Digital Historian Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje to Receive Recognition in Virtual Oral History Event
In an exciting development for music enthusiasts and scholars alike, the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research has made available an oral history of Professor Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje. This comprehensive interview, conducted by Donna Armstrong, provides a fascinating insight into the life and career of a renowned ethnomusicologist who specialised in African music studies.
Born in Jesup, Georgia, DjeDje's journey in music began early, shaped by the family values she inherited from her parents and grandparents. She went on to earn a B.A. in music, specialising in piano, from Fisk University, and later pursued her M.A. and Ph.D. in ethnomusicology at UCLA.
DjeDje's professional career spans over three decades, during which she served as a faculty member in the Department of Music (1979-1989) and the Department of Ethnomusicology (1989-2013). Her work is marked by a focus on spirituals and gospel music, and later African music. The oral history offers a detailed account of her experiences and contributions during this period.
One of the highlights of the oral history is DjeDje's response to the 1960s protests at Fisk. Additionally, she discusses the influence of her colleagues, including Peter Crossley Holland, David Morton, Mantle Hood, and J. H. Kwabena Nketia, who played significant roles in shaping her academic path.
DjeDje is Professor Emerita and was Director of the UCLA Ethnomusicology Archive from 2000 to 2007. Her scholarly publications, such as Fiddling in West Africa (2008), and her contributions to archives preserving African music, like the Music of Africa collection, have left a lasting impact on the field.
A symposium and concert celebrating the re-opening of the UCLA Ethnomusicology Archive is scheduled for Friday, January 11, 2019, from 8 am to 7 pm. The event, themed "Documenting the Sounds of Africa: Archiving, instruments, and Researching the Local," promises to be a fitting tribute to DjeDje's contributions.
To delve deeper into DjeDje's life and career, the full interview can be read on the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research website. The oral history includes a table of contents, DjeDje's curriculum vitae, and a biographical summary, making it an invaluable resource for scholars and enthusiasts alike.
References: 1. DjeDje, J. C. (2010). History, Music, and Gender in the Jamaican Accompong Maroons’ January Sixth Celebration. Ethnomusicology, 54(1), 79-108. 2. DjeDje, J. C. (2008). Fiddling in West Africa. University of Illinois Press. 3. UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. (n.d.). Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje. Retrieved from https://music.ucla.edu/people/jacqueline-cogdell-djedje/ 4. Music of Africa Collection. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/ethnomusicology/collections/music-of-africa/index.html
- The oral history interview with Professor Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje, offered by UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research, is a valuable resource for anyone interested in education-and-self-development and personal-growth, as it chronicles her journey in music, academic achievements, and professional contributions.
- DjeDje's lifelong commitment to learning, evident in her academic pursuits and scholarly publications like Fiddling in West Africa, has significantly contributed to the field of ethnic-musicology, promoting personal-growth and inspiring both scholars and music enthusiasts alike.
