A plethora of civic actions from community groups occurred over the last year or so, several with the expressed purpose of removing monuments and statues in memory of less-than-reputable individuals. On the other hand—and perhaps under-publicized—are the efforts by citizens to rename or co-name streets.
Emblematic of this latter action is the Elombe Brath Foundation’s unveiling and ceremony this Saturday, Sept. 23, in the south Bronx (corner of Kelly Street and Longwood Avenue) that will honor the legacy of the African Jazz Art Society and Studios (AJASS). For most residents of this community, the shorthand for this organization of political and cultural activists was “the Black is Beautiful Movement,” spearheaded by the late Elombe Brath and his brother Kwame Brathwaite.
According to Cinque Brath, Elombe’s son and Kwame’s nephew, AJASS was founded in the summer of 1956 “by a group of forward-thinking jazz enthusiasts who were talented creative(s) (artists, designers, photographers, etc.) who initially set out to save jazz from interlopers and keep it as an African art form.” During a radio interview with Imhotep Gary Byrd, Cinque cited the importance of a number of notables in providing AJASS and subsequent formations with popularity, including percussionist Max Roach and vocalist Abbey Lincoln (Aminata Moseka).
A slice of the group’s prominence and pioneering efforts will be highlighted at the ceremony, which will take place from 12:00 to 2:30 p.m. at the opening to Bill Rainey Park at the side of Longwood Preparatory Academy.
By the way, the park is named after a Black American veteran of World War ll who was an active member of the community and whose accomplishments included helping local students study abroad in the Caribbean. Rainey also served as vice president of a local community board. All of this makes AJASS a perfect fit for its location and the connection with him