Still from City of a Million Dreams, individuals in teal suits on street.

The Music of New Orleans: Inaugural events of The Center for the Study of Slavery and its Legacies include a special musical presentation and film screening

On March 18, the Georgetown community and public are invited to join two events exploring New Orleans’ music and traditions:

  1. Screening of City of a Million Dreams (3:30-5:15pm, EDT). City of a Million Dreams traces the history of New Orleans’ famed burial tradition, the jazz funeral. It follows two New Orleanians, writer Deb Cotton and clarinetist Dr. Michael White, as they search for the soul of the city among the dead. City of a Million Dreams was directed by Jason Berry (COL ’71). The screening will be followed by Q&A with Jason Berry and Dr. Michael White. 
  2. Music performance by the Dr. Michael White Quartet (5:30-6:30pm, EDT). Dr. Michael White is one of New Orleans’ most acclaimed musicians. He is a clarinetist and the Rosa and Charles Keller Endowed Chair in the Humanities at Xavier University.
    Guests are also invited to join a reception immediately after these events in the ICC Galleria.

Both events will be live in-person only, and online live streaming is not planned. However, a video recording of the Q&A portion of the film screening will be available online after the event. 

These events mark inaugural programming for The Center for the Study of Slavery and its Legacies at Georgetown University. Originally envisioned by the Working Group on Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation, the Center for the Study of Slavery and its Legacies is a new institutional home to bring together academic and research initiatives as part of Georgetown’s ongoing commitments in Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation. Led by its inaugural Director, Professor Adam Rothman, the Center will both pursue rigorous new scholarship and innovate in disseminating knowledge about the history of enslavement and its present-day legacies. We look forward to celebrating the Center’s launch in additional ways and to sharing more about its work.

This event is co-sponsored by the Departments of African American Studies, History, and Performing Arts; the American Studies Program; the Film and Media Studies Program; the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs; the Lannan Center for Poetics and Social Practice; the Medical Humanities Initiative; the Georgetown Humanities Initiative; the College of Arts & Sciences; and the Office of the President.

**Please RSVP for each portion of the program that you plan to attend by using the link to the left.** There are a fixed number of seats, and the RSVP form will be closed when the event reaches capacity. Seating will be first-come first-served the day of the event, so please plan to arrive early. 

Public Health Measures and Visitor Registration

In order to comply with Event and Visitor Requirements, if you are not a current Georgetown University student, faculty, or staff member, please fill out this form with your COVID-19 vaccination information and complete the symptom check you receive via email the morning of the event. 

Accommodation requests related to a disability should be sent to slavery@georgetown.edu by 3/15. A good-faith effort will be made to fulfill requests.