2 jan 1968 & Eddie Henderson Quintet @St. Margaret's Episcopal Church

"We aim to establish an art movement at the community level."
                                                                      Topper Carew & Arthur Jackson, April 1967 

#OTD Tuesday 2 January 1968, the Eddie Henderson Quintet was the headliner at the weekly jazz workshop series sponsored by the New Thing Art & Architecture Center. These concerts were held at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church at Connecticut Avenue and Bancroft Place, NW., in Adams Morgan. Eddie Henderson was a jazz trumpeter (and a medical student at Howard University). 

Jazz lovers would have known about the concert because the series had been going strong since 13 April 1967 when Topper Carew and Arthur Jackson approached St. Margaret's about supporting the New Thing's "aim to establish an art movement at the community level, to develop a "cultural awareness" in the people of the area, whether it be via rock and roll, blues or...poetry." Washingtonians would also find the concerts listed in newspapers, including the Washington Post and the Evening Star.

The concerts were held in the church's Parish Hall. From the main entrance on Connecticut Avenue, patrons would walk up the steps to the building and turn right off of the lobby into the hall. Adults paid $1 and teens 50c. No alcohol was served.

Lloyd McNeill and Lou Stovall created beautiful posters for the concerts. I'm not yet sure when that practice began. Here is a gorgeous poster of a 22 August 1969 concert by the Eddie Henderson Quintet. It is from the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum's collection. 

I welcome your comments below. 

Did you attend the concerts at St Margaret's? Do you remember the other band members in Eddie Henderson's Quintet? Do you have any of the posters? Please share below or contact privately here.

photo source: St. Margaret's Episcopal Church archives, photographs box
quote source:  St. Margaret's Episcopal Church archives, 1967 Vestry folder, April 1967 Vestry Minutes, p. 1.
I am grateful to Farar Elliott, Kym Lucas, Matt Smith and John for allowing me, and assisting me with, looking through their archives.