Sportscaster 1] 10 seconds to go.

Puts it up.

Its good!

At the buzzer, Michael Jordan!

- [Sportscaster 2] Kobe Bryant has hit a shot at the buzzer!

- [Everett] Today an overwhelming number of players in the National Basketball Association are African-American.

But 60 years ago, the NBA had no black players.

(drum roll music) (audience cheers) That changed in 1950 when a number of players were drafted.

Earl Lloyd was the first to actually play in an NBA game for the Washington Capitols.

- And then you realize, man, the common denominator's about to happen.

And the great common denominator is when you scrimmage and they throw the ball up, we are all equal.

- [Everett] Lloyd was born in Alexandria, Virginia in 1928.

He played college ball at West Virginia State and was drafted in the ninth round by the Capitols.

He played in over 650 games in 9 seasons with the Capitols, Syracuse Nationals, and Detroit Pistons.

Today, the 80-year-old Hall of Famer spends much of his time traveling and talking to young people about his experiences.

On February 2nd, he spoke to a packed house at Marquette High School.

- First of all, I get asked, "Who influenced you the most in your whole lifetime?"

I had two coaches, my high school coach and my college coach, big influence.

But if you sit with me for 10 minutes and talk with me, you'll know who influenced me the most, my mother, all 5'5 of her.

My father, nice man, hardworking guy, and he kinda led by example, work ethic and all that.

But my mother, whew, tough cookie.

My first game as a Washington Capitol- now understand now, this is 1950, and the N-word was alive and very, very well.

My first game, and you know how they introduce the visiting team first then the home team, and they introduced the starters last.

So, I happened to be in the last group, and as I ran on the floor, there were two white guys sitting right behind my mother and father, and one of 'em said to the other one "Do you think this N can play any ball?"

Now my mother, who's an expert in conflict resolution, (audience laughs) she turned around and looked this dude dead in his eyes and said, "Trust me, the boy can play."

At the end of the game, (laughing) they were bosom buddies.

(audience applauds) In my lifetime, at that particular time, the playing field was not level.

But my first pro training camp was the first time in my life I experienced a level playing field.

The first scrimmage, and they threw the ball up, 'cause the ball don't know what kind of hands it's in.

And I said to myself, "Now, you've been told all your life and treated all your life inferiorly, if you have a statement to make, now's the time to make it."

I made some statements, and I had to apologize to some of my teammates.

And I explained to 'em, "Look man, don't take this personal."

I said, "Of all the trials and tribulations I experienced, somebody's got to pay.

(audience members laugh) And you are unfortunate, man, because you are convenient to me every day."

- [Everett] He was asked about the toughest opponents he faced.

- Bill Russell was never a welcoming sight.

We had a player watch him, when we went to Boston, we had one guy watching the Celtics run on the floor hoping he was hurt.

So, I have to say Bill Russell.

But the toughest guy that I had to guard one-on-one was Elgin Baylor.

- [Everett] Although he had to overcome racial barriers, Lloyd says he doesn't consider himself a pioneer like Jackie Robinson.

- Jackie Robinson was an island, man.

He's out there all by himself, man.

His own teammates didn't want to play with him.

In fact, if you can even remember back, Dixie Walker was hitting .343 for the Dodgers, the leading hitter in the National League, he said, "I'm not gonna play with him."

So, (indistinct) said, "You're right, 'cause you're going to Pittsburgh."

But, you know, and fans vilified him, man, and the opponents try to hurt him.

And he is a guy that, obviously, has fire in his belly, but he's told he can't fight back.

See, nobody told me, man.

I mean, if some guy tried to hurt me, you know, if it's a choice of him hurting me or me hurting him, you know, he's got the goal.

But he was one of my idols, man.

- [Everett] He knows the game has changed and has mixed emotions about today's players.

- Most of the guys who reach this level, they probably been spoiled right from middle school, so.

But I tell you what, they got some real, real talented people, man.

And I mean, they big people, man, they agile, and it's a pleasure to watch.

I mean, some guys get a little uptight about they fundamentals and all that.

I said, "Man, you can state what you wanna say, man."

You look at a kid like Tracy McGrady who's 6'9.

And not just him, I mean, LeBron James, 'cause LeBron is a phenom, but they got some people out there, man, can try to play.

Kobe Bryant can play, and it's a bunch of 'em.

Michael Redd can play.

So, only thing I ask a guy, I say, "Man, look, you know, every watch, when that group leaves, make sure you leave it a better place for the folks coming behind you, man."

(upbeat guitar and horn music) - "Never Givin' Up" is the first biography to chronicle the life of Milwaukee's own Al Jarreau, from its humble beginnings all the way to international fame.

It was written by Kurt Dietrich professor emeritus of Ripon College, who joins us now.

Professor, thank you so much for joining us.

My first question to you is starting with the motivation for you writing this book, why did you decide to take this on?

- Well, the first part, personally and selfishly, I had just retired, I wanted a project.

And I'd written several other books about jazz, and so I'm thinking, "What's next?"

and Al Jarreau just popped into my head because I had the connection through Ripon College to Al Jarreau.

And so, I checked to see if anybody else was doing this project, and no, nobody else was.

And I thought, "This needs to be done."

- Well, talk about his early life.

You got to learn a lot about him, obviously, but from his time in Milwaukee to Minnesota, the Bay Area, and you know, even through Ripon College, I wanna specifically talk about his time in college.

So, talk about that and anything that you find pertinent to his early life that we should know.

- Well, he did grow up in the central city in Milwaukee.

He grew up on West Reservoir Street, and at that time it was quite a mixed neighborhood.

And the schools he went to, including when he graduated from Lincoln High School in 1958 it was quite mixed racially.

But then he went to Ripon College, and Ripon College, when he got there, he was one of just a handful of people of color to be at the school for the whole time he was there.

Now, how he got to Ripon College was by way of Badger Boys State which is an annual event sponsored by the American Legion.

And leaders from high schools all over the state come to Ripon, and they do a mock government sort of exercise during the week.

And Al Jarreau came up in the summer of 1957, and despite the fact that certainly he was one his charisma, which she seemed to have had from birth, got him elected governor of Badger Boys.

And that led to him being offered a scholarship to Ripon College.

And even though he wasn't sure he wanted to go to college, he was talked into going to college and to Ripon college.

- So, talk about how- I'm sorry, I just wanna know how those experiences kind of shaped his music, especially given the title "Never Givin' Up."

How did you come up with that title, and just how did his experiences help shape the music that he was able to make?

- Well, "Never Givin' Up" is the name of one of his songs.

And frankly, it's a love song, Never give it up, never gonna give it up Even when this life is over Never give it up, never gonna give it up Even when this life is over Never give it up, never gonna give it up Even when this life is over I'll be content, I'm gonna be content Never gonna give it up - But the title of it just seemed right, and from the beginning and through a actually fairly slow start to his professional career as a singer, but right up until the end of his career and his life, it seemed to be a thing as he never did give up.

And he followed his muse.

He continued to tour right up until shortly before his death.

And he talked about, "Yeah, I'm gonna show up every day, bringing my lunch pail," and he meant he was gonna keep singing and doing his thing.

- So, we talked about race a little bit.

Why was that such a complicated topic for him with your research?

- Well, again, it's hard for me to know any of why it could have been specifically, but, you know, I just related the neighborhood he grew up in, the schools he went to in Milwaukee, but then he went to Ripon College, a very white enclave.

He went to graduate school at the University of Iowa also.

And you know, all along, well, in Milwaukee he worked with white musicians most of the time, Les Czimber being a famous one that he worked with for a number of summers and his college breaks.

And even when he started working professionally, he worked with white musicians a lot.

Of course, he worked with black musicians a lot too.

But his first duo partner, which was the first part of his real career, was Julio Martinez.

He did work with the great George Duke in San Francisco after he moved to California.

But there was that, but more than that too, Al was married twice, both times to white women.

One of his brothers was married to a white woman, another brother was married to an Asian woman.

And so, there were those things in play also.

And again, he never talked about how this made it complicated for him but you can't help but think maybe it did.

- Right.

Absolutely.

So, I ask you now with about 30 seconds left, what should Al Jarreau's legacy be to you?

How should we remember him based on this book?

- Well, first and foremost, he should be remembered as a great singer and one of the great singers of the last part of the 20th century and the early part of the 21st century.

He also was a good human being, and he believed in social justice.

He believed in bringing people up.

That is to say, to enrich their lives, to make them feel better about themselves and one another.

- Professor, thank you so much for your time and for being here on "Black Nouveau."

- Thanks.

It was my pleasure.

- We're gonna continue this conversation online at milwaukeepbs.org.

Please join us there.

Before we close tonight, Milwaukee recently lost a special advocate for young girls throughout southeastern Wisconsin.

Gerry Howze, former Executive Director of PEARLS for Teen Girls, died September 17th after having battled a rare cancer for over two years.

She worked for PEARLS for more than 25 years.

The program serves girls in 5th through 12th grades by providing them with mentorship, goal planning, and college readiness by showing them how to value themselves, their family, and their community.

Howze was 56 years old.

And that's our program for this month.

As always, be sure to join us online at milwaukeepbs.org.

On behalf of the "Black Nouveau" team, I'm Earl Arms.

Have a great evening.

(uptempo guitar music)