2026: Alphabetical and Numerical Listings (A00001 - A00010)

 Alphabetical Listings

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Amherst Memories with Ase Gassaway, Amherst College Class of 1975 - A00007

Amherst Memories with Chucky Soul - A00005

Amherst Memories with John Williams, Amherst College Class of 1975 - A00010

Amherst Memories with Mark Robinson, Amherst College Class of 1978 - A00008

Amherst Memories with Roger Coy, Amherst College Class of 1975 - A00006

Cassandra Wilson, Grammy Award Winning African American Jazz Singer, Songwriter, and Producer - A00003

Cassandra Wilson Songs - A00004

Emily Dickinson, 19th Century American Poet - A00002

Summer of 2026 Class Notes: Class of 1963: Hugh Price - A00009

The Beginning - A00001

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Numerical Listings

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A00001 - The Beginning

A00002 - Emily Dickinson, 19th Century American Poet

A00003 - Cassandra Wilson, Grammy Award Winning African American Jazz Singer, Songwriter, and Producer

A00004 - Cassandra Wilson Songs

A00005 - Amherst Memories with Chucky Soul

A00006 - Amherst Memories with Roger Coy, Amherst College Class of 1975

A00007 - Amherst Memories with Ase Gassaway, Amherst College Class of 1975

A00008 - Amherst Memories with Mark Robinson, Amherst College Class of 1978

A00009 - Summer of 2026 Class Notes: Class of 1963: Hugh Price

A00010 - Amherst Memories with John Williams, Amherst College Class of 1975

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A00010 - Amherst Memories with John Williams, Amherst College Class of 1975

 Below is a rather interesting response that was sent by John Williams, Class of 1975, regarding the existence of a McCoy Tyner performance in the Buckley Recital Hall. Thanks to John, I feel that my original recollection about a McCoy Tyner performance in the Recital Hall has been confirmed. I feel that way because John has been a Trustee of Amherst College for over forty years now and I consider him to be the authority on things Amherst.

However, in contrast to John's reference to receiving a "jazz education" at Amherst, I must confess to still being fairly ignorant of jazz.  For me, attending a few musical events at Amherst was more like an education appetizer instead of a full meal.  

I am curious to read about anyone who may have attended the Keith Jarrett concert.  I seem to recall that he was quite the star back in the 1970s.  

Finally, I note for the curious that those receiving these messages do not constitute "Everyone".  Because I am, and always will be, the Minister of Information, I have been slowly compiling separate components for the recipients of these messages.  In the compilation of each component, I get to know the Black Alumni better ... and I think I get to know the College better.  The College has dramatically changed since John and I were students there.  The campus is far more beautiful, the dorms are more accommodating, the dining hall cuisine is far more varied, and the classrooms seem more stimulating.  All in all, during my attendance at the Black Alumni Weekends, I have found the College to be a far more inviting place than it was when I was there from 1971 to 1975.

Of course, the fact that the College is now co-ed makes for a more balanced educational environment. I also have noted with some interest the great increase in the number of those students identifying as Black Alumni.  In a recent class, there were 101 members out of a total of 506 who identified as Black Alumni.  That is an astounding 19.9%. Wow!

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins

Class of 1975

September 12, 2026

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- Forwarded Message -----

From: John Williams 

To: "skipjen2865@aol.com" <skipjen2865@aol.com>

Cc: 

Sent: Monday, September 7, 2026 at 02:14:01 PM PDT

Subject: Re: Amherst Memories with Roger Coy, Amherst College Class of 1975

Greetings everyone,

I definitely recall McCoy Tyner performing in Buckley Recital Hall. He was a visiting lecturer for a brief period and, if I remember correctly, was initially drawn to the Amherst area by Max Roach, who spent a lot of time at UMass. I also remember a full-time Amherst music faculty member commenting on McCoy's extraordinary mastery of music theory, particularly harmony.

Additionally, I remember a performance by Keith Jarrett in the "Old Gym." After a spellbinding 15-minute opening piece, he paused, stood up, pointed at the instrument, and exclaimed, "THIS is NOT a piano!!" He then ranted about the lack of respect for jazz artists in America compared to the appreciation they receive from European audiences.

I am deeply grateful for the jazz education we received from so many of our brothers at Amherst, as well as the chance to hear so many visiting performers. I certainly bought my share of jazz albums from Faces of the Earth back then.

Best regards,
John

John I. Williams, Jr. '75

On Mon, Sep 7, 2026 at 12:44 AM <skipjen2865@aol.com> wrote:

My apologies Roger.  You do not recall the McCoy Tyner event because it does not appear to have ever occurred.  The recital event was more likely a Max Roach event.

Max Roach - Wikipedia

Max was a visiting professor at UMass in the 1970s when we were at Amherst, so it is much more likely that it was Max not McCoy who I saw.  

Others can chime if they care to do so.  But for now, my 72-year-old memories stand corrected.

Thanks Roger.

Everett "Skip" Jenkins

Class of 1975

September 6, 2026

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: Roger Coy 

To: skipjen2865@aol.com <skipjen2865@aol.com>

Sent: Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 08:01:02 PM PDT

Subject: Re: Amherst Memories with Chucky Soul

OMG - I don't know why I can't recall the McCoy Tyner event. I have a bunch of his CDs and while I wasn't into Jazz then the way I have been for the past several decades, I'm sure I would have been there.

As always, thanks for sharing.

Roger Coy

On Saturday, September 5, 2026 at 02:27:43 AM EDT, skipjen2865@aol.com <skipjen2865@aol.com> wrote:

--

I received the following question from Charles Donaldson, Amherst College Class of 1974. Charles was known as "Chucky Soul" during our Amherst days, and I always remember him for his upbeat attitude.  In answer to his question, the musical talents I may have missed in my lifetime appears to have been many.  I have been trying to catch up, but even as I do so, more musical talents keep popping up.

As for taking advantage of the enriching musical experiences offered to us during our Amherst years, I must admit that I did not take advantage of as many as I would have liked.  I sampled a few.  I seemed to remember a Kool and the Gang concert in the Cage; a McCoy Tyner offering in the Recital Hall; and a number of impromptu jazz offerings by the "Brothers" in the Octagon.  I also remember the Zumbyes and the Glee Club.  Otherwise, I pretty much remained cloistered in my room.

I do believe that I missed much during my Amherst College days.  There are so many classes that I wished I had taken; so many people that I wished I had spent some time with; so many events that I wished I had attended.  I suppose that is one of the reasons why I am drawn to writing the The Memorial List biographies.  With each one, I learn about a person that I wished that I could have known, and I learn about activities that I wish that I could have partaken of. 

Like with Chucky Soul, I remember some of our time in the Vegetarian Dining area in Valentine Hall and some our discussions concerning a new religion that had ventured into the Valley. 

I wish we had had more.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins

Class of 1975

September 4, 2026 

---

--

Forwarded Message -----

From: Charles Walter Donaldson Jr. 

To: "skipjen2865@aol.com" <skipjen2865@aol.com>

Sent: Friday, September 4, 2026 at 07:28:55 AM PDT

Subject: Re: Cassandra Wilson, Grammy Award Winning African American Jazz Singer, Songwriter and Producer

Which other musical talents have you missed, Skip?  Did you take advantage of the enriching musical experiences offered to us during your Amherst years?

A00009 - Summer of 2026 Class Notes: Class of 1963: Hugh Price

 The Summer of 2026 Amherst magazine is a historic issue in that it celebrates 50th anniversary of Co-education at Amherst College.  In so celebrating the magazine profiles some of the women of Amherst going from A to Z. I encourage all to read the profiles.  In particular, I note the profiles of the following African American women

Aina Abiodun, Class of 1994

P. Gabrielle Foreman, Class of 1986

Tamara Johnson, Class of 1973

Chantal Kordula, Class of 1994

Catherine Lhamon, Class of 1993

Sonia Sanchez 

I suspect that the subject of the last profile, Sonia Sanchez, would be particularly proud of the women who followed her -- quite a distinguished group.  

Later on, in the Class Notes for the Class of 1963, I read the following

In a recent post, Fritz Kuhnlenz, assistant vice president for strategic engagement and alumni relations, gave special praise to Bob Holmes, Tad Larrabee, and Alan Bernstein for the early development of our class web page. Bob Holmes deserves added praise for moving us to the Google Groups AC Class of 1963 listserv.

Recently, Hugh Price made good use of that Google Group by recommending we read “The Accidental Winners of the War on Higher Ed,” by Ian Bogost, a writer at The Atlantic. No surprise, Amherst comes across particularly well in the article.

Every time I see the name of Hugh Price I smile.  To my mind, Hugh Price is one of the Top Ten African Americans to have attended Amherst College. You can read about Hugh Price at 

Hugh Price's Biography

and you can even listen to Hugh at the same link.

What particularly endears Hugh Price to me has been his availability.  When I was more involved in the Black Alumni Listserv, Hugh volunteered to participate with me for an online book discussion concerning his book Strugglers into Strivers (see below).  I also greatly appreciated his willingness to give the keynote address for the 2021 Black Alumni Memorial Service -- the service which I still consider having been blessed by God.  

Hugh has been serving not only the African American community but also the world almost from the moment he left Amherst College.  He is a remarkable man.  It also is impressive that he produced a daughter whose artistic endeavors were reported by Hugh in some Class Notes many years ago.  

Dubai Fountain - I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston

Dubai dancing fountain - Celine Dion & Andrea Bocelli - The Prayer 🎶 - YouTube

Bellagio Fountain NEW 2025 Show - My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion - BRAND NEW Choreography 4K - YouTube

Thank you, Hugh, for so much of everything.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins

Class of 1975

September 10, 2026

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Traer Price’s Work with Watershows

Traer Price is a renowned African American artist and designer whose career spans graphic design, jewelry, and most notably, large-scale water/light/sound choreography for world‑famous fountains www.traerprice.com+1.

Career in Watershows

For 30 years, Price has served as a consultant to WET, a Los Angeles–based water feature design firm, creating choreographed water shows for major venues worldwide www.traerprice.com. Her work blends movement, light, and sound to produce immersive, emotionally resonant performances.

Notable Projects

• Dubai Fountain – A centerpiece of the Burj Khalifa complex, where Price’s choreography has been a key part of its nightly spectacle www.traerprice.com+1.
• Fountains of Bellagio – Las Vegas, known for their synchronized water, light, and music displays NSUWorks.
• Tokyo Dome – Japan, featuring elaborate water and light shows NSUWorks.
• Fountain of Nations – EPCOT Center, Walt Disney World, Orlando NSUWorks.
• Crown Casino – Melbourne, Australia NSUWorks.

These shows often incorporate augmented reality, terrazzo elements, and symbolic themes, as seen in her Harriet Tubman Memorial proposal, which combined sculpture, AR, and a terrazzo compass www.traerprice.com.

Artistic Approach

Price’s watershow designs are rooted in movement and emotion, drawing from her own experiences and cultural heritage. She describes her work as connecting “the me I like the best” and creating “a gift of me from you” www.traerprice.com. Her choreography is informed by both the grand scale of public art and the intimacy of stillness, reflecting her dual love affair with oceans and former oceans www.traerprice.com.

Other Media

While watershows are a major part of her practice, Price also works in graphic design, jewelry, sand‑carved glass vessels, and fine art drawings, often exploring themes of identity, heritage, and sacredness www.traerprice.com+1.

If you’re interested in seeing her watershow work, the Dubai Fountain and Fountains of Bellagio are the most accessible public examples, with her choreography available in video form on her official site www.traerprice.com.

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Strugglers into Strivers by Hugh B. Price

Hugh B. Price’s Strugglers into Strivers: What the Military Can Teach Us about How Young People Learn and Grow is a 2014 trade paperback by Small Batch Books that offers a fresh approach to education for students who struggle persistently in school eBay+1.

Core Thesis

Price argues that many students who “struggle perpetually” lack the social and emotional skills needed to succeed academically. He identifies that families, communities, and peer groups often fail to provide the support these students need, pulling them in the wrong direction eBay+1.

Military-Inspired Education Model

Drawing on U.S. military training methods, Price proposes a new school paradigm that balances academic and social development. He suggests that the military’s emphasis on:

• Responsible citizenship
• Community service
• Life-coping skills
• Health and hygiene
• Belonging, teamwork, interdependence
• Self-discipline
• Accountability to oneself and others

can be adapted to help troubled teens and high school dropouts Amazon.

Target Audience

The book is aimed at educators, counselors, and policymakers seeking to reform public education to address both academic performance and personal development. It is categorized under counseling / academic development and is intended for a trade audience eBay+1.

Structure and Content

The 219-page book blends research findings with real-world experience, offering a framework for creating schools dedicated to turning “strugglers” into “strivers.” It calls for a reimagined public school system focused on students who are “laboring futilely” in school and life Amazo

----- Forwarded Message -----From: "skipjen2865@aol.com" <skipjen2865@aol.com>

To: 

Sent: Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 05:48:44 PM PDT

Subject: Summer 0f 2026 Class Notes: Class of 1962: Fred Gregory

-

Because of my work on the Black Alumni Memorial Book, it appears that I have garnered a great deal of information that, apparently, I am intended to share.  This mandate to share was recently made clear when I happened to read the Class Note for the Class of 1962 in the Summer of 2026 Amherst magazine.  The 1962 Class Note has some information from Fred Gregory.  It is set forth below and is followed by information which apparently I am now intended to share.

I hope you will enjoy it.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins

Class of 1975

August 9, 2026 

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"Fred Gregory has three grandkids who went to the United States Air Force Academy and another in AFROTC at the University of South Carolina.  Furthermore, his 14-year-old granddaughter is a top swimmer whom he hopes in a few years the Air Force Academy will recruit.  Finally, as if to lock in the Gregory family's record of service, yet another grandkid joined the Army Special Forces.  Fred is still in demand for presentations but reports also becoming a self-appointed family genealogist.  Some findings: 1) His ancestor and ninth great-grandfather John Alden was on the Mayflower as the cooper.  A descendant and Fred's uncle was Dr. Charles Drew, class of 1926. 2) In another line, Fred's fourth great-granddad Sterling Claiborne was freed by the man who enslaved him, Butler Claiborne, because of his bravery and loyalty during the Revolutionary War.  Sterling's descendant and Fred's grandfather was James Francis Gregory 1898.  Fred also has in his lineage a U.s president, a vice president, and a framer of the Declaration of Independence."

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Fred Gregory, Class of 1962, left Amherst in 1960 to matriculate at the United States Air Force Academy.  He graduated from the Academy in 1964.     Fred was the first African American to pilot a Space Shuttle in 1985 and later became the first Black shuttle commander.  Fred was selected in NASA’s 1978 astronaut class and later became NASA’s first African American Deputy Administrator, also serving briefly as Acting Administrator in 2005. As AI notes,

NASA’s Astronaut Group 8, announced on January 16, 1978, was the first new astronaut class since 1969 and the first to include African Americans, women, and Asian Americans Wikipedia+1. Of the 35 selected, three were African American:

• Guion S. Bluford – Became the first African American in space on STS‑8 in 1983, later flying on four Space Shuttle missions between 1983 and 1992 Friends of NASA.
• Ronald E. McNair – First Baháʼí in space; flew on STS‑41‑B in 1984 and STS‑51‑L in 1986, the latter being the Challenger disaster mission Wikipedia.
• Frederick D. Gregory – First African American to pilot and command a Space Shuttle mission (STS‑51‑B in 1985)

Fred's grandfather, James Francis Gregory, Class of 1898, was captain of the Amherst College baseball team in 1898, the first African American to be elected captain of a baseball team in any eastern college and became a Presbyterian minister and vice-principal at the Bordentown School in New Jersey. It is James whose presence is quite noticeable in the photos of the Amherst College 1898 baseball team that adorns the archives exhibits.

Fred's uncle, Charles Drew, is arguably the most famous African American graduate of Amherst College.  His work on developing blood storage systems was a great advance for medicine.  As noted by AI: 

Drew’s groundbreaking work focused on blood transfusions and the preservation of blood plasma. He discovered that plasma could be stored longer than whole blood and developed methods to process and store large quantities efficiently. During World War II, he organized and directed the Blood for Britain project and the U.S. blood-plasma programs, saving thousands of lives. He also protested racial segregation in blood donation, resigning from the American Red Cross when it enforced discriminatory policies 

Chsrles Drew's sister, Nora Drew Gregory, is Fred Gregory's mother.  Nora Drew Gregory was a major recruiter of black students for Amherst College in the 1950s. As noted in "Remembering Dunbar"

In 1946, Eugene Wilson (class of 1929) became the college’s dean of admission, a posi-
tion he held until his retirement in 1972. A 1971 interview in the Amherst Student noted that
Wilson ultimately “reversed the percentages of public and private school graduates of the
college.”56 Under Wilson’s leadership, Amherst admission deans made efforts to diversify
incoming classes, including organizing frequent trips down to Washington, DC, to meet
with Dunbar students in person.

Amherst faced competition from rivaling northern colleges for the best and brightest
Dunbar seniors. Williams College, near Amherst, had its own history of recruiting Dunbar
men going back to the early twentieth century, with about fifteen Dunbar students enroll-
ing between 1909 and 1944. In response, Wilson sought out local leaders in the black DC
community who could identify talented young men who might be a good fit for Amherst.
Wilson strategically collaborated with the Drew family that embodied Dunbar’s con-
nection with Amherst. Nora Drew Gregory, Charles Drew’s sister, served as a liaison
between Amherst and the black Washington community. After her brother died in an
automobile accident in 1950, Gregory diligently promoted his alma mater.

Before his senior year at Dunbar in 1953, Harold Haizlip (class of 1957) simply remem-
bered Nora Drew Gregory as his elementary school teacher. However, in Haizlip’s senior
year, Harvard, Yale, Williams, Amherst, and Dartmouth all accepted him. Gregory per-
sistently advocated for Amherst to be his top choice. Haizlip recalled that she invited him
to her home: “[There was a] very nice white gentlemen Eugene Wilson . . . the dean of
admission! . . . This was at a time when it was unusual for college administrators, and
white college administrators, to be so aggressive. . . . I’m sure they knew Nora Gregory’s
lineage. . . . Her son . . . became the first African- American astronaut, Frederick Gregory.” 60
After Haizlip, Amherst recruited a cohort of three Dunbar seniors for the class of 1959,
who happened to also be neighborhood friends: Lawrence Burwell, Robert Jason, and
Raymond Hayes. Hayes remembered that “we were all interested in science and medicine
and were encouraged by the opportunity to attend Amherst together.” 61 Both Hayes and
Jason received $700 each through an Amherst College scholarship, while Burwell received
$500.62 These were all relatively significant contributions at the time. Annual tuition at
Amherst was $1,425 during the 1955 to 1956 school year. 63