Who Are Asa Bundy Sheffey, John Birks Gillespie And Fayard Nicholas?

Who are Asa Bundy Sheffey, John Birks Gillespie and Fayard Nicholas? Feb 15, 2002 - © Lloyd Madansky

Who are Asa Bundy Sheffey, John Birks Gillespie, and Fayard Nicholas, and why am I writing about them in the Baha'i Subject? The obvious reason is that they are all members of the Baha'i Faith. A less obvious reason is that they are all African-Americans. They are also artists and recognized as being one of the best in their respective fields. Let me introduce you, my readers, to each of them. If you have never heard of them, perhaps this will enlighten you. If you have heard of them, I hope that you may learn something new. ASA BUNDY SHEFFEY Asa Bundy Sheffey was born in Detroit in 1913. The neighborhood he lived in was poor and being moved many times between his parent's house and a foster house next store disrupted his childhood. His vision was so impaired that he was unable to participate in sports so he devoted much of his time to reading. Upon graduating High School, in 1932, he attended Detroit City College on a partial scholarship. He published his first book of poetry called, "Heart-Shape in the Dust" in 1940, using the name, Robert Hayden. It is by Robert Hayden that he is best known. A great influence in his works comes from the influence of the Harlem Renaissance poetry. Much of Robert Hayden's work reflects his concern for racial and cultural advancements. Robert Hayden was a believer in the spiritual unity of mankind, with his faith as a Baha'i, being an influence and reinforcement to this belief. In his collection of poems, "Words in the Mourning Time" Hayden uses Baha'u'llah (Founder of the Baha'i Faith) to present a path to spiritual renewal. Robert Hayden passed away in 1980. JOHN BIRKS GILLESPIE John Birks Gillespie, known to his fans as Dizzy Gillespie, Dizzy ,along with guitarist Charlie Christian, pianist Thelonious Monk, and drummer Kenny Clarke, and Charlie "Bird" Parker, originated the jazz style as Be Bop. Be Bop is a musical style that, "By creating a new music, adapting a renegade style, asserting their intelligence, and demanding to be treated as artists, young African-American musicians forged a cultural politics that challenged all at once the banality of popular swing music, the complacency of older musicians, and a system of economic exploitation and cultural expropriation by whites in the music business. In doing so,

they helped forge a subculture that distanced itself from and challenged the mainstream. We see this approach in Amiri Baraka's Blues People, where the author argues that bebop music and styles represented an "anti-assimilationist" challenge to black middle class and white society..." (quoted from "Dizzy Atmosphere": The Challenge of Bebop.(Critical Essay) by Eric Porter. Dizzy was born October 21, 1917 in Cheraw, South Carolina. He was self-taught musically. Even though he recorded his first record in 1937, it wasn't until 1939, after joining Cab Calloway's band that "put Dizzy on the map as a trumpet soloist". "... Dizzy explained to me the history and core of the B'hai (sic) faith. He told me of the commitment to justice and equality central to its goal of elevating humanity, and also spoke of the persecution that came down on these people from day one. He said of Baha'ula (sic), the first martyr of the faith that he had told the people " I offer up my life as a sacrifice to your love". Later that night, during the concert, I, along with 750,000 in the radio audience heard Dizzy speak these same words himself. If you know what he did to bring peace to Cuba, the mid-east, Russia and practically *everywhere* else in the world, these words help you understand *who* Dizzy was." (From the article, "Dizzy Gillespie - I witness" by Ferdi Serim. ) FAYARD NICHOLAS Fayard Nicholas and his younger brother, Harold, where known as the Nicholas Brothers, and are considered to be two of the greatest tap dancers who ever lived. Fayard was born in 1914, and his brother in 1921. They played the famous Cotton Club for two years, starting in 1932. During that time they worked with Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington. In 1932 they made their first short film with Hubie Blake and his orchestra, called "Pie Pie Blackbird". Their Broadway debut with the Ziegfeld Follies of 1936. According to Fayard, they appeared in 65 films. The list includes "Sun Valley Serenade", "Big Broadcast of 1936", "Orchestra Wives", and "Stormy Weather". In "Stormy Weather" they did a routine on a set with steps three feet high in which they do flying splits over each other, not only down the steps but up them as well. The Nicholas Brothers have toured South America, Africa and Europe. They gave a royal command performance at the Palladium in London for the King of England. They have performed for nine different United States presidents and in 1965 they performed for the U. S. Troops in Viet Nam. Among their students are Debbie Allen and Janet and Michael Jackson. Fayard became a Baha'i in 1967. It is one of the sources of his happiness and he has shared his faith faith with many.

CONCULSION Please understand that I can only touch on the lives of these three great artists in just one article. If you would like further information, visit the following sites: Robert Hayden: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/g_l/hayden/hayden.htm http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/196 Dizzy Gillespie: http://www.duke.edu/search/?q=dizzy+gillespie http://www.southernmusic.net/dizzy.htm Fayard Nicholas: http://www.jitterbuzz.com/nicho.html http://www.nicholasbrothers.com/index.htm

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