During the 1980s Shirley Ann Griffin-Martin was a student in the African American Studies program at the University of New Mexico. One of her projects was to record the music of African American celebrations and programs in Albuquerque. She donated her work to the John Donald Robb Archive of Southwestern Music in1985. Working with the University of New Mexico Black History Month program organizers, local church leaders, and Joe Powdrell of the Albuquerque Juneteenth Planning Committee, Griffin was able to capture on tape Albuquerque Juneteenth celebrations of 1985, 1986 and 1988; the 1988 UNM Black History Month Kickoff Brunch performances and talk; a 1988 United Negro College fundraising program at the Bethesda Seventh Day Adventist Church and a 1987 Christmas service at the Albuquerque Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Included in the recordings is the song, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which was sung in segregated schools across the nation. Composed in 1900, the song is considered the Black national anthem. (Words also online at http://www.cabq.gov/humanrights/public-information-and-education/diversity-booklets). The recordings document music and ideas heard by the Albuquerque African American community in the 1980s, including spirituals, classical and contemporary Christian music and hymns by church choirs and vocalists, popular rhythm and blues (R&B), blues, rock and roll, and rap music performed by local musical groups and vocalists and Drum and Bugle Corps music ensembles. Poetry readings, comedy routines, historical readings and speeches by local politicians about issues facing Albuquerque's African American community are also in the collection, as are talks by representatives of the Muslim faith. The collection illuminates the customs, social life, culture and musical heritage of Albuquerque and New Mexico. The names of songs and performers have been adapted and spelled as heard on the recordings. 3 event programs are included.
