Being in a strictly rural area, the fact that one of the signature events at the University of Idaho — the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival — has diverse roots is a surprising and wonderful thing.
Jazz Fest celebrates a genre of music invented by the African American community and is named after an African American musician, Lionel Hampton.
Jazz Fest — presents an opportunity to celebrate a culture often overlooked on the UI campus.
However, event planners, musicians and students aren’t taking advantage of this opportunity like they should.
According to the university’s 2018 Student Enrollment Report, only about 1% of UI students are African American. The low amount of of African American students is shown in our represented student population. Being an event that celebrates an African American art form, we should take advantage of the opportunity to do just that.
While the university does recognize Black History Month, the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ Black History Month events do not garner audiences as large as those of the Borah Symposium, the Engineering Design Expo or the Bellwood Lecture. Looking at recent discussions like their film panels and Keynote events, few students attend.
In the case of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival the university is presented with the perfect opportunity to celebrate and elevate African American culture.
The event attracts 4,000 to 5,000 people, according to Jazz Fest Manager Joshua Skinner. Because it attracts so many people it has the capability to reach audiences that the Black History Month Keynote speech doesn’t.
In an area with so few events celebrating African American culture, it becomes even more important for students to learn about the culture.
As students, it’s essential we see Jazz Fest as more than just a fun event that convinces high school students to come to the university.
Students need to engage with events during Jazz Fest. Go to the memoir of “Hamp and Doc” to learn about relationships with Jazz Fest and Lionel Hampton. Go to concerts performed by the Lionel Hampton Big Band, a group of 16 performing jazz musicians. Spend time looking at Lionel Hampton and the event’s history. Reach out and ask staff about the cultural significance behind Jazz Fest.
As students, we can keep in mind the history and cultural significants when we attend the wonderful and unique events.
– Editorial Board