Statement from Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation

The recent killing of George Floyd, among countless other Black Americans, has reignited the issues of race and inequality in our world.  Their senseless deaths have reopened the world’s eyes to our ongoing struggles with society’s inequalities and injustices.

The Detroit Jazz Festival family stands with those who are striving for positive change in our society.  We fully support Black Lives Matter’s goal to address and resolve the problems behind these issues.  We will continue to cherish and value Black Lives and the Black Community’s gifts to the world. One of those gifts, jazz music, continues to serve as a unifying force for social change and justice. It speaks the truth and invites everyone. Without these gifts, the Detroit Jazz Festival would not exist.

We are committed to supporting the Black community…our artists, patrons, vendors, supporters and many, many others who enjoy jazz and make the Detroit Jazz Festival happen.

There’s a lot of work to do before we truly see a world that is a fair and just society for all.  But we plan to work every day to learn and grow together.

The origins of jazz are rooted in our struggles for equality in America.  Take some time to revisit these mighty voices and the poignant, and at times, horrific events that inspired these works. We believe they are relevant, inspiring, and offer wisdom, truth, and perspective in a way that only music can.

• • John Coltrane’s Alabama
  • Sonny Rollins’ The Freedom Suite
  • Charles Mingus’ Fables of Faubus
  • Nina Simone’s Mississippi Goddam
  • Max Roach and Oscar Brown’s We Insist! Freedom Now Suite!
  • Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit