19th Annual Lytle Scholarship Concert
The 19th Annual Lytle Scholarship Concert features Harlem Hellfighters: Jazz Goes to War. Jazz may have been born in New Orleans, but grew up around the world. It made its path abroad in 1918, during the "Great War" when one African American officer, Lieutenant James Reese Europe, volunteered for military service with members of his Harlem Society Orchestra. They formed the 369th Regimental Band, yet because the U.S. Army did not allow black soldiers to fight alongside white soldiers, they were attached to the French and earned the moniker of "Hellfighters," along with the French Croix de Guerre for their heroism.
The Harlem Hellfighters brought with them one of America's most enduring exports: jazz. From Paris, the music spread around the globe and soon united generations of people in what would become the rhythm of the 20th century. The performance will pay homage to the Harlem Hellfighters' enduring legacy and raise scholarship funds for promising UC San Diego students.