Part 4 – Establishing Long Beach Central Area Association and MusicUNTOLD

The Long Beach Central Area Association (LBCAA) was founded in 1987 as charitable 501(c)(3) unincorporated neighborhood association in the Central Area-Sixth District of Long Beach. This was spearheaded by City of Long Beach Sixth District council member Clarence Smith in 1987, principally to co-sponsor, with the City of Long Beach, the Long Beach Martin Luther King Jr. Parade & Celebration. I was elected President of LBCAA in 1997. LBCAA continued to serve as co-sponsor of Long Beach Martin Luther King Jr. Parade & Celebration for 19 consecutive years (1988-2007). LBCAA also served as co-sponsor, with City of Long Beach, of the annual Juneteenth Celebration from 2006 thru 2009.

In 2007, the LBCAA board decided to extend programming beyond the Central Area of Long Beach- Sixth District and established MusicUNTOLD as the event production arm of LBCAA with purpose of presenting arts and educational  programs that promote diversity and human dignity. The board is seeking to retain the historical name and record of achievement, but avoid presenting programs in other council districts and cities with a name specific to the Sixth District of Long Beach. The LBCAA was incorporated as a charitable 501(c)(3) California Corporation in 2010.

Approximately 1962, as a student, I attended a lecture and recital presented by Dr. Ora Williams, CSU-Long Beach professor, of art songs and arias by Black composers. Sometime thereafter, I started going to the library to learn more about classical music from Ora Williams,  Eileen Southern, John Gray, Raoul Abdul, and numerous others. However, I was captured by so-called “Black Music” and in 1965 started booking and promoting concerts of so-called “Black Music” artists. My interest and research in classical music was greatly heightened after befriending Roy Harris, composer laureate of California, in 1977. I subsequently befriended composers Ulysses Kay, George Walker and William Dawson to learn more and begin a gradual journey to heighten awareness of neglected classical composers. Please note I used NEGLECTED classical composers and not BLACK Composers because Roy Harris was not of African descent.