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‘GEORGIA’S BEST WEEKLY”
abannah tribune
Week of February 18,2009 - February 24,2009 • Vol. 36 No. 52 • www.savannahtribune.com • 912-233-6128 • Fax: 912-233-6140
The Links: “Misbehavin' After Dark”
L-R: Link Angela Young, Chair Fundraising Committee; Link Virginia Edwards, Chapter President,
and Ben Tucker.
T he Savannah Chapter of The
Links, Incorporated and
their guests were caught
Raised in Brooklyn, Allan
Harris was surrounded by music
as a child: his mother was a clas
sical pianist and his aunt was an
opera and blues singer. Harris,
who decided to become a musi
cian at the age of eight, spent a lot
of his childhood time at his grand
father’s farm in Western
Pennsylvania where he engaged
in other favorite pastimes - riding
horses and watching Western
movies. But Harris noticed most
of the Westerns he watched lacked
one thing: a person of color.
The oversight inspired
Harris, now a successful New
York-based jazz vocalist, to create
and write Cross That River, which
tells the story of African-
American cowboys. Harris and
his Cross That River Band will
bring the story to Savannah on
Feb. 28 as part of the 2009
Savannah Black Heritage
Festival, presented by the city of
Savannah and Savannah State
University. Sponsored by the
Savannah Music Festival and
First Bryan Baptist Church, Harris
will perform at 2 p.m. at First
Bryan Baptist Church, located
“Misbehavin After Dark” on
January 10, 2009 at the Charles H.
Morris Center in Trustees Garden.
575 West Bryan Street.
Cross That River is the first
recording in a trilogy that tells the
story of the Black West. Through
narrative and song unfolds the
story of a 19th century escaped
slave named Blue who makes his
way to freedom and works as a
cowboy on the Circle T Ranch.
Though best known as a jazz
This stellar event offered Links,
Connecting Links, and their guests
prime entertainment for their
singer, Harris’ warm vocals are a
natural fit for the tale’s Western
setting. The band includes violin,
bass, percussion, guitar, banjo,
mandolin, dobro and backup
singers, all of which create music
reflective of country, gospel,
Spanish, R&B and Celtic genres.
Cross That River debuted in
2006 at the Kennedy Center for
evening of fun. Jazz enthusiasts
entertained themselves in the
Coconut Grove lounge grooving to
Savannah's own Ben Tucker Trio.
Those wishing to try their luck,
played blackjack and roulette in the
casino as they tapped their feet to
the live music provided by Blue
Screen. The main room featured
DJ Postman who spun old-school
R&B that kept the crowd on the
dance floor.
The Links, Incorporated is an
international organization of
women founded in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania on November 9,1946
by the late Sarah Strickland Scott
and Margaret Russell Hawkins.
The founders envisioned an organi
zation with service and friendship
at its core. The Savannah Chapter
of The Links, Incorporated was
organized by the late Harriet
Jamerson and chartered in 1956.
The vision set forth by the
founders, continues to be carried
out by African-American women
dedicated to providing effective
programs enhancing the education,
culture and well being of their com
munities.
The Savannah Chapter of
Links, Incorporated is currently
working with 4th and 5th grade stu-
Country Music Week. Harris and
Cross That River are the recipi
ents of the esteemed 2006-07
Chamber Music America
Residency Grant Award. Three of
his songs from the production
were selected and licensed for the
Oklahoma State Education DVD
to help educate the state’s children
about the Black West.
Keith to
Keynote
Harambee
Breakfast
Lois Keith
The Savannah Section of
National Council of Negro Women,
Inc. (NCNW) will hold its annual
Harambee Breakfast Saturday,
February 28, 2009, 9:00 am at the
Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights
Museum Multipurpose Annex 460
Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. This
year's speaker will be Mrs. Lois Keith
a retired educator currently serving as
President of Henry County Retired
Educators Association.
Keith is a Legacy Life Member
of NCNW serving as a member on the
National Executive Board. She holds
the position of National Membership
Chair over all sections throughout the
United States. She currently serves as
Chair of the NCNW Leadership
Committee in DeKalb and Vice
President of the DeKalb Pacesetters
Life Guild for which she is a chartered
member.
Keith is past member of the
National Nominating Committee and
Chair of the Bethune Recognition
Program in Atlanta. She chaired
NCNW 2007 “One Shared World
Roundtables” in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mrs. Keith was past President and
Vice President of the NCNW DeKalb
Section in Decatur, Georgia.
Lois Keith is a member of Xi
Beta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority, Inc. She holds a B.S.
Degree in Mathematics from Alabama
A&M University and a Master's
Degree in Education from Georgia
State University. She is married to Mr.
Lonnie Keith and the mother of son,
Darius.
The NCNW Savannah Section
invites community participation and
attendance.
Ticket donation is $20. Please
contact Estelle Mannion by @ 912-
441-6813 or Betty Lasseter @ 912-
920-9691.
See Links, page 16
Savannah Black Heritage Festival Partners
to present Cross That River on Feb. 28
Members of Cross That River band
arver
A flew branch and a proud tradition of service.
7M0SkidaAva3 Road
Savannah. Geonna 31406
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