The “Musicians’ Green Book: An Enduring Legacy” exhibit, documentary screening and live musical performance will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at the Cathedral of Grace St. John, 2950 Bilter Road in Aurora.
Presented by the Musicians’ Enduring Legacy Organization (MELO), in partnership with the Dunham Foundation, the event will feature a live performance by Josephine Beavers, MELO’s founder and CEO, along with a special documentary screening, according to a press release about the event.
Beavers created MELO out of a commitment to honor the overlooked stories of African American musicians who performed and traveled during the Jim Crow era, the release stated.
Motivated by the need to preserve their legacies and inspired by tools like the Green Book that once guided Black performers safely across the country, Beavers envisioned MELO as a platform to showcase the resilience, talent and historical impact of these artists, event organizers said.
Throughout the past month, the “Musicians’ Green Book” traveling exhibit has been seen across Aurora, organizers said.
“Aurora has enthusiastically embraced ‘The Musicians’ Green Book: An Enduring Legacy’ and we are so proud,” said Beavers in the release. “The community connections and heartfelt conversations inspired by this exhibit have been deeply meaningful to our team. We look forward to continuing this journey and sharing these important stories with future generations.”
The exhibit premiered at Waubonsee Community College’s downtown Aurora campus, continued at Aurora University and concludes at the Cathedral of Grace St. John in Aurora.
