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Zenobia Powell Perry
Zenobia Powell Perry (October 3, 1908 – January 17, 2004) was an American composer, professor and Civil and political rights, civil rights activist. She taught in a number of historically black colleges and universities and composed in a style that writer Jeannie Gayle Pool called "music with clear, classic melodies." Her work has been performed by the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony and West Virginia University Band and Orchestra. Biography Early life and education Perry was born Zenobia Powell in the once-predominantly African-American town of Boley, Oklahoma to physician Calvin B. Powell and Birdie Thompson Powell (who had some Creek Indian heritage). Her family was well educated and middle class. Her grandfather, who had been a Slavery, slave, sang her traditional Spiritual (music), spirituals as a child, which later influenced her work. As a child, Perry met Booker T. Washington and sang for him at his appearance in Boley on A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tawawa House
''Tawawa House'' is an opera written by Zenobia Powell Perry in 1985. It premiered at Central State University in 1987. A fully staged revival took place in 2014 in Modesto, California. Background ''Tawawa House'' is based on a real-life place in Ohio and set in 1852. In the town of Wilberforce, Ohio, there was a watering hole called Tawawa by the Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans in the area. A large, 300 room house, that served as a hotel in Wilberforce eventually became known as "Tawawa House." Tawawa House was "notorious for its popularity among slaveholders and their enslaved mistresses" during the 1850s. Travelers and vacationers were drawn to the natural springs in the area and stayed at the resort owned by lawyer and state legislator, Elias Drake. Slavery in the United States, Slaves that worked at the hotel were able to earn their freedom and get an education. The house was also part of the Underground Railroad, underground railroad. Later, the sit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
