July 2010

Musical Milestones
Trumpeter Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong was born July 14, 1900, and changed the face of jazz forever. Dancer and expatriate actress Josephine Baker made her Paris debut on July 19, 1925. Two musical greats were born on August 29: Saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker in 1920 and mega-entertainer Michael Jackson in 1958.

Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing: How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment celebrates the 75-year history of the Apollo Theater, Harlem's landmark showplace for the best in jazz, blues, dance, comedy, gospel, R&B, hip-hop, and more since it opened its doors in 1934. This beautifully illustrated book is the companion volume to an exhibition of the same name, organized by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in collaboration with the Apollo Theater Foundation. It offers a sweeping panorama of American cultural achievement from the Harlem Renaissance to the present through the compelling story of a single institution.