NAAM’s African American Cultural Ensemble
Inspiring hope, help, and healing through heritage + song
About The African American Cultural Ensemble
Inspiration comes from heritage, arts, and culture. Within the African American tradition, choirs have been significant vehicles for inspiration, comfort, and collective healing. Choirs have always played an important role in keeping Black heritage and Black ancestral stories alive through singing spirituals, freedom songs, and songs of hope.
The Northwest African American Museum’s President & CEO LaNesha DeBardelaben envisioned and created the African American Cultural Ensemble (ACE) during the racial reckoning of 2020 and early 2021. The deep hurt, pain, and trauma moved NAAM, an institution that is committed to justice and equity. These recent times have collectively brought us all as a society pain, sorrow, fatigue, anger, and bewilderment. However, meeting these feelings with heart-stirring inspirational music can give way to a determined and forward-facing resolve to “never allow despair to have the last word.”
“Without a song, each day would be a century.”
~ Mahalia Jackson
ACE in Action
NAAM’s African American Cultural Ensemble debuted on June 15, 2021 as part of the Blk Freedom Collective’s National Virtual Juneteenth Commemoration. View ACE’s debut video here.
ACE in the News
Members of the African American Cultural Ensemble performing in the 2021 Juneteenth debut video: Lisa Allen, Dana Jackson, Josephine Howell, Liah Walker, Gena Brooks, Sherri Charleston, Tanisha Brooks, Kenya Leger, Tommie Burton, Kent Stevenson, Jason Turner
ACE on Tour
During 2022 Black History Month, NAAM’s ACE choir was on tour. They sang the Black National Anthem on the field at the Seattle Sounders FC soccer game in front of a crowd of over 25,000. They also performed a radio concert on KNKX that can be viewed HERE. Lastly, they performed the Black National Anthem and the Star-Spangled Banner at the Seattle Kraken hockey game on the ice in front of a crowd of 10,000. Click HERE to view their performance.
“Singing is one of the main things that can keep us going… It brings out the soul.”
— Fannie Lou Hamer
NAAM’s African American Cultural Ensemble is the first known, permanent, ongoing choir produced by a museum. Black museums like NAAM are bastions of heritage and beacons of hope. At their core, Black museums are story-telling institutions—spaces where truth, history, contemporary challenges, and future possibilities all converge. ACE is a cultural, intergenerational troupe of skilled vocalists, musicians, and spoken word artists that carry melodies of hope, help, and healing to communities with an effort to cultivate unity and understanding.
View an overview video about ACE featured on the Seattle Medium below
“To live is to wrestle with despair, yet never allow despair to have the last word.”
— Dr. Cornel West
For more information about ACE and their performance availability, contact ACE Music Director Jason Turner here.