In the mid-1970s, avant-garde musician and Bennington College professor Bill Dixon created a department called the Black Music Division. Along with fellow musician and professor Milford Graves, they taught performance and theory while bringing Black music into the academic sphere.
Joining to walk us through this history is Michael Wimberly, a percussionist, composer and Bennington College professor. Last year, he organized a two-day symposium to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the division's founding with live music and reflections.
This episode also includes a conversation with Vermont Public's Myra Flynn about a special Homegoings broadcast series and this Friday's upcoming live event.
Broadcast live on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
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