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A vintage banjo with a wooden body, white drumhead, and four strings, resting on a white surface. The instruments metal brackets and tuning pegs are visible, giving it a classic and rustic appearance.
Boswell Sisters Beltone Banjo; between 1920 and 1940 HNOC, Gift of the Boswell Museum of Music, 2011.0315.127
24th Annual Bill Russell Lecture

The Banjo at the Crossroads of New Orleans and the Caribbean

April 12, 2023, 6–7 p.m.

Williams Research Center
410 Chartres Street

General admission, $20; students and educators with ID, $5

The William Russell Jazz Collection

The work of a prolific jazz collector, producer, historian, and photographer comprises one of HNOC’s largest collections related to New Orleans jazz.

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An elderly man stands in a dimly lit room holding a small blue and white bird in one hand. He is wearing a light-colored shirt and dark pants. Cardboard boxes are stacked in the background.
Wednesday
April 15, 2026
6–7:30 p.m.
27th Annual Bill Russell Lecture

Syncopated Siblings: The Music of Cuba and New Orleans

Hear the shared musical legacy of Cuba and New Orleans in this lecture and concert featuring author and historian Ned Sublette, joined by legendary percussionist Bill Summers and his supergroup, CUBANEXION.
Signature Program, Lecture, Live Music
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View of a Cuban folk dance where a man dances among women wearing floor length dresses and holding tamborines.
Tuesday
April 8, 2025
6–8:30 p.m.
26th Annual Bill Russell Lecture

Women of Preservation Hall

The 26th annual Bill Russell Lecture returns with an exploration of women’s musicianship and history at Preservation Hall.
Signature Program, Lecture, Live Music
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A close up black and white photograph of "Sweet" Emma Barrett playing the piano during a performance at an unidentified venue. She wears an embroidered skull cap that reads "Emma Bell Gal".
Wednesday
April 10, 2024
6–7 p.m.
25th Annual Bill Russell Lecture

Lineages

An exploration of musical mentorships featuring the New Orleans–based music and arts collective Alluvium Ensemble, with remarks by composer Roger Dickerson.
Signature Program, Lecture, Live Music
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A pianist in a suit plays a grand piano on stage in front of an audience. The audience appears attentive. The painting captures the elegance and focus of the performance scene.
Wednesday
April 20, 2022
6–7 p.m.
23rd Annual Bill Russell Lecture

Mahalia Jackson: The Queen of Gospel Music

With a career spanning 40 years, Mahalia Jackson is widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century.
Signature Program, Lecture, Live Music
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A woman in a light-colored dress stands clapping on stage, while another woman in a dark dress sits at a piano. A man speaks into a microphone behind a podium with flowers on it. The setting appears to be a church or hall.
Wednesday
April 28, 2021
22nd Annual Bill Russell Lecture

When You Hear That Beat

Through a combination of lecture and musical performance, musicians and scholars—including a full brass band—will recount the history of this distinctive sound, exploring the introduction and evolution of musical styles, changes in instrumentation, and how the tradition gets passed on. 
Signature Program, Lecture, Live Music
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A black and white photo of a lively street parade featuring a marching band playing brass instruments and drums. The musicians wear white shirts and hats. A crowd of spectators surrounds them under a partly cloudy sky.
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