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Essence Music Festival
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Mayor of the city of New Orleans, Marc Morial and Essence Magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Susan L. Taylor unveil "Proud Mary" at the 1997 Essence Music F.estival
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Whitney Houston – “Remembering our Church”
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As a little girl, I attended New Hope Baptist Church.
Whitney Houston's family and my family are joined by love, music and friendship. Her Mother (Cissy Houston). her aunts (Anne and Rebe), her cousins, (Dionne and Dee Dee) and my sister (Carolyn) sang together in the church choir while her uncle (Nick) played the piano. They also sang together professionally. I remember her Great Aunt Flossie and Aunt Lee. I remember watching Dionne Warwick soar from a church choir soloist to a super-star----recordings, movies, and television. Dionne was a role model for me and many of the young girls at New Hope Baptist Church. I remember being enthralled by the music and the sound of an angelic voice that called the parishioners to worship. "To the Utmost Jesus Saves," sung by Cissy Houston as she leads the massive young-adult choir into the sanctuary. The procession seemed endless as their voices resonated throughout the building and into the community. They were our neighbors and friends. We all shared faith, music, and a sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves. Today, 55 years later, many have gone, but some faces I still remember to this day. I was not there when Whitney sang her first solo in church, Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah," Cissy Houston was the minister of music and my sister Carolyn was the director of the over One hundred voice children's choir. Whitney was 11 years old. When Carolyn called me, I could hear the excitement in her voice as she described how "Nippy," as we called her, captivated the entire church that morning. |
My experiences at New Hope have influenced
who I am today. A large painting of Jesus Christ kneeling by a rock especially influenced me. The painting hung behind the minister above the pulpit. As a child, I was mesmerized by the scale, colors and emotions of the painting, his hands overlapping as he looked up toward the heavens, his eyes sympathetic, as if praying for each of us. I knew then that I wanted to paint. In 1967, New Hope Baptist Church awarded me my first scholarship to study art at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts. Ironically, 19 years later, as a gift to Whitney Houston, I was commissioned by the City of Newark, New Jersey to paint a portrait of the superstar. I chose to capture her first Grammy moment. I feel the pain and, with a heavy heart, I extend my deepest symphony to the Houston family and to the New Hope Baptist Church family with whom I share so many precious memories. |
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Algiers Riverfest 2010 
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2010 Old Algiers Riverfest Preview Party
Featuring Allen Toussaint Jazz for the Ages: Thelonious Monk Jazz Institute
and Old Algiers RiverFest Team Up The 2010 Old Algiers RiverFest celebrated traditional jazz, neighborhood heritage, and the cultural life of the West Bank along the Mississippi River. Held in historic Algiers Point, the festival honored the artists and community traditions that shaped early New Orleans. By 2010, RiverFest had become a key platform for preserving authentic musical forms, from traditional jazz and brass band to gospel and West African influenced rhythms. It also highlighted the role of Algiers as a cultural gateway where people crossed the river each day, carrying stories and music with them. I was commissioned to create a visual reference to this heritage. My piece, Jazz Through the Ages, brings together Indigenous, African, and British figures to reflect the early cultural mix that helped form the foundation of jazz in New Orleans. |
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National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc.
4th Annual Art Auction Gala: Black Woman Speaks
Helen Mills Theater, 135–139 West 26th Street
New York City
Saturday, April 26, 2008
The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. presented its fourth annual art auction gala, Black Woman Speaks, to support gender‑related initiatives in health, education, and economic development. The event honored outstanding African American women artists whose work reflects cultural legacy, creative excellence, and community impact.
Elizabeth Catlett, Faith Ringgold, Artist Lane, and Margaret Slade Kelley were among the contributing artists. All works featured in the gala were original pieces offered for sale to benefit the organization’s ongoing programs and advocacy efforts.
4th Annual Art Auction Gala: Black Woman Speaks
Helen Mills Theater, 135–139 West 26th Street
New York City
Saturday, April 26, 2008
The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. presented its fourth annual art auction gala, Black Woman Speaks, to support gender‑related initiatives in health, education, and economic development. The event honored outstanding African American women artists whose work reflects cultural legacy, creative excellence, and community impact.
Elizabeth Catlett, Faith Ringgold, Artist Lane, and Margaret Slade Kelley were among the contributing artists. All works featured in the gala were original pieces offered for sale to benefit the organization’s ongoing programs and advocacy efforts.
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FOS • For Sisters Only
Sponsored by V‑103 FM
Georgia World Congress Center
285 Andrew Young International Blvd. NE
Atlanta, Georgia
September 16–17, 2006
For Sisters Only, widely known as FOS, is one of the largest African American consumer and cultural expos in the Southeast. The 2006 event brought together thousands of attendees for a weekend focused on music, wellness, entrepreneurship, and community engagement.
Margaret participated in the 2006 For Sisters Only celebration at the Georgia World Congress Center. Her work was presented to audiences who came to support Black artists, local businesses, and regional talent. The event was sponsored by V‑103 FM, a station recognized for its long-standing commitment to community programming and cultural outreach.
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Borders • Special Events 2008
Rise Again New Orleans In 2008, Borders hosted a community‑focused event featuring Rise Again New Orleans, a collaborative project created by mother and son. The project combined art and music to support the ongoing recovery of New Orleans in the years following Hurricane Katrina.Rise Again New Orleans was dedicated to the memory of the city they love and to the family and friends they miss. The project served as both a tribute and a call for community action. Participants and supporters were encouraged to contribute to organizations already working to strengthen neighborhoods, assist families, and rebuild cultural life across the city. This event reflects Margaret’s commitment to community involvement and to using creative work as a means of supporting resilience, remembrance, and collective renewal. |
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Special Event: 2006 French Quarter Festival
Renew Rebuild Rebirth • “Amazing Grace” From the Rise Again New Orleans series In April 2006, during the first French Quarter Festival held after Hurricane Katrina, Margaret participated in a welcome tour throughout New Orleans. She signed prints at local galleries and gift shops as part of the city’s early cultural recovery efforts. Participating Locations • Vincent’s Art Gallery • Jazzin on the River • All That Jazz • Aunt Sally’s This special event presented Amazing Grace from the Rise Again New Orleans series, created in 2006 to honor the strength and resilience of the city during its rebuilding period. |
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