Composer of nearly two hundred works, including five symphonies, four ballets, nine operas, and more than thirty choral works, art songs, chamber music, and solo works. William Grant Still Jr. is considered to be part of the Harlem Renaissance and the first African American composer to have an opera produced by the New York City Opera and the first African American to conduct a major orchestra in the Deep South.
Still is known as the "Dean of Afro-American Composers" and primarily known for his first symphony, Afro-American Symphony - the most widely performed symphony composed by an American. He was able to become a leading figure in the field of American classical music as the first African-American to conduct a major American symphony orchestra, have a symphony performed by a leading orchestra, have an opera performed by a major opera company, and have an opera performed on national television.
Still showed a great interest in music and started violin lessons in Little Rock at the age of 15. He taught himself to play the clarinet, saxophone, oboe, double bass, cello, and viola. Using a small amount of money left to him by his father, he began studying at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music but struggled financially. He then joined the United States Navy to serve in World War I in 1918, and eventually moved to Harlem. In the 1930s, Still worked as an arranger of popular music, composing works for popular NBC Radio broadcasts.
His first major orchestral composition, Symphony No. 1 "Afro-American", was the first time the complete score of a work by an African American was performed by a major orchestra and by the end of World War II, the piece had been performed in orchestras located in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Berlin, Paris, and London. The symphony was arguably the most popular of any composed by an American to that time.
Moving to Los Angeles in 1934 after receiving his first Guggenheim Fellowship allowed Still to begin work on the first of his nine operas. Two years later, he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, becoming the first African American to conduct a major American orchestra in a performance of his own works.
His musical arrangements include films such as Pennies from Heaven, starring actor Bing Crosby. Still was also hired to arrange music for the 1943 film Stormy Weather, but left because "Twentieth-Century Fox 'degraded colored people.'" For the 1939 New York World's Fair, he composed Song of a City for the exhibit "Democracity," which played continuously during the fair's run but despite writing music for the fair, he was unable to attend the fair without police protection except on "Negro Day".
His opera Troubled Island performed in 1949 by the New York City Opera was the first opera by an American to be performed by a major company. His works were performed internationally by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and BBC Orchestra.
Additionally, Still was the first African American to conduct a major orchestra in the Deep South in 1955. He died in Los Angeles in 1978, but three years after his death, A Bayou Legend became the first opera by an African-American composer to be performed on national television.
Sources: Blackfacts.com; Library of Congress.gov; Wikipedia.org
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The Washington State Department of Transportation Office of Equity and Civil Rights is now accepting applications for the Pre-Apprenticeship and Support Services (PASS) grant program for the 2025-2027 biennium.
The program seeks vendors to conduct outreach to socially and economically disadvantaged individuals living in Washington State.
Vendors will assess individual needs, provide pre-employment assistance, and help remove barriers to employment. They will also offer pre-apprenticeship training programs to prepare individuals for careers in highway construction.
Eligible applicants must be non-profit organizations, including local Native American tribes, churches, and community-based organizations, to support WSDOT’s workforce diversity goals.
Pre-Apprenticeship & Supportive Services Grant Program (PASS Program) | WSDOT. Scan the QR code for information on how to apply!
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Additional events listed at CAAA.WA.Gov/events
For women of color over 40, getting a yearly screening mammogram is an important part of your preventative health care, but it can be hard to find time for an appointment.
Fred Hutch's state-of-the-art Mammogram Van makes it easier by coming to neighborhood locations all over the greater Seattle area, making it fast and convenient to get the preventative care you need.
May 16 - Rainier Beach Neighborcare 9245 Rainier Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98118
May 22 - Federal Way Commons Coordinated Care 1928 S. Commons
Federal Way, WA 98003 near Chase Bank
May 27 - Columbia City Neighborcare 4400 37th Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98103
Call and schedule your screening today 206-606-7800. Walk-ins are welcome!
As of January 1, 2024, Washington state law (RCW 48.43.076) requires many health plans to cover certain breast imaging exams (including follow-up imaging after an abnormal screening mammogram, diagnostic mammograms and breast MRIs/ultrasounds for patients at high risk for breast cancer) with no patient cost-sharing.
Innovative Change Makers Presents: The Change Movement
Featuring Netflix Rhythm & Flow Winner and Grammy-nominated artist D Smoke and more!
Saturday, June 7th 4pm | Eastside Community Center, Tacoma, WA
FREE event with registration - Music, inspiration, and a movement rooted in real change.
 Juneteenth at NAAM: A Movement for Joy
June 19, 2025 10 - 5pm
Location: Northwest African American Museum (NAAM)
Admission: Free & open to all
Juneteenth is more than a day of remembrance—it is a declaration of Black joy as resistance. At the Northwest African American Museum, we honor this powerful legacy with a celebration that is bold, vibrant, and full of life: Juneteenth: A Movement for Joy.
Come out and celebrate Black freedom, culture, and creativity with us. Bring your friends, your family, and your joy—this is a space for all generations.
Learn more at: https://www.naamnw.org/juneteenth
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