Name: Making History, Making Change: An Incomparable Evening of Women in Jazz
Start: 2026-03-04T18:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-03-04T21:00:00-05:00
Location: Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden

Making History, Making Change: An Incomparable Evening of Women in Jazz

Discover the stories that shaped America through the Making History, Making Change Lecture Series, a national collaboration between the Smithsonian and its Affiliate organizations. In celebration of International Women’s Day, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden welcomes Dr. Krystal Klingenberg for an inspiring exploration of jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald—tracing her life, artistry, and the extraordinary legacy she left behind.
The Making History, Making Change Lecture Series is a national collaboration between the Smithsonian and 25 Smithsonian Affiliate organizations, featuring expert-led talks that explore the people, moments, and ideals that have shaped—and continue to shape—the American experience.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden welcomes Dr. Krystal Klingenberg for a discussion on the singular talent of Jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald. Join us for a rich musical journey through Fitzgerald’s life, work, and legacy, examining how she was both an ordinary and extraordinary woman of her time.
When: March 4 | 6:00 PM
Where: The Carpenter’s Shop, Building Y
View Directions and Site Map: https://snug-harbor.org/visit/directions/
Admission: Free (Registration Required)
REGISTER HERE https://snugharbor.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/events/a0SQg0000092wkHMAQ
Dr. Krystal Klingenberg is a curator of music in the division of Culture and the Arts at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Dr. Klingenberg is part of the curatorial team for Entertainment Nation and is the host of the museum’s Collected podcast on African American History.
This event will feature a musical tribute, curated by Jeanine Otis and featuring an all-female cast of performers highlighting the significance and contributions of women in the genre of jazz through poetry and song. Ms. Otis has dedicated the musical performance to the spirit of Sajda Musawwir Ladner, who founded the Staten Island JAZZ Festival in 1988. This performance will launch Jazz Is Staten Island, a music series connecting America’s 250th birthday with the American innovation of jazz music. Presented by Snug Harbor in collaboration with Universal Temple of the Arts, this series of events throughout the year will explore and celebrate the legacy, history, and future of jazz music through the lens of Staten Island artists.
Musical Tribute curated by Jeanine Otis
With performances by: Bernice Brooks (drums), Kal Ferretti (trumpet), Yuuki Koike (saxophone), Jeanine Otis (curator, narrator, vocalist), Miho Sasaki (piano), Niranjana (Nina) Shankar (vocalist), Maya Gilbert Smith/Maya Da Poet (poet), Victoria Montero (bass). With special thanks to Julie Maniscalco.
The Making History, Making Change Lecture Series is organized by Smithsonian Affiliations as part of the Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250. It is supported in part by the Dreier Family, Johanna and Ken Kim Family, Vaishali Shah Chadha and Family, and Michael Vu & Meridel Bulle-Vu.
Additional support for Jazz Is Staten Island provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the Art Relief Fund, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with the support of the Mayor and the City Council.