Community Screening: Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues

Louis Armstrong is rooted in our collective memory as a legend, but few understood the man. Viewed by his contemporaries as a sellout for white audiences, Armstrong is also considered to be one of the greatest musicians of all time who left an indelible mark on the art of jazz. In Sacha Jenkins’s fluid and vivid profile, Armstrong is all that and more—an icon who refuses to be categorized. With his own words from personal audio diaries and letters, Pops relays political views and a deep resentment towards the establishment, along with jokes and ditties. Set to an explosive soundtrack with appearances from Nas, Wynton Marsalis, and the voice of Dizzy Gillespie, Black & Blues is an arresting portrait of a legend we only thought we knew.

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues is offered as a community screening, free and open to the public. Attendees must RSVP for tickets.