Hello George:

Thanks so much for the review on "Nineteenth Century Freedom Fighters: The First South Carolina Volunteers", published by Arcadia Publishing. Authors Bennie McRae and Cheryl Trowbridge have written a landmark book about the history of the US Colored Troop Regiment in South Carolina.

I describe it as a "landmark book" because McRae and Trowbridge have captured the spirit and heroism of these brave soldiers and the officers who led them. "Nineteenth Century Freedom Fighters" shifts the spotlight from the well deserved and well known chronicle of black Northern Regiments, and places the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, later designated the 33rd Regiment, front and center in South Carolina military history.

The book's title is a proud testament to South Carolina's Native Sons and the legacy of their fellow men in US Colored Troops. It reminds the reader that these men of color were active participants in freeing themselves and their enslaved brethren during the Civil War.

"Nineteenth Century Freedom Fighters" is the foundation for future books on South Carolina's military and cultural legacy.

On June 9, 2007, the legendary Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, Charleston South Carolina, will sponsor and host a celebration for "Nineteenth Century Freedom Fighters." A reception and book signing will be held during Charleston’s Spoleto Music Festival.

The Charleston Jazz Initiative, its co-sponsor will present a fascinating program including readings from authors McRae and Trowbridge and a lecture from Dr. Wolfram Knauer, head of the Jazz Institut in Darmstadt, concerning the post-Civil War brass bands and their direct link to early jazz.

I'm very proud to add that local Government and Corporate sponsors have given their support in celebrating South Carolina's military heritage. As of this writing, the sponsors of the "Nineteenth Century Freedom Fighters" reception reflect Charleston's commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility:

*The National Park Service, Ft. Sumter, South Carolina

*Charleston Place Hotel, Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises

*The Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Charleston, South Carolina

*First Citizens Bank, Charleston, South Carolina

* Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, South Carolina

I do hope that some of our readers will be able to attend and congratulate authors, Cheryl Trowbridge and our Afrigeneas Military Forum Manager, Bennie McRae for their scholarship and dedication to the memory of South Carolina's "Nineteenth Century Freedom Fighters".

The press release from the College of Charleston's "Charleston Jazz Imitative" will be posted on Afrigeneas shortly. In the interim, I've cut and pasted the information concerning the reception and book signing below.

George, thanks again for alerting the Afrigeneas Book Forum about "Nineteenth Century Freedom Fighters" and your sterling review.

K Wyer Lane

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2007
Contact: Dr. Karen A. Chandler,
Co-Principal, Charleston Jazz Initiative
843-953-5474 (W), 843-607-2160
(Cell) chandlerk@cofc.edu – karen@charlestonjazz.net www.charlestonjazz.net

Charleston Jazz Initiative Honors Former Jenkins Orphanage Band Musicians,
Freddie Green and Jabbo Smith during Spoleto and Piccolo Spoleto Festivals
New York City’s Village Vanguard Jazz Club Owner, Lorraine Gordon to Speak

Charleston, SC – The Charleston Jazz Initiative (CJI) hosts its 3rd Annual Return to the Source events, June 7-9, 2007 at various venues in Charleston during the internationally-acclaimed Spoleto Festival USA and its local and regional festival, Piccolo Spoleto Festival. The events will honor the late Charlestonian, Frederick William “Freddie” Green (1911-1987), a rhythm guitarist with the Count Basie Band for nearly 50 years, and Cladys “Jabbo” Smith (1908-1991), often considered the rival trumpet player of Louis Armstrong. Both musicians studied music with the famed Jenkins Orphanage Bands in the 1920s. Most events are free of charge. Event information can be found on www.charlestonjazz.net and www.piccolospoleto.com .

CJI, a project of the College of Charleston’s (C of C) Arts Management Program in partnership with the Avery Research Center, is a multi-year effort to document the African American jazz tradition in Charleston, the South Carolina Lowcountry, and its diasporic movement throughout the United States and Europe. Established in March 2003 at C of C’s Avery Research Center by Jack McCray of the Post and Courier and Dr. Karen Chandler, Associate Professor of Arts Management at C of C, CJI documents the rich jazz tradition of musicians who learned their craft with Charleston’s famed Jenkins Orphanage Bands and at the former Avery Normal Institute. Many musicians such as Freddie Green and Jabbo Smith went on to establish careers as sidemen with many of the country’s leading jazz orchestras and ensembles.

CONTINUED..."NINETEENTH CENTURY FREEDOM FIGHTERS" EVENT:

CJI, the Avery Research Center and Kathleen Wyer Lane, a New York City-based marketing consultant and CJI advisor in cooperation with Arcadia Publishing will host authors Bennie J. McRae, Jr. and Cheryl Trowbridge-Miller, two of the authors of the recently-released Nineteenth Century Freedom Fighters: The 1st South Carolina Volunteers. The free booksigning event will be held on Saturday, June 9th from 4-6 pm at the Avery Research Center (125 Bull Street) and will feature a discussion of this legendary 33rd Regiment – South Carolina’s U.S. Colored Troops. They were the first black unit of the Civil War preceding the famous 54th Massachusetts Regiment. These slaves turned soldiers were noted for their courage, discipline and pride as they served the Union and fought with little or no pay, poor equipment and abuse from both North and South. The history of these troops is told through the letters and journals of their commanding officer, Lt. Colonel Charles T. Trowbridge. A descendent of Trowbridge, author Cheryl Trowbridge-Miller is a genealogist specializing in slave ancestors of black families. Author Bennie McRae, Jr. runs Lest We Forget, an online resource about the service of black in the U.S. military. Wolfram Knauer, CJI advisor and Director of the Jazz-Institut, Darmstadt, Germany, the largest public archive in Europe will discuss black American military bands, how these bands influenced early jazz, and the role that several Jenkins Orphanage musicians had in military bands in the U.S. and Europe.