The Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona has won the prestigious Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Medal for Museums, the nation’s highest honor given to libraries and museums that demonstrate significant impact in their communities.
Among the ten Museum and Library Awards recipients this year, the Louis Armstrong House Museum is the only honor recipient in New York state.
The award will be accepted by the museum’s Executive Director Regina Bain at a ceremony in the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in the heart of Washington, D.C., on July 30.
“This personifies recognition of our dedication to preserving the legacy of Louis Armstrong, a cultural icon whose impact transcends generations and borders,” Bain said. “It also serves as a validation of our mission to preserve and interpret Armstrong’s house and grounds, collect and share archival materials that document Armstrong’s life and legacy, develop programs for the public that educate and inspire, and engage with contemporary artists to create performances and new works.”
Just over a year ago, Bain presided over a ribbon-cutting at the Louis Armstrong Center, two decades in the making, across 107th Street from the museum, as the permanent home for the 60,000-piece Louis Armstrong Archive, the world’s largest for a jazz musician, and a 75-seat venue offering performances, lectures, films and other educational experiences. The state-of-the-art Center has quickly become an international destination celebrating Armstrong’s distinctive role in African-Diaspora history and vitality offering year-round exhibitions, performances, lectures, and screenings through an array of public programs for all ages.
Following last year’s residencies and inspired works from Esperanza Spalding, Amyra León and Antonio Brown, this season, three new artists have been selected to work with the institution. In an in-depth approach, they will delve into the treasures of the Armstrong archival collection to find inspiration for new works that fuse music, dance, spoken word, and various visual and performing arts.
Among this year’s artists include tap dancer, choreographer and original Broadway cast member of “Shuffle Along,” Lisa La Touche, jazz saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins (The New York Times #1 Jazz Album of 2020), saxophonist, composer and educator Steven Salcedo and dynamic musicians and multimedia artists Soul Science Lab.
“This tremendous new class of Armstrong Now Artists joins a deepening community of creative individuals who believe in legacy and have the power to innovate, creating thrilling experiences for audiences worldwide,” Bain said. “At the Louis Armstrong House Museum, we are focused and persistent in our learning and sharing of the Armstrong legacy. Through that focused study, we tell a universal story and provide a unique artistic experience for the people in our neighborhood, for audiences the world over, and for future generations whose lives will be shaped through this work.”
Armstrong’s classic “What a Wonderful World” was inspired by the neighborhood around his home at 34-56 107th St., where he and his wife Lucille Wilson lived from 1943 to 1971.
“Throughout his entire life, Louis brought his music to all corners of the world spreading love and creating a global community in Jazz.” Salcedo said. “Like Louis, I strive to bring people from different walks of life together through the universal language of music. Digging deep into his archives, I’m looking forward to seeing where our paths intersect on a deeper level, and hope to continue in his footsteps providing an artistic statement that will help carry on his legacy.”
