
DATE: Saturday, September 13, 1997          TAG: 9709130355

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JANIE BRYANT, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   60 lines

AFRICAN-AMERICAN GROUP HOSTS TRIBUTE TO MUSICIAN, HISTORY

The African American Historical Society will pay tribute to the late Graham W. Jackson and other musical giants with a two-hour program of music tonight.

The event will be from 7 to 9 p.m. at Norcom High School, 2900 Turnpike Road. Admission is $10.

This is the organization's first fund-raiser for its mission of preserving the history of Portsmouth's African-American community.

Jackson's story is just one of many the historical society hopes to hand down to future generations.

He was born at the turn of the century in the former Lincolnsville neighborhood, the first community for free blacks in Portsmouth.

Jackson left Portsmouth and became a nationally known musician, whose audiences included Henry Ford, the Rockefellers and seven presidents.

Jackson played many times for Franklin D. Roosevelt and gained national fame when a Life magazine photographer captured him, tears streaming down his face, playing the accordion along the president's funeral route.

Jackson died in 1983 in Atlanta, where his family still lives. They will not attend the program but sent a letter thanking the Portsmouth organization for the honor they are paying the late musician.

Proceeds from tonight's program will go toward the historical society's projects, including the renovation of the small building on Effingham Street that once served as the only library for black residents in Portsmouth.

In addition to the musical tribute, the program will include an introduction to that project and others that the historical society is undertaking.

Charles Whitehurst, the society's chairman, said the next quest is getting Portsmouth church histories.

``If you get the history of the church, you have the history of the people,'' he said.

The society also is interviewing some of the older residents.

The historical society will sell souvenir booklets for $2. They are filled with historical facts and tributes to local musicians. The booklet also has nuggets of information on local history that ranges from notes on church organists to people such as Norfolk State University professor emeritus Emery L. Fears and the late Hiram Simmons, a local composer of piano, voice and choral arrangements who ``peddled his music in the street.''

Historical examples from the older residents, that members are continually adding to their treasury, also are included.

The organization will unveil another fund-raising venture - a plaque naming 100 influential African Americans from Portsmouth.

The plaques will cost $25. ILLUSTRATION: TRIBUTE TO GRAHAM W. JACKSON

The event will be held at 7 tonight at Norcom High School.

Tickets, available at the door, are $10. In addition, individuals

can support the efforts of the historical society by purchasing

souvenir booklets for $2 or plaques that list 100 influential

African Americans from Portsmouth at a cost of $25.

Performers include: Philippe Fields, saxophone; George Monette

III, vocalist; I.C. Norcom Band; Thomas Hardie, trombone; Virginia

Opera Guild; The Wilson Trio; Jackie King, accordion; Shawneque

Reid, soloist; Tidewater Community Band.