Mable Taylor, NC State alumni, describes November 1, 1968 as a night she will never forget. Surely, she is not the only one. So, why is it that almost no one at NC State knows that Nina Simone, "The High Priestess of Soul," performed at Reynolds Coliseum? There is hardly any public information about the event. In fact, it is almost as if the event never happened.

It is unknown exactly what set Simone played that night in 1968, but we can make some educated guesses. She played a long enough set that it shortened the one after her own. As you peruse the photos and documents on the homepage, you can listen to excerpts of a few of the songs that were likely heard at the festival. It seems likely that, just months after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, Simone would sing "Why? (The King of Love is Dead)" just as she did mere days after his death at a performance in London. It also seems probable that Simone performed "Backlash Blues," a song in which the lyrics (originally a poem) were written by Langston Hughes who had passed away a year and a half prior. She also probably stuck to some hits like "Ain't Got No - I Got Life" and "Feeling Good."

Of course, since the event was not a raving success like anticipated, it was likely pushed under the rug a bit. However, considering the time, one must consider: Does race play a role in this erasure? Nearly all of the performers were black. It also seems entirely likely that Simone would have made mention of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death earlier that same year and the legacy he left behind. And if she did, indeed, play "Backlash Blues" it is probable that she mentioned Langston Hughes, who is historically erased from the Civil Rights Movement due to his involvement with communism. 

Hopefully, this website will continue to inform others and to grow with more submissions and first-hand accounts from the New Arts Jazz Festival.