APRIL 2014 Remembering Senator Fulbright – His Legacy Still Lives On
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FULBRIGHTedge CELEBRATING 37 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE FULBRIGHT PROGRAM | 1977-2014 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 12 APRIL 2014 Remembering Senator Fulbright – his legacy still lives on. In honor of Senator Fulbright’s 109th record, document and rescue America’s B-day, Fulbright Chair and poet Tom fast-disappearing folk music tradition, Healy gave a moving tribute entitled including the great music of Arkansas “The Senators Music” at the University and the Ozarks. of Arkansas on April 9th. Full text is That was such a good idea that the below: musician and preacher Rev. Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick, Jr. said Sen. The Senator’s Music Fulbright’s efforts was as important as Good afternoon Fayetteville! Good “what fertilizer is to a turnip patch.” afternoon Razorbacks! Kirkpatrick’s praise was so eloquent, Good afternoon to the world famous I just have to quote some more of it. HogWild Band, here to raise some … He said of Fulbright’s support, “It put helpful noise to celebrate the 109th some humanity back in society, some birthday of Senator J. William Fulbright, love, some cooperation, which Dr. King who is trying to rest in peace a short so diligently did before he was killed walk from here in the Fayetteville … As a lover of humanity and a victim cemetery. of an unrecognized culture I ask you to Senator Fulbright was born on April support this bill because everybody has 9th, 1905. And, though we’re here a right to live.” to sing his praises 109 years later, it’s Wow. worth noting that his birthday is actual- But why am I going so deep into ly a day some important music died. fiddle country? I’ve been talking about April 9th was the break up of the music not because it was the only thing Beatles. Sen. Fulbright cared about. Far from And there was that Easter Sunday it. His hymn book went from art to when two generals met in the parlor of technology, from poverty to peace, from the Wilmer McLean home in Appomat- history to the dangers of power. And tox, just three days shy of making four it went from Fayetteville all across the long years of bloodshed that had torn globe. The famous scholarship program our country apart in civil war. Robert E. that bears his name has more than Lee surrendered on April 9th. 300,000 alumni from all 50 states and As the ink dried and two great men almost 200 countries - creating peace -- one a mess and muddy, one starched, listening on the radio to understand just wasn’t only Marian Anderson who sang and understanding in our fragile world proper and pressed -- stood solemnly what music can do, echoing out to them on April 9th. After all, Shaun Cassidy for almost seven decades. and shook hands, a Union band started from among the pillars where Lincoln’s performed “Da Doo Ron Ron” on But the music of living is sometimes to play in celebration. But General words are carved, “With malice toward “American Bandstand.” Bob Dylan had joyous, sometimes dark. Sometimes Grant cut the music. He told his offi- none; with charity for all...let us strive his first gig in New York City that night. it stops. It is our responsibility to cers, “The war is over. The Rebels are on to finish the work we are in; to bind And in Dublin, a very different crowd on bring the music back, to keep it alive, our countrymen again.” up the nation’s wounds.” a very different April spring night, in a to make it new – all of that and I’m And then there was that international Senator Fulbright was 34 years old different century heard the premiere of talking whether you can sing or not. singing sensation, the contralto Marion at the time. Do you know where he Handel’s Messiah and its great Hallelu- You certainly don’t want me to break Anderson, who was barred from singing was? 1200 miles away, right here on jah chorus. into song. in Constitution Hall because she was this campus, serving as the youngest Senator Fulbright loved music. He Fulbright’s own story is about lis- not white. But on April 9th, 1939, she president of the University of Arkansas. wrote the legislation that created the tening carefully to the music of living. did sing. I don’t know if he was listening to Mar- Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Whatever he was doing on his birthday She sang “America the Beautiful” ian Anderson that day. I don’t know in Washington. And he made the law here that day at the University of on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial what tune was in his heart. happen that created the Smithsonian Arkansas when Marian Anderson was and stirred a local crowd and a country But, of course, music never dies. It Institution’s extraordinary program to singing America the Beautiful in 1935; * Have something newsworthy? Email [email protected] 1 whatever he was doing in 1963, when respecting and understanding other Martin Luther King, Jr. went back to people and living in peace with them. those same steps of the Lincoln Memo- Sometimes you simply need to go rial to tell us, “I have a dream that one next door to hear the music. And he day this nation will rise up and live out did. And that’s what Rev. Kirkpatrick, the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold the Ozark singer and preacher was these truths to be self-evident, that all doing when he mentioned Dr. King and men are created equal,’” -- Fulbright Senator Fulbright in praise in the same knew he himself needed to live by dif- sentence. He made them neighbors. ferent music. Let us celebrate the great Senator J. He was on the world stage, but he William Fulbright for going next door, also cared about healing local wounds, and for bringing the world next door to finding inner peace. He said it was us--with its windows flung open and all his great shame that his own segre- its music, wild, beautiful, sad and crazy. gationist past and opposition to civil Happy Birthday, Senator Fulbright! Tom Healy right legislation hit so hard against the Even with the HogWild Band about to Picture: Stuart McEvoy Source: The Australian philosophy of the scholarship program play, may you rest in peace! he invented for the very purpose of A Little Birthday Music J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas profound legacy. The American Bandstand in 1977 and the and act, to see the world’s problems and bond between these two premiere of Handel’s Messiah in Dublin work to remedy them. organizations is growing, in 1742, it was also the day that Marion “The music of living is sometimes joy- and I appreciate Tom’s Anderson sang “America the Beautiful” ous, sometimes dark,” he said. “Some- commitment to develop- on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in times it stops. It is our responsibility to ing that partnership.” 1939, which was broadcast on radio. bring the music back, to keep it alive, to Remarks by Fulbright “Senator Fulbright was 34 years old make it new—all of that and I’m talking Scholars who are study- at the time,” Healy said. “Do you know whether you can sing or not.” ing in Fulbright College where he was? 1,200 miles away, right His suggestions are noble ones but have become a staple here on this campus, serving as the difficult to achieve, and they were just of the celebration. After youngest president of the University of as challenging for Sen. Fulbright as they welcoming the guests, Arkansas. I don’t know if he was listen- would be for anyone today. The exchange Shields introduced ing to Marian Anderson that day. I don’t program he created to generate peace, Ikramuddin Barham, the know what tune was in his heart.” understanding and respect was in direct 2014 featured Fulbright He spoke of the senator’s love of music conflict with his earlier opposition to civil Scholar. Barham came as shown by writing the legislation that rights legislation. But rather than live in to the University of created the Kennedy Center as well as past mistakes, Fulbright worked to forge a Arkansas from Afghani- the Smithsonian Institution’s program to better future for ourselves and our neigh- stan to study petroleum record and preserve folk music. bors—those across the street and across Fulbright College began a tradition of geology. He spoke of the “I’ve been talking about music not the world. commemorating the anniversary of J. difference that the Fulbright Program has because it was the only thing Senator “Let us celebrate the great Senator J. William Fulbright’s birth in 2012 when made in his life before introducing Healy. Fulbright cared about. Far from it,” he William Fulbright for going next door, and the sculpture of his likeness was returned “Senator Fulbright was born on April said. “His hymn book went from art to for bringing the world next door to us— to its pedestal on the west side of Old 9th, 1905. And, though we’re here to technology, from poverty to peace, from with its windows flung open and all its Main. This practice has grown each year, sing his praises 109 years later, it’s worth history to the dangers of power. And music, wild, beautiful, sad and crazy.” and this year the college welcomed Tom noting that his birthday is actually a day it went from Fayetteville all across the The program closed with the ringing of Healy, chairman of the Fulbright Foreign some important music died,” Healy said.