StateofVermont
HouseofRepresentatives
Montpelier,Vermont
ConcurrentHouseResolution
H.C.R.62
OfferedbyRepresentativesGreerofBennington,CooperofPownal,CorcoranofBennington,Durfeeof
Shaftsbury,MorrisseyofBennington,andNigroofBennington
OfferedbySenatorsBongartzandPlunkett
Houseconcurrentresolutioncommemoratingthe50thanniversaryoftheBlackMusicDivisionat
BenningtonCollege
Whereas,thejourneytoestablishBlackmusicasafocusofacademicexaminationandrespectowesmuchto
thepioneeringinitiativeoftheBlackMusicDivisionatBenningtonCollege,whichwasestablishedin1974
undertheauspicesofBillDixon,aRenaissancefigureintheBlackculturalscene,asacomposer,educator,
performer,andardentartisticadvocate, and
Whereas,thisavant-gardejazzluminarywasideallyqualifiedtotakeonthispedagogicalchallenge,having
studiedmusicattheHartnettConservatoryofMusic,organizedthe“OctoberRevolutioninJazz”conclavein
NewYorkCityin1964,andlaterco-foundedtheJazzComposer’sGuild, and
Whereas,aprimaryrationaleforthecreationoftheBlackMusicDivisionwas“tolegitimizeBlackMusic
withintheacademicsphere,”amissiontoday’sfacultycontinuestopromotewith“coursesthatexplorethe
depthandculturalsignificanceofBlackmusic,” and
Whereas,fornearlyfourdecades,anotherprominentfacultymemberintheBlackMusicDivisionwasthe
eminentpercussionist,NewYorkArtQuartetmember,GuggenheimFellowshiprecipient,andDorisDuke
FoundationImpactAwardwinner,MilfordGraves, and
Whereas,tocelebrateandreflectuponthishalf-centuryacademicodysseyanditshistoricand
“transformativeimpactonthefieldofmusic,education,improvisationandculture,”theBlackMusicDivision,
withthesupportofBenningtonCollegeAlumniRelations,issponsoringaBlackMusicSymposium,anevent
reminiscentofBillDixon’s“OctoberRevolutioninJazz,” and
Whereas,BenningtonCollegefacultymemberMichaelWimberlyisorganizingthisgrandgatheringof
“alumni,musicians,faculty,students,andmembersofthepublic”fortwogloriousdaysofexciting“live
performances,lectures,panels,andworkshops”thatwillhighlightthepast,present,andfutureofBlackmusic,
nowtherefore be it
ResolvedbytheSenateandHouseofRepresentatives:
ThattheGeneralAssemblycommemoratesthe50thanniversaryoftheBlackMusicDivisionatBennington
College,andbeitfurther
Resolved:ThattheSecretaryofStatebedirectedtosendacopyofthisresolutiontotheBlackMusic
DivisionatBenningtonCollege.