Allen Toussaint  Celebration in New Jersey 

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On Thursday, June 26, 2025, ESPER along with the NAACP of Camden County celebrated Black Music Month with a live jazz performance and a tribute to musician Allen Touissant who was recognized with a stamp this year.  Along with EPSER and the NAACP celebration co-hosts were JazzBridge and The Pierians, Philadelphia Chapter.

 

Jazz Bridge assists Jazz and Blues musicians living in the Greater Philadelphia Metro area who face financial, health, housing and similar crises. Jazz Bridge also supports musicians by providing paid performance opportunities through our live neighborhood concerts and special event presentations. A community favorite for 20 years, their concerts celebrate the Philadelphia Jazz & Blues tradition and build cultural awareness throughout the region.

 

The focus of The Pierians, Incorporated, Philadelphia Chapter is to bring together women interested in the promotion of the fine arts and other artistic endeavors; to enhance the enjoyment of the arts; to recognize individuals in the community for their contributions to the arts; and to encourage further study of the arts by awarding scholarships to students of music, art, the theatre, and dance.

 

Enternainment for the celebration was provided by Shekhinah B from The Women’s Coalition for Empowerment, Inc. The coalition is a women-led art-centric micro-nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, uniting, and empowering creatives through the use of initiatives that promote creative expression, self-sufficiency, multiculturalism, self-esteem, and collective growth.

Food was provided by Corinne’s Place of Camden, New Jersy. In 2022, the restaurant won the “America’s Classics Award” from the James Beard Foundation, as one of only six restaurants nationwide to be honored in the food industry.

Special thanks to Don Neal and Clarence McKnight for providing assistant in making the event a success.

By Sharon Suber