City Historian Jamon Jordan and esteemed pianist Alvin Waddles to partner on Third Annual Black History Month Lecture

Jamon Jordan, Detroit’s first official City Historian, will give the third annual City Black History Month Lecture in the newly transformed theatre at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

Jordan will focus on Detroit’s legacy of musical excellence using the theme: “More Than Motown: Detroit’s Impact on All Music.” The lecture will cover the music – jazz, gospel, techno and rhythm and blues – that has made Detroit a unique hub for creation and the envy of the world. Jordan will be accompanied by renowned pianist Alvin Waddles.

"We look forward to kicking off Black History Month with this program and partnership," said Neil A. Barclay, President & CEO of The Wright. “Particularly through such challenging times, Jamon Jordan is an important voice who provides critical historical facts and also the connection of how our past impacts our present and future."

“Jamon Jordan and Alvin Waddles teaming up to highlight Detroit’s vast impact on music is such a powerful combination,” said Crystal Perkins Director of City of Detroit General Services Department. “Detroit has been a cradle for so many transformative music genres, Motown, jazz, gospel, techno, rock, and beyond. It’s exciting that they’ll dive into not just the popular culture but also the deeper, far-reaching influence of Detroit on music globally.”

Rochelle Riley, the Director of Detroit Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship said, “I’ve visited 28 countries and could stop on any street corner and start singing a Motown song and someone would join me. Techno, jazz, rock and roll, hip-hop--Detroit has been at the forefront of all of it, so it’s time we own our city’s excellence. No one is better able to tell that story than Jamon. And no one is better to show that story than Alvin Waddles, who has offered brilliance around the world for decades.”

Event information:

Sunday, February 2 at 2 p.m.

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Event is free, but registration is required.

 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1218440812269?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Jamon Jordan has been serving Detroit residents and visitors for decades as founder of Black Scroll Network, a company that offers historic tours across the city.  Jordan’s tours have helped longtime residents, visitors and newcomers alike understand the history of the city and the role Black and Indigenous people played in its development. 

Jordan also teaches in the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science and the Arts’ Semester in Detroit program. Jordan’s course, “From the Underground to Motown: A Course on Detroit’s History,” focuses on the city’s cultural transformation during the 19th and 20th centuries. Jordan previously taught history at the Nsoroma Institute in Detroit for 12 years. Although it is now closed, NSoroma Institute was one of the city’s now-closed African-centered schools.

Alvin Waddles, a pianist, singer, composer and director, has delighted audiences in more than a dozen countries with his dazzling technique, fluid versatility and unique musical style. Waddles began studying the piano at the age of eight and has spent his career immersing himself in the rich musical culture of our city, benefiting from the diverse influences that would eventually shape his own unique style. He is a Detroit native and a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy and the University of Michigan School of Music.

Waddles has worked in the Detroit and Ann Arbor Public School districts and has lead music ministries at several churches, including the historic New Bethel Baptist Church, Hartford Memorial Baptist and Hope United Methodist in Southfield, Michigan where he has served as the Director of Music since 1995.

Waddles has also been a musical director and/or pianist for numerous theatrical productions including: The Wiz, The Color Purple, Dreamgirls, Chorus Line, West Side Story, Sophisticated Ladies. He served for a decade as Musical Director for The Three Mo’ Tenors. He has worked in a variety of destinations including Barbados, Beijing, Paris, Barcelona and Ghana. He has been blessed to work with some of the world’s finest musicians including Robert Shaw, Margaret Hillis, Brazeal Dennard, Minister Thomas Whitfield, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Placido Domingo, George Shirley, Marcus Belgrave, Stephanie Mills and Tramaine Hawkins. And he has been the featured piano soloist in the often-sold-out annual productions of “Too Hot to Handel” in both Detroit and Chicago, Waddles received the 2010 Excellence Award from Detroit Musicians Association and the Detroit City Council’s 2015 Spirit of Detroit Award. He was a 2024 recipient of the City of Detroit ACE Honors Medal for decades of service to the city.

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About Detroit ACE

Detroit ACE partners with organizations across the region to enhance and grow investment in the fine and performing arts, culture and history with a special focus on artistic entrepreneurship and support for the city’s creative workforce. Follow ACE @detroitcityarts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History was founded in 1965 and is in the heart of Midtown Detroit’s Cultural Center. The Wright Museum’s mission is to open minds and change lives through the exploration and celebration of African American history and culture. “And Still We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History and Culture” — the museum’s 22,000 square foot, immersive core exhibit — is one of the largest, single exhibitions surveying the history of African Americans. The Wright Museum houses more than 35,000 artifacts and archival materials and offers more than 300 public programs and events annually.