February 19, on the University of Pittsburgh campus, the annual K. Leroy Irvis Black History Month Program was presented in two parts. The evening began as the honorees and guests were invited to “Our Journey, Our Cuisine. A Taste of History: African, Caribbean, and Soul Food.”
African drummers, dancers and musicians provided the backdrop for this celebratory meal, with dishes prepared by guest chef Ericlee Reed and Pitt chef Devon Horne. Following a great meal, Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher hosted “An Artistic Journey through the African American Experience”—an evening of poetry, music and reflection at the Twentieth Century Club. Tributes were paid to:
Doris Brevard (EDUC ‘52), a librarian and teacher at the former Robert L. Vann School in the Hill District, who served as the school’s principal from 1969-1995. Under her leadership, Vann students—many of them Black and from poor families—achieved successes at some of the highest levels within the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Brevard is a Pitt alumnus who earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1952.
Roger Humphries, who is described by music critics as one of the most exciting jazz drummers in the business. Playing professionally since age 14, Humphries toured and recorded with the Horace Silver Quartet and accompanied many jazz greats, including Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, and Dizzy Gillespie.
Sala Udin, a politician and activist who for 11 years represented his childhood neighborhood, the Hill District, on Pittsburgh City Council. A lifelong community organizer, Udin oversaw new housing construction throughout Pittsburgh; led the fundraising, design, and construction of Freedom Corner; and, most recently, served as CEO of the Coro Center.
The program was told in chapters with Clyde Jones, vice chancellor for Health Sciences Development, as the master of ceremonies. It featured readings and performances by:
•Geri Allen, pianist, composer, and director of Pitt’s Jazz Studies Program;
•Larry E. Davis, dean, Pitt School of Social Work;
•Terrance Hayes, celebrated poet, Pitt professor of English, and 2014 MacArthur Fellow;
•Yona Harvey, literary artist and assistant professor in Pitt’s Writing Program;
•Bria Walker, actress, singer, writer, and guest lecturer in Pitt’s Department of Theatre Arts;
•The Afro American Music Institute Boys Choir; and
•Some of God’s Children.
K. Leroy Irvis (1916-2006) a 1954 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, was one of the most important and influential men in Pennsylvania history. Irvis was the lead author of the legislation that in 1966 made Pitt, Penn State, Lincoln and Temple state related universities, saving them from financial disaster.
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