Executive Committee

Sheldon K.X. Reid '96, GSE '98
Director

A Message from our Director

A Short History of Kuumba

Kuumba was founded in 1970 by two Harvard undergraduates, Dennis Wiley and Fred Lucas, both members of the class of '72. The name "Kuumba" was chosen because it allowed for all modes of Diasporic expression. In Swahili, "kuumba" roughly means creativity, though the literal meaning is more subtle: it is the creativity of leaving a space better than you found it.

There were only 51 black students in the Harvard Class of 1972. Nearly double that number, 96, enrolled in the Class of 1973. Kuumba became an important, if not essential, community for those students. Additionally, the group consisted of students from a variety of Boston area colleges and universities from its beginning, including students from Harvard, Radcliffe, Northeastern, Simmons, Boston College and Boston University.

Hubert Walters, who was teaching the first class in the new Department on Afro-American music, agreed to be Kuumba's first director. Robert Winfrey directed the choir from the spring of 1971 until 1997. Kuumba would not be what it is today without the two and a half decades of his service, dedication, and sacrifice. Mr. Winfrey still attends every winter and spring concert. Sheldon K.X. Reid (College '96, GSE '98) currently directs the choir.

Excerpt from Kuumba: The Early Years
Hubert E. Walters

"Our first performance was held at The Myrtle Baptist Church, one of the oldest black churches in Newton, Massachusetts, where I was serving as organist. We began making plans for a concert in the spring of 1971 to be held at the Sanders Theater. Word about this vibrant singing group at Harvard had spread throughout the metropolitan area of Boston and beyond. We invited several groups from Boston to participate in our first concert. I was certainly in my element and, like Professor Guinier, was eager to connect the organization to the department for academic credit. A student organization, called Harvard-Radcliff Afro-American Cultural Center (HRAAC), had been established and financed by the university. One of the purposes of this organization was to provide financial assistance for activities involving black students. Later that year, I submitted a proposal to HRAAC for continuous financial support for the KUUMBA Singers."

To read the entire story as told by Hubert E. Walters, click here.