
Jazz is an art form that carries with it a complex history rooted in the essence of the African-American experience. In celebration of the new exhibition Posing Beauty in African American Culture which includes portraits of great jazz artists, this panel discussion will explore jazz music as a vessel for African-American consciousness which in turn shaped the greater American psyche. This discussion will be moderated by Kevin Lee, founder of MOJO (Mystic Order of the Jazz Obsessed) with panelists Dr. Kern Jackson (Director of African American studies at the University of South Alabama), Hosea London (leader of Excelsior Band and longtime music instructor), and Dr. Mary Angela Coleman (Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness at the University of South Alabama).