The Billie Holiday Center Presents the 8th Annual Jazz in the Square - National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) https://ncnw.mmcxchange.com/ Tue, 25 Aug 2026 22:19:18 -0400 en-US hourly 1 Baltimore Times RSS Hub The Billie Holiday Center Presents the 8th Annual Jazz in the Square https://ncnw.mmcxchange.com/detail/the-billie-holiday-center-presents-the-8th-annual-jazz-in-the-square Thu, 20 Aug 2026 21:01:32 -0400 https://ncnw.mmcxchange.com/detail/the-billie-holiday-center-presents-the-8th-annual-jazz-in-the-square The Billie Holiday Center Presents the 8th Annual Jazz in the Square

Baltimore, MD - The 8th Annual Billie Holiday Jazz in the Square concert celebrates music, history, and culture at the historic Lafayette Square Park. 

The Billie Holiday Center for Liberation Arts (BHCLA) will host the “8th Annual Billie Holiday Jazz in the Square” concert on Saturday, September 12th, 2026, at the historic Lafayette Square Park from 2 to 6pm. 

Jazz in the Square celebrates the important legacy of Billie Holiday with music, history, and culture at Lafayette Square Park, one of Baltimore’s beautiful and historic gardens. The concert features world-famous jazz musicians from the Peabody Conservatory: percussionist Nasar Abadey, vocalist Charanée Wade, bassist Kris Funn, saxophonist Justin Mendez, and pianist Richard D. Johnson. This afternoon is emceed by legendary WEAA host Robert Shahid, with additional music provided by Charles Dockins. 

In addition to a lively afternoon of jazz selections, this year's concert also features an exhibit illustrating the early history of the St. James Episcopal Church and its abolitionist founder William Levington, the first ordained Black priest in the South. “Showcasing the centrality of worship spaces within larger conversations surrounding Black history, liberation movements, and culture is vital,” said curator Dr. Raynetta Wiggins-Jackson. “I look forward to attendees engaging their minds and enriching their souls as they learn more about St. James Episcopal’s impact on civil rights in Baltimore City and beyond.” 

Jazz in the Square is free and open to the public. “I am excited to continue this tradition of engagement with a foundational American art form,” Dr. Lawrence Jackson, Director of the BHCLA, said. “By taking jazz out from the symphony hall and returning it to its nesting place near Pennsylvania Avenue, we continue to deepen our knowledge of the communal creativity of the arts!” 

Register here for Jazz in the Square and learn more about the Billie Holiday Center and St. James Episocopal Church. 

Contact 

Xavier Walker, Assistant Director 

xwalker@jhu.edu

]]>