New Ella Jenkins biography sheds light on her role in developing children’s music
Images Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution and University of Chicago Press
Ella Jenkins was arguably the most important and influential American children’s musician of the last century. She spent most of her life here in Illinois — in Chicago. Jenkins died last year at the age of 100 and now she’s the subject of a new biography. It’s called “This is Rhythm: Ella Jenkins, Children’s Music, and the Long Civil Rights Movement.”
The author of the book joins the program today to discuss Jenkins' life, career, and her influence on children's music.
GUEST
Gayle F. Wald
Author: This is Rhythm: Ella Jenkins, Children’s Music, and the Long Civil Rights Movement
Professor of American Studies, The George Washington University