This week I continued working on the creation of a tour that will feature the African American history of Hillsborough. This isn’t a small task and I definitely will be challenged to complete it in the upcoming week, but I have made quick progress since taking on the project.

I was able to gather a great deal of information on Billy Strayhorn. Strayhorn was the writer of a great number of Duke Ellington’s jazz hits. However, Strayhorn shied from the spotlight and made sure to minimize his public exposure. In addition, he was not paid and did not receive any royalties from the songs that he wrote for Ellington. I cannot imagine not receiving any kind of recognition for the work I was doing. It wasn’t discovered that Ellington wasn’t writing his songs until Strayhorn wrote “Lotus Blossom”. This was a different style of piece and all of his followers were confused as to how Ellington could create such a different sound.

I also compiled all of my notes on Elizabeth Keckly. While she lived in Hillsborough, Elizabeth was known by her maiden name of Hobbs. She was on loan with the eldest son of the Burwell family and she experienced many traumatic events while residing in at the Burwell school. She was regularly beaten and she was forced into a sexual relationship with a neighbor. She eventually bore a child and was returned to her original home in Virginia. She then went on to become the dressmaker and confidant of Mary Todd Lincoln later in her life.

This upcoming week will be my last, but I am confident that I will be able to tie up my loose ends in the coming days.