Visit New Orleans, Nov 6, 2019
The Essence Festival of Culture presented by Coca Cola is
the year's biggest celebration of black culture in the country, held annually
in New Orleans. Attend from July 1-5, 2020.
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the
Essence Festival (also known as "the Essence Fest) that has been held
annually in New Orleans, Louisiana since 1994.
This post showcases a YouTube video and presents general information about the Essence Fest from several online article. An excerpt from the Wikipedia article about Susan L Taylor is included among the quoted information about the Essence Festival.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-essence-festival-from-classy-to.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a YouTube vlog about the backlash that singer India Arie received when she posted an online comment about her concerns with the lack of decorum that was displayed during two performances at the 2023 Essence Festival.
That post quotes India Arie's online comment about those performances and presents an excerpt from an article this subject. This pancocojams post also presents selected comments from the discussion threads of three YouTube vlogs about the 2023 Essence Festival.The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks
to the producers and publishers of this embedded video.
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ONLINE REPRINT
From https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/essence-magazine-1970
"Essence magazine is a monthly publication whose target
audience is African American women. It focuses on culture, beauty, fashion, and
entertainment. Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) was founded in 1968 by
Clarence O. Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth, Jonathan Blount, Denise M. Clark, and
Edward Lewis. The original name in concept was Sapphire. Photographer Gordon
Parks served as the first editorial director, and Susan L. Taylor started her
career with the magazine as a freelance fashion and beauty editor before
becoming Editor-in-Chief in 1981, a position she held until 2000. The first
publication was released in May 1970
The magazine had a difficult start. Obtaining funding was an
issue, and three editors-in-chief left within the first year. In 1971, Marcia
Ann Gillespie was hired as editor-in-chief, and her vision helped to stabilize
the company. The monthly publication started with a production of approximately
50,000 copies per month, and quickly grew to over a million. Unable to see eye
to eye, Blount, Hollingsworth and Parks left the company after just four years.
By 1975, the magazine began to make a profit, and the departed founders decided
to file a lawsuit for their share of profits in 1977. The lawsuit culminated in
a three- year battle that nearly bankrupt the publication and ended when an
investor bought out Hollingsworth’s shares in the company.
The topics and articles included have tackled controversial topics that include black politics, religion and sex, and the criminal justice system. Essence has also featured original works by Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka and Nikki Giovanni. During the 1980s, Taylor was the executive producer and host of an interview program broadcast called Essence: The Television Program. Taylor also started Essence Books in the 1990s, a division of ECI that yearly selects 24 books by black authors to promote and highlight.
In 2000, Time Inc. purchased a 49% percent stake from owners Clarence Smith and Edward Lewis. The company bought the remaining 51% percent in 2005, marking the first time in the company’s 34-year history, that it was no longer black-owned, and completely under white ownership. There were numerous complaints of discrimination against the company during Time’s ownership. Those disputes culminated in the sale of the company to a new organization, Essence Ventures, which was founded in 2017 by Richelieu Dennis, a Liberian businessman. Essence Ventures purchased Essence Communications for an undisclosed sum in January 2018. The company has since moved to a 100 percent-black-female leadership and continues to focus on empowering black women.
The publication has received numerous awards, including
several National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) awards, and has also
created several awards, that include the Essence Literary Awards, the Power
Award, the Shining Star Award, and the Vanguard Award, that are all presented
at the annual Black Women in Hollywood Awards, held each February, on the
Thursday before the Oscars."
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ONLINE EXCERPTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE ESSENCE FESTIVAL
From https://www.neworleans.com/event/essence-festival-of-culture%C2%AE-presented-by-coca-cola%C2%AE-new-orleans/3296/
"
Held over Fourth of July weekend at the Caesars Superdome,
this three-day party named for its founder and sponsoring magazine combines
high-octane music performances with inspirational speakers and provocative
conversations about gender, race, culture, and art.
The popular event brings a slew of big names to New Orleans for large evening performances, intimate lounge shows and DJ parties. Mary J. Blige, Puff Daddy, Beyonce and Mariah Carey are among the many who have headlined the event with local superstars such as Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews.
By day, the Empowerment Experience spotlights dozens of speakers like Deepak Chopra, the Clark sisters and the Rev. Al Sharpton to hash over thought-provoking topics such as religion, economics and education. These are traditionally free.
Dozens of vendors have displays set up in different locations around the Superdome and park areas that are temporarily turned into outdoor markets. You can expect to see a variety of quality fine art and crafts from clothing and jewelry, to collectible paintings and sculptures. All art displays and demonstrations will represent the rich culture developed from all over the African Diaspora.
There is also a pre-party day of service where attendees join leaders from local nonprofits for a day dedicated to supporting New Orleans with a community project.
The Essence Expo Experience includes seminars and workshops on a wide range of topics including beauty and style as well as power and finance. Attendees can participate in live tutorials, free consultations, fashion and makeup presentations and more.
Essence Festival was started in 1994 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence, a magazine aimed towards African-American women. The festival was so well-received, organizers decide to make it an annual event. It has evolved into the nation’s premier showcase for contemporary African American music and culture.
There are many ticket options from single-day tickets to
posh VIP packages. Some events are free with advance registration. There are
dozens of conveniently located hotels offering special deals for fest-goers.
For a detailed list of participating hotels and more information on the event,
as well as tickets, go to the festival’s website www.essence.com/festival."...
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EXCERPT #2
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essence_Music_Festival
"The Essence Festival, known as "the party with a
purpose", is an annual music festival which started in 1995 as a one-time
event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence, a magazine aimed primarily
towards African-American women. It became the largest African-American culture
and music event in the United States.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Locally referred to
as the Essence Fest, it has been held in New Orleans, Louisiana, since 1995
except in 2006, when it was held in Houston, Texas, due to Hurricane Katrina's
effect on New Orleans and 2020 when it was cancelled. A spinoff iteration of
the festival was also held in Durban, South Africa, in November 2016. The
festival features artists simultaneously performing on a main stage as well as
four standing-room only superlounge stages.
In 2008, for the first time since its 1995 inception, the festival was not produced by the original producer team. Instead, Essence Communications, owner of the festival and the Essence magazine, contracted Rehage Entertainment Inc.
Starting 2013, Solomon Group became the Producer of Essence Festival.[8]
In 2013, MSNBC broadcast live from the Essence Festival.[1][9] MSNBC returned for the 2014 festival.[10]
2020 saw the event get cancelled with the COVID-19 pandemic to blame; the 26th is deferred to 2021, virtually.
Essence announced its return in 2022 to live event with The Walt Disney Company serving as sponsor.[11]
Much of the 2017 film Girls Trip was filmed on location
during the 2016 festival, casting over 5000 background actors[12] with several
scenes filmed afterward to recreate elements of the festival.
-snip-
Except for the words quoted above, this Wikipedia page consist of a yearly list
of the concert line-up (the names of performers who were featured in that
festival) from 2001 to 2022,excluding 2019 and excluding 2020 the festival was canceled due to
Covid 19.
****
EXCERPT #3
From https://bleumag.com/entertainment/what-is-essence-festival/ What Is The Essence Festival
Essence Festival and its history. Check out when it's
happening again and what upcoming events to look forward to.
By Sughnen Yongo, August 25, 2023
"For years, the Essence Music Festival, which is also known
as 'the party with a purpose,' has represented an annual celebration that melds
Black music, culture, empowerment, and connection. It has built a reputation as
an event that is one of the most anticipated in the United States each year.
This unique gathering captures the essence of African-American culture and gives a platform for artists, speakers, and attendees to celebrate, learn, and be inspired. In this article, we will explore the Essence Festival, its history, and its significance.
The Essence Music Festival was born from the pages of Essence magazine, a publication that has long been a champion of African American women. Launched in 1995 to commemorate the magazine's 25th anniversary, the festival was conceived as a one-time event at the time. However, its surprising and unexpected success led to its transformation into an annual tradition that still draws people from all walks of life over two decades later.
What is Essence Festival, and how much does it cost to attend the Essence Festival?
The Essence Festival isn't just an event; it's a cultural
movement that, at its core brings Black people together in an unapologetic
celebration of their shared heritage. It serves as a powerful reminder of the
rich contributions that African Americans have made to society in various
fields, including music, art, literature, and activism.”….
****
EXCERPT #4
"Susan L. Taylor (born January 23, 1946) is an American editor,
writer, and journalist. She served as editor-in-chief of Essence from 1981
through 2000.[1] In 1994, American Libraries referred to Taylor as "the
most influential black woman in journalism today".
Early life
Taylor was born in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City
to a Trinidadian mother and a father from St. Kitts.[2] She grew up in East
Harlem, where her father owned a clothing store. She was raised Catholic and
went to a Catholic school.[3] As a teenager, she moved with her family to the
New York borough of Queens.[4]
Essence
Taylor started her career at Essence, a magazine for
African-American women, in 1970, the year the magazine was founded. Her first
position at the magazine was freelance fashion and beauty editor.[1] At the
time, she was a divorced single mother without a college degree.[5]
By 1981, Taylor had risen to become editor-in-chief, a position she held until 2000.[1] During the 1980s, she attended night school and earned a B.A. from Fordham University.[5]
In addition to her editing responsibilities, Taylor had success building the Essence brand. She was executive producer and host of Essence, the Television Program, a syndicated interview program broadcast on more than 50 stations for four years during the 1980s. In the 1990s, she began Essence Books.[5]
Taylor's monthly inspirational column, "In the Spirit", became a popular feature of the magazine. She published three volumes of selected columns.
In 2000, Taylor was promoted to publications director. She left the magazine in 2008.[1]"...
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.
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