- Coming up (funky music) on "American Black Journal," African American Trailblazer, George Shirley, talks about his legendary career as an opera singer and a music educator.

Plus, Omega Psi Phi fraternity's Detroit Chapter celebrates 100 years of brotherhood and service.

And the Detroit Deltas marked the anniversary of a foundation that provides scholarships and grants to students and nonprofits.

Don't go anywhere, "American Black Journal" starts right now!

- [Narrator] From Delta faucets to Behr Paint.

(soft electronic music) Masco Corporation is proud to deliver products that enhance the way consumers all over the world experience and enjoy their living spaces.

Masco, serving Michigan communities since 1929.

Support also provided by the Cynthia & Edsel Ford Fund for Journalism at Detroit Public TV.

- [Narrator] The DTE Foundation (gentle piano music) proudly supports 50 years of "American Black Journal" in covering African American history, culture, and politics.

The DTE Foundation and "American Black Journal" partners in presenting African American perspectives about our communities and in our world.

- [Narrator] Also brought to you by Nissan Foundation and viewers like you, thank you.

(funky music) - Welcome to "American Black Journal," I'm Stephen Henderson.

We're starting today's show with an African-American history maker who lives right here in Metro Detroit.

Renowned operatic performer, George Shirley, became the first black tenor with the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1961.

Plus, he holds a lot of other firsts as an African American musician and educator.

"American Black Journal" contributor, Cecilia Sharp of 90.9 WRCJ, sat down with Shirley for a conversation about his remarkable career.

- I am here with Professor George Shirley, the first African American member of the Army Chorus, the first African American to teach music in Detroit public high schools, the first African American male tenor to sing leading roles with the Metropolitan Opera, and the list goes on.

Let's rewind time just a little bit.

Professor Shirley, you really didn't have plans to be an opera singer.

You were about to get married and teach music in Detroit public schools.

And then, what happened?

- Well, the army happened.

The draft happened.

My life was set, my dreams were fulfilled, and we were planning on getting married in August of 1956.

We got a letter from Uncle Sam, and about March or April, 1956 saying, basically, "You're going to be married to me (Cecelia chuckling) in June."

The word went out that the army was going to create a singing organization to be attached to the United States Army Band in Washington DC.

The band had been formed in 1934, 35.

And it had never had a black member.

So, I decided to go in as a bandsman.

So, I went into the army playing euphonium.

- How did you really matriculate into the world of opera?

- So, along with two other members of the band, who were not that happy with that prospect, both of them were white.

We decided to take a leave of absence and go to Washington and audition for the chorus.

Conductor of the chorus, fellow named Samuel Loboda, he was a captain.

He was second in command of the Army band.

And my two colleagues sang their auditions.

And Loboda, who was very direct, was a really incredible man.

He said, "Well, thank you very much for coming, we won't be able to use you."

And I thought, "Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh."

My turn came, and I sang.

And he said, "Can you wait a few minutes after I finished?"

I said, "Yes, sir."

And he disappeared into the command room.

A few minutes became at least a half hour.

And I'm sitting there thinking, "Here's the same old stuff.

Same, mm!"

So, he finally came out, and he said, "Well, we decided that we would like to have you join us, if it's what you really want."

I found out years later that Sam Loboda had to go all the way to the Pentagon to get me in.

That was America.

- Tell us about the value of equality, music education at the elementary level on up through high school.

- I didn't, I mean, I'd been singing ever since I was five years old with my parents in church in Indianapolis, and then we came here and encountered one of the greatest systems of public school music education in the country.

In Detroit!

And for me, it's a primal force in educating people.

It doesn't mean that someone who has profited by studying music is going to become a necessarily a professional musician, but it means that the brain has been trained in certain ways that can be used, activated in professions that have nothing to do per se with music.

There are people who are CEOs of companies who are excellent musicians, Einstein was a musician, I mean, so you're taking away something that is essential, really essential in helping to grow the brain.

- You've taught at universities, you're teaching, you're a distinguished professor at the University of Michigan, but you also have a vocal competition that started about 11 years ago.

- I have a former student, Louise Toppin.

She and I came up with this idea of a vocal competition.

Focused on the art songs and the classical compositions of African American composers.

It has grown over the years to include university students, still has high school level.

And it has become international.

The University of Michigan School of Music Theater and Dance is now going to house this competition.

And it's a dream come true.

The music, the cloud is so-called classical music of black composers has not really been made as accessible, and has not been taught to the degree that it should be.

And that's being changed now at Michigan at the School of Music.

And it's open to all ethnicities 'cause music belongs to everyone, I don't care what you look like.

If I can sing Italian to Italians.

Or French to the French, or German to the Germans, or anything else, then everybody has a right to sing the works of African American composers.

I don't take credit for having been given the gift of song.

(George singing distantly) I had nothing to do with that, I don't remember asking the intelligence that created me.

Can I be a singer?

Can I be an opera singer?

Can I be a teacher?

(soft piano music) I don't have, I was given the gift, and I was also given the work ethic to develop the gift.

(George belting and singing) - And you can see George Shirley perform at "The Musical Voices of Alpha" event on Sunday, November 12th at the Marygrove Conservancy, the special tribute that late Paul Robeson, is presented by the Gamma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Detroit New Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

A Founder's Day banquet takes place next month, and the men of New Omega are taking part in a series of community activities as part of the centennial celebration.

I spoke with the chair of the chapter's anniversary committee and past president, Dr. Michael Carruthers about the fraternity's history and its service leadership.

So, 100 years of Ques in Detroit.

How did we ever survive that, that law?

(laughing) It's really, it's really something.

(chuckling) - Absolutely, I think we would like to say it was through perseverance.

(Stephen laughing) - Yeah, right, right.

So, let's talk about the 100th anniversary and the things that you guys are doing to mark that milestone.

- Well, we have been planning this for, this is a culmination of two years of activities.

And we planned a series of activities to last for the entire year.

Our particular chapter, New Omega Chapter, is one of the largest Omega chapters in the fraternity, and was the first graduate chapter established in the state of Michigan.

We were established on January 24th, 1923.

And we had been planning this celebratory activities for the entire year for 2023.

And so, we started off with a ecumenical service at the Fellowship Chapel earlier this year.

We had a golf outing, and we did some backpack giveaways, and some community service programs more recently at the start of the school year.

But the culmination of the activity was on, earlier this September, where we had a gala at the Motor City Casino with over 500 guests.

- Wow, wow.

Let's talk about the history of Omega's Phi Psi, and also the history of black fraternities here in the city of Detroit, how important they've been to bring people along, to create fellowship.

But then also, to provide really critical services, fill the gaps in service in our community.

- Certainly, I think all of the black fraternities, certainly in the Metro Detroit area have contributed to the wellbeing of African Americans and Detroiters in the community.

And certainly, we take great pride in what our members had done in the black community, and be advised that a lot of us, in terms of fraternal organizations, arrived in the city Detroit at around the time of The Great Migration, 1920s.

And so, some of the brothers who established our particular chapter had a profound impact on Detroiters in the city.

For example, Dr. DeWitt T. Burton was a doctor, he was a medical doctor.

But upon his arrival to the city of Detroit, he realized, because of segregation and racism, he could not practice his craft.

And so, he helped establish in the 1920s, three hospitals, specifically for African Americans.

Because even at that time, he was akin to the healthcare needs for the black community.

It not only served for African American patients, but it also served for African American healthcare professionals because they did not have an opportunity to do clinicals or rounds.

And one of the young doctors he reached out to, to give assistance to on this process was a young man by the name of Dr. Charles H. Wright, the founder of the African Americans, which we were able to help him establish back in 1965.

We also have a brother in our roles, brother Francis Dent, who was an attorney, who helped address in court the restrictive racial covenant laws that existed for African Americans for housing.

That certainly existed during The Great Migration and around World War II.

And he successfully addressed those particular racial covenants in the court, and they were a foreign runner to third grade Marshall's arguments years later.

And so, we are very, very proud of some of the things that we have done, some of our members have done in the African American community for the city patrol.

- Yeah, yeah.

That connection to Dr. Charles H. Wright is so important to so many people here in the city, not just because of the museum, but because of the hundreds, if not thousands, of African American babies he helped deliver here in our city, and I'm one of 'em!

On my birth certificate, the doctor who delivered me was Charles H. Wright.

It just shows how these small things that people do, these gestures that people make in our community have incredible reverberation across wide swaths of our community.

And no one escapes the touch of those things.

- Absolutely, absolutely, yeah.

- So, let's talk about Omega Psi Phi now, and what you see among the folks who are members of the fraternity now, and comin' up in Detroit, and joining, what's the future look like for this fraternity?

- Well, I think our future goes back to our past.

We still believe on helping those who cannot help themselves, and lifting as we climb.

We have a statement that one of our own has used, that we stand the tallest when we stoop down to help another.

And so, we still are on the mission to help our young people, help those people, educational-wise, and now or for financial literacy and mental health searches, those are things that are very indicative in terms of challenges in the black community, especially in most black males in terms of mental health.

And so, we would look to those areas that we can give the best service for our people and for our community.

- Yeah, yeah.

Okay, Dr. Michael Carruthers, congratulations again on 100 years of Omega Psi Phi brothers here in the city of Detroit, and of course, congratulations on all the important things that that has meant to Detroit over that time.

- Thank you, and thank you very much.

- This is also a milestone year for the Minerva Education and Development Foundation, which was created by the Detroit alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

The nonprofit organization is celebrating 30 years of philanthropy at a gala on October 29th.

More than $700,000 in scholarships and grants have been awarded by the foundation to students and nonprofits over the past three decades.

Here's my conversation with the event chair, Janice Mitchell Ford.

Janice Mitchell Ford, welcome back to "American Black Journal!"

- Thank you for having me again, I've missed you, it's been some years- - I was gonna say, that I haven't seen you in a really long time on the show.

But this is a great reason to have you back.

- Yes.

- So, let's talk about this 30th anniversary, three decades of awarding scholarships and grants by this foundation to students, this foundation is of course, related to the alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Tell our viewers about all this work.

- The Minerva Education and Development Foundation, affectionately known as MEDF, was organized in 1992 by women of the Detroit alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

And they came together to start a new tradition of philanthropy in the black community.

Black people are really good about passing on our traditions of love of church and love of music, and love of art, but we're not so good about passing down our money.

And so, the philanthropy part came in, and when we started doing our research, we determined that endowed funding is the best way to go because you can endow it, and then your good works can continue after you're gone.

And so, 30, 31 years ago now, came together, won the Kresge and Community Foundation Endowment Challenge.

And raised over $100,000 in a matter of two years.

And since that time, our endowment has grown to half a $1,000,000.

And we've given away over $800,000 in scholarships and grants to Detroit area-based students, traditional and non-traditional, so two and four-year colleges, as well as like licenses and certificates, and to Detroit-based organizations.

So, your money does good in the city.

And it can continue to grow after you're gone.

- Yeah, yeah.

So, I mean, I think it really points up to significant, I guess, dynamics.

One, as you point out, is the power of money when it's married with organization and strategy, and that's important.

But the other is the role that the Black Greek system continues to play in pulling our community forward, and pulling it forward together.

I think it's such a critical piece of our community, and I'm sure everybody always quite understands that.

- Well, I agree, the things that get the airtime, right?

Or the step shows, and things like that.

(Stephen chuckling) But the women of Delta Sigma Theta Detroit alumni chapter came together to not start a foundation for the Deltas, but to start a foundation to help others.

And MEDF, we specialize, if you will, in granting to organizations who have a operating budget of less than $500,000, sometimes even less than $100,000.

And so, we grant to organizations who would not get the attention of a Kresge or a Kellogg, or a community foundation.

So, some of our examples are the Sphinx Organization.

When we met Aaron Dworkin, he was operating out of his basement.

With an operating budget of maybe $50,000.

And so, we were one of his first funders, and he's gonna be at the event on October 29th, where we celebrate 30 years, and explain why it's important for groups like MEDF to give to upstarts, because it will attract other grantors.

The Detroit Phoenix Center is another example.

When we gave to them, I think Courtney Smith said her operating budget was $7,500.

- Wow.

And we gave her money that allowed her to get her youth council together.

And because her youth council was so strong, she recently got a grant of $5 million from Hood.

So, of course, MEDF, we only have one goal, to raise money and give it away.

(Stephen chuckling) And by doing that, we're impacting the city because we're giving to people who are actually doing the work.

- Yeah, yeah.

Talk about your history with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and how much it meant to you to be part of somethin' like that.

- Well, I have to say, a lot of Black Greekdom, if you will, is tradition.

(Stephen chuckling) And my aunt, Charlene Jones Mitchell, she's been a member of Delta Sigma Theta for 50 something years at this point.

And so, her and all her friends that I always called my aunts were my role models.

And so, of course, I became a member of Delta Sigma Theta, glad to be.

And then, I continued in my aunt's footsteps, she was one of the organizers of the Minerva Education and Development Foundation, and so she was the second president, I was the seventh president, and we're just continuing that tradition, beginning a new tradition of philanthropy in the black community.

- And it continues.

I mean, the great thing about Black Greek organizations is that there's this constant flow of new, younger people into the organization, and they stay, I mean, the fact that you're still involved years after you were in college- - Not that many years, not that many.

(Stephen laughing) - Not so many, right?

- Right, right, right.

- But that's a all part of it.

I mean, it all kind of regenerates itself over and over again.

- It does, and it's regenerative.

Not only in membership, right?

But also through the foundation for your money.

So, we have a donor, 96-year-old, Sarah Moore, she's gonna make a special announcement at our 30th anniversary on October 29th at the Rooster Tail.

- Hmm.

- She was a charter member of Delta Beta Chapter Easter Michigan University, she's 96.

And she's been a member for how many years now?

But she's continuing the work, and she's about to endow a special scholarship.

So, not only does our participation in community activities continue through generations, from grandmothers, to daughters, to granddaughters, but it also continues with our money, so that it can continue to do the work long after we're physically gone.

- Yeah, yeah.

So, 30 years or 31 years of this are behind you, cast forward just a bit to the next 10 years or the next 20 years.

How does this continue to grow, and how does this influence continue to grow?

- Right.

So, MEDF is unique, in that it is one of the only all volunteer organizations, black women-led, who focuses on endowments.

And that's how it continues to grow.

So, not only did MEDF start an endowment, but through our spreading of the gospel of philanthropy and endowments, we have had about 12 other people, African Americans, start their own endowments, to continue their own family legacy.

So, that's how you continue the work just to continue to spread the gospel of endowed giving, estate planning.

And then, individual giving as well, so MEDF becomes bigger the more giving that we do.

And the more giving that we do can only happen if we have donors who support, so we're very helpful and grateful for our donors who've been supportive over these 31 years.

- Yeah, yeah.

And you don't have to be a Delta to be a donor, correct?

- We do not!

Most of our donors are not!

So, that, again, Deltas help people!

MEDF helps people.

So, even though this organization was birthed out of, if you will, the Delta chapter in Detroit, most of our donors, and 99.9% of our recipients have no connection to Delta Sigma Theta at all- - Mm, yeah, yeah.

Okay, Janice Mitchell Ford, always great to talk with you, congratulations on 30 years of the Minerva Education and Development Foundation, and thanks for bein' here on "American Black Journal."

- Thank you, www.medf.net.

- Yeah.

And we'll put that on our webpage as well.

- Wonderful.

And if you wanna come to the event on October 29th, at the Rooster Tail at 2:00 PM, we can get tickets on the website.

- Still tickets available.

That's right (chuckling)- - Still tickets available.

That'll be a wonderful event.

- Yeah, all right, great to see you.

(pleasant electronic music) - Same here, thank you so much.

- That is gonna do it for us this week.

You can find out more about our guests at americanblackjournal.org, plus you can connect with us anytime on social media, take care, and we'll see ya next time.

- [Narrator] From Delta Faucets to Behr Paint.

(soft electronic music) Masco Corporation is proud to deliver products that enhance the way consumers all over the world experience and enjoy their living spaces.

Masco, serving Michigan communities since 1929.

Support also provided by the Cynthia & Edsel Ford Fund for Journalism at Detroit Public TV.

- [Narrator] The DTE Foundation (gentle piano music) proudly supports 50 years of "American Black Journal" in covering African American history, culture, and politics.

The DTE Foundation and "American Black Journal" partners in presenting African American perspectives about our communities and in our world.

- [Narrator] Also brought to you by Nissan Foundation and viewers like you, thank you.

(piano resonates)