FROM “I HAVE A DREAM” TO “YES WE CAN”: Our First African-American President
A.K.A. FROM “WE SHALL OVERCOME” TO “YES WE CAN”
Project Created By Teaching Artist: Robert Ross

• Project Narrative
• Project Blog: (Created By: Frank Jump)

The project narrative was written and created by Robert “Bluesman” Ross and was cited for best practice in arts in education by the NYSCA LCB Panel. The panel also elected to double the size of the grant request. There were 10 visits to PS 119 (The Amersfort School of Social Awareness or The Magnet School of Global & Ethical Studies) over the course of 5 weeks in May and June 2009. Principal: Lisa Fernandez. Assistant Principal: Barbara Snow. Lead Classroom Teacher: Frank Jump. Additional Teachers: Mr. Warfield, Miss Sullivan, Miss LaRosa, and Mrs. Berretta..

The project focused on many of the heroes that risked their lives to abolish slavery and achieve some measure of equality for African-Americans. These are the shoulders upon which Barack Obama stands as the first African-American President of the United States.

This project was made possible with funds from the Local Capacity Building (LCB) Initiative, a regrant program of the Arts in Education Program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), administered by BRIC Arts / Media / Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC).

Robert Ross combines the skills of an award winning singer, songwriter and guitarist with that of a seasoned educator.

As a performer, Robert is a blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and jazz musician who won a New York Music Award in 1989, and an East Coast Rocker Makin’ Waves Award in 1992 for Best Blues Artist. He has recorded with Big Joe Turner and worked with John Lee Hooker, Brownie McGhee, Mama Thornton, Otis Rush, Memphis Slim and other music legends. Johnny Winter recorded one of Robert’s songs, and 2 other songs appeared on the television soap opera All My Children in 2008. The Robert Ross Band has released 7 cds, ha appeared at major music festivals, and has frequently toured North America & Europe.
As a teaching artist since the spring of 2001, Robert (students call him Mr. Bluesman) has completed 38 residencies in NY Public Schools with all grades from K to 12 including classes of at risk teens, out of school teens, and students with learning disabilities. He has conducted 7 professional development workshops for teachers, teaching artists, administrators, and artists on how to integrate music with the curriculum at BRIC Rotunda Gallery, Flushing Town Hall, Brooklyn Museum, and with the Superflux Collective at various venues. Robert has won 4 New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA) LCB Re-grants and his 2009 submission, “From I Have A Dream to Yes We Can” was cited for “best practice in arts in education collaboration.” The panel also doubled the size of the grant request.
Robert uses work songs, blues, spirituals, jazz, folk, rock ‘n’ roll, protest, and union songs to illuminate issues and events in our nation’s history. His programs are designed to foster tolerance, nonviolence, and peace. Students develop critical thinking skills, language skills, and a deeper appreciation for the arts. He has also integrated music with Spanish, math, and science.
Some of the other programs Robert conducts include: “We The People Sing” (an integration of music & American history), “The Songwriting Project” (a songwriting workshop), “Sing Your Heart Out” (classroom chorus), and jazz & blues history classes. Some of the programs Robert conducts are listed below.

WE THE PEOPLE SING
An Integration of Music & American History

If you like music and want to earn academic credit in American history you are going to love this course. Master singer-songwriter Robert Ross sings about war, peace, freedom, slavery, hard times, and other topics. Guaranteed to painlessly drive history grades through the roof. With a broad repertoire of blues, jazz, folk, spirituals, work songs, rock ‘n’ roll, and original songs, Robert inspires students to sing, express their opinions, and write lyrics about important events and issues in American history. The program is designed to foster tolerance, cooperation, nonviolence, and peace. Students develop word recognition, critical thinking, language, and communication skills, and a deeper appreciation for the arts. With the collaboration of classroom teachers, and following the Board of Education curriculum guidelines, Robert’s renowned music and unique perspective brings history and current events to life.

THE SONGWRITING PROJECT
A Workshop on Songwriting

Master singer-songwriter and teaching artist Robert Ross inspires students to write original lyrics, melodies, and spoken word. The students are gently encouraged to sing and/or recite their original work. Students will also explore music as a potential career. Depending on the school’s project art budget a recording of student work may be made.

HEALTH ARTS & MUSIC
A Musical Workshop on Health

Explore how diet, nutrition, exercise, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco impact health with master singer-songwriter and teaching artist Robert Ross. Everyday is a concert as students learn how to protect their health.

SING YOUR HEART OUT
Classroom Chorus

Students will sing some of the greatest songs of all time with master musician and teaching artist Robert Ross. The course takes place in an ordinary classroom to minimize any shyness of self-consciousness about singing. And if this class isn’t the most fun the students have ever had in school, the teaching artist promises to let them run it themselves.

BIRTH OF THE BLUES
Blues History

As a professional blues musician who has worked with Big Joe Turner, Lightning Hopkins, Brownie McGhee, John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton, Memphis Slim, and Otis Rush (to name a few), Robert Ross knows something about the blues. Robert has been very fortunate to know some of the stars that made blues history. We will learn that the Blues was created by African Americans in the Mississippi Delta in the 19th Century. Spirituals, work songs, and field hollers were instrumental to its development. The Blues, despite its name, expresses both sorrow and joy and was also used to protest . The Blues soon spread to juke joints, bar rooms, and concert halls around the world and was the foundation for jazz, country, and rock ‘n’ roll. We will hear some great music and learn about W.C. Handy, Son House, Blind Willie Johnson, Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Howling Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Sonny Terry, Roosevelt Sykes, Sunnyland Slim, Otis Spann, Elmore James, T-Bone Walker, Gatemouth Brown, B.B. King, Ray Charles, Albert King, Pinetop Perkins, James Cotton, and Freddie King as well as some of the legends Robert has worked with personally.

THAT’S HOW JAZZ WAS BORN
Jazz History

Coming soon.