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“Her-Story” (History)

Story-telling has always been a part of cultural heritage, and is important to share with the world.  Keeping the history, memories, aspirations and dreams can motivate generations from “then ‘till now”, as re-iterated by society.

March is Women’s History Month. Let us salute one of our Syracuse residents who’s  making an impact on the community through the arts and music education throughout the community and beyond. Her awards and contributions to society as a music historian, performer, role model and author is to be commended.

“Her-Story” (History)

(Shared by her home-town Classmates)

Once upon a time in a little town in Anderson, South Carolina, a little girl was born to Pvt. William and Elizabeth Rucker.  She was referred to as “Lil’ Bit, Jo and Jo Ann (named after her grandmother, “Josephine, and Great grandmother Annie”.  Her dad, who was a teenaged quartet singer, as told to her by her aunts, was summoned off to World War II and was killed in action. Jo was an only-child. Her mother never re-married.

At age six, Jo asked her mother for a “big” piano, for she had a toy one.  Her mother’s reply was (she was told)-“learn to play the little one first, then I will see”.  The rest is “Her-story”. This was around Christmas time.  Within a month she could play “Jingle Bells” and simple hymns, and for Christmas she received the “big piano” as promised by her mom.  She took music lessons from Madame Betty Coaxum and Rev. Jackson, prominent neighborhood teachers. She diligently practiced her hymns and began to play for Sunday school at Generostee Baptist Church in Starr, South Carolina, a rural church with slave background. Being so young and short in statue, and the church had the old-style, piano with the “high-bench”, Jo Ann had to be lifted on the piano stool to play her songs.

Jo always possessed traits of creativity and leadership abilities.  She could think of ideas and put them into action, and they always turned out successful. She was so much fun, said one of her play mates. “She always wanted to be the leader”. Even when we played a game of “Mother May I”?, she would quickly say, “I will be the leader” (mother), and run and get the “switch off the tree”. In this game, we would sit on the steps and ask permission to go out to play in the yard. The mother would agree and say “be back in five minutes and tell me what you did, for example pick a few leaves, throw the ball, etc.

When you reported back all dirty from the dirt, you would get a whipping. We soon realized why she wanted to be the mother-She had the switch. That was so much fun in those days. Her mother involved her and the neighborhood children in so many activities and would assist in transporting them to after-school activities at her schools, South Fant Street Elementary, Reed Street Junior High, and Westside High School. She was involved at Westside as a Basketball Score-keeper, (Coach “Tac” Williams, Clarinet player in the Marching Band,(Mr. Stuckey) French Club (Ms. Bigby, teacher), and music programs by Ms. Vermell Williams, and more.

“Lil’ Bit” grew up to be very talented and wanted to pursue a career as a Foreign Correspondent, for she excelled in French. Some of the French students were selected to go to Ottawa, Canada to experience the language first hand.  However, when she came to Howard University to pursue her career and found out that some of her first semester classes were closed, she decided to go into music for a semester and transfer back to Liberal Arts.  She loved the music department, and the rest is “History”.  For more information on “Her-story” visit her website: joanhillsman.com.

A prominent news reporter interviewed her in later years and said that was a turning point in her career. She went back to her first love, music, and made that her lasting career. The Foreign language, French, remained her interest.  Joan was able to sponsor trips to London and Paris, France.  While there she visited the University Sabonne, where she toured and explored the musical and rhythmic and cultural components of the music. She attended Howard University in Washington, D. C. and received her Bachelor of Music Education, Master of Music Education Degrees, and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) form The Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Hillsman also completed the DMA program at Catholic University in Washington, D. C. She participated in a project on “African American Trends in Music”, at Harvard University, under the late renowned Mother of African American Music, Eileen Southern before her retirement.  Dr. Hillsman is an Author, of several books, African American Music Historian, Composer and Performer. (For Full Details, refer to her bio and vitae. She is also listed in several prominent Who’s Who Directories (Marquis) and others. Her travels are extensive.  She states that the two (2) trips that impacted her memoirs are the (Motherland)., Senegal, West Africa, and Jerusalem, Israel (The Holy Land).

Dr. Hillsman retired in 1996, as Supervising Director of Music for all of the District of Columbia Public Schools, and was quickly appointed as Adjunct Professor of Music at Bowie State University, where she taught, assisted in curriculum development, and served as Director of the Bowie State University Gospel Choir until 2017, when she relocated to Syracuse, New York. She has one son, Quentin Hillsman, Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Syracuse University.

Dr. Hillsman’s accomplishments, accolades, and awards are numerous. She holds the “Key to the City of Detroit, Michigan”, awarded by the late Mayor Coleman Young, Joan Hillsman’s Day in the Nations Capital” awarded by the late Mayor Barry for the “Washington is a Capital City Neighborhood Grant”, the June 4, 2016 Proclamation by Syracuse’s Mayor Stephanie Miner, proclaiming “Joan Hillsman’s Day in Syracuse, New York, The Joanie Mahonie Intergenerational Award The Bowie State University “Arts and Science Above and Beyond” Award, The International Woman’s Award, The Delta Sigma Theta Fortitude Award and many other outstanding citations.

“I have utilized my educational and God-given gifts to inspire and motivate others

Via volunteering, from a child-up, teaching, mentoring, and helping the young and old to follow their dreams”.  I have more miles to go before I sleep. Her Pastor in Washington, D. C.,  Dr. Rudolph White stated it very well upon her retirement, “She is a living Legacy” and resource who is willing to help others”.

“She is living happily ever after, as she serves humanity, through her legacy of music.”

Her Story: is about Dr. Joan Rucker Hillsman

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