ICR African American and Black Resource Guide

Juneteenth Celebration – Cedar Rapids

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the end of slavery in America. After the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863, owners in many isolated areas kept word from their slaves so that they would not flee. On June 19, 1865, some of the last slaves in America were freed when the news at last reached Confederate Galveston, Texas. Since that day, Juneteenth has been celebrated to honor the African Americans who built this nation.

• blackiowa.org/juneteenth/

Iowa Soul & Blues Festival

The Soul & Blues Festival is a reworking of the former Iowa Soul Festival. Like its predecessor, the Soul & Blues Festival celebrates the music, dance, food, and art of the African and African-American communities that have influenced the culture of the United States as a whole. This event features local, regional, and national artists. Enjoy live entertainment, soul food, art inspired by African American culture, Fun Stops for the kids, and much more!

• summerofthearts.org

Jazz Under the Stars

Iowa’s Jazz Station, KCCK-FM presents “Jazz Under the Stars,” Thursdays in August. Join your friends and family for four free, family-friendly concerts.  Bring your own picnic or enjoy tasty treats from one of our vendors!

• www.KCCK.org

Taste of Jazz Program!

This is a fun evening full of music, wine tasting and amazing food prepared by Kirkwood’s culinary students to raise funds for KCCK’s Jazz education!  One of the best events of the year!

• kcck.org/taste

KCCK FM – Iowa’s Jazz Station

Jazz 88.3 KCCK is a no-commercial, educational FM radio station operated by Kirkwood Community College. KCCK enriches the Creative Corridor’s cultural environment through a variety of on-air programs and community outreach activities. Many of these programs center on the promotion and preservation of jazz, America’s only indigenous musical art form.

• www.KCCK.org

Uptown Live

UpTown Live is a venue that prides itself on live music and entertainment, local craft beer, traditional American food, and the unforgettable customer experience. We are dedicated to re-introducing blues and jazz to Eastern Iowa. Our one-of-a-kind venue welcomes outstanding blues and jazz artists from all over the country, as well as local cover bands and DJ-powered parties.

• https://www.facebook.com/UptownLiveCR/

African American Museum of Iowa

The African American Museum of Iowa is a statewide museum dedicated to preserving, exhibiting, and teaching Iowa’s African American history. As Iowa’s leading educational resource on the topic, we educate more than 30,000 people each year through museum tours, traveling exhibits, research services, youth and adult education programs, and community and fundraising events.

• www.blackiowa.org

Kevin B.F. Burt

For more than 25 years Kevin “B.F.” Burt has been electrifying audiences throughout the Midwest dispelling the myth that true blues has no roots in Iowa. His soul-inspired presentation is unique which consistently get him compared to a range of artists like Bill Withers and Aaron Neville, with the ability to build an audience rapport that has been compared to B.B. King.

• www.bfburt.com

Ray Blue

Ray Blue’s music can be described as a fusion of straight-ahead jazz and rhythmic groove. Ray is a New York bred saxophonist, composer, arranger and educator who performs internationally.

• www.rayblue.com

KHAS – Internet Radio; The Heart & Soul of Iowa!

The goal of KHAS is to create a sense of community and networking for the African American community, where topics of health, wealth and lifestyle, education and community involvement can be realized.  Musical genres such as R&B, Blues, Jazz, Gospel, radio friendly hip-hop and associated formats will be played.

• KHASBD.com

Iowa City Jazz Festival

Come down for a three-day weekend of live jazz performances, delicious dishes, and cap off the weekend with a full-blown firework display over the University of Iowa Pentacrest. You’re sure to enjoy the music from all four stages, which showcase a variety of well-known jazz musicians and up-and-coming talent alongside national and international artists to encourage and educate a jazz audience of all ages.

• www.summerofthearts.org

The Hook

The Hook is an organization rooted in the concept that outsiders become insiders and strangers become friends when we know one another’s story. They produce dozens of events each year which tell the true stories of our community through poetry, art, dance, music, and personal narrative storytelling made popular by The Moth.

• www.thehook.co

First Friday Jazz

What better way to start each month, than an evening of jazz at the Opus Concert Café. Offering an eclectic mix of the Corridor’s best jazz soloists and ensembles, each month features a new musical talent and their tribute to the genre that has defied the eras.

• artsiowa.com

Corridor Cricket League

The Corridor Cricket League is a Leather Ball Cricket League in Eastern Iowa. The league began in June of 2017 and has players from Iowa City-Cedar Rapids.

• corridorcricketleague.com

Well-Read Black Girl Book Club

The Well-Read Black Girl movement started as an Instagram account created by author Glory Edim and has grown into a thriving online community and Brooklyn-based festival celebrating the literary contributions of black women. The African American Museum of Iowa (AAMI) partners with Next Page Books to host a book club which meets monthly to discuss selected books by women of color. Book selections range in genre and theme and are available to purchase at Next Page Books.

• www.blackiowa.org/wrbgbookclub

Blues & BBQ North Liberty

The North Liberty Blues & BBQ brings the community together for a free, family-friendly event under the umbrella of live, Iowa blues music and remarkable food. The festival is coordinated by the North Liberty Community Betterment Group with the goal of providing North Liberty residents and visitors an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the area without spending money.

• northlibertyblues.org

Juneteenth Celebration – Iowa City Area

Juneteenth is the oldest holiday commemorating the abolition of slavery in the United States in 1865. The day is often referred to as African American Emancipation Day, and is a celebration of freedom. Join the Iowa City Area community in commemorating this day during their annual Junteenth Celebration. Activities Include: Music & Live Entertainment, Youth Essay and Art Contest, Health & Resource Fair, & more

• https://icjuneteenth.wordpress.com/