Washington Performing Arts Presents I am a Man: Reclaiming Brilliance in the Midst of Brokenness

With a title inspired by the historic civil rights declaration, “I am a man!,” the program has as its centerpiece the oratorio The Seven Last Words of the Unarmed by Atlanta-based composer Joel Thompson. With a nod to Haydn’s Seven Last Words of Christ, the work is inspired by the last words of seven African American men—Michael Brown, Kenneth Chamberlain, John Crawford, Amadou Diallo, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant, and Trayvon Martin—who died untimely deaths, in many cases while interacting with the police. In addition to being a moving memorial, the concert will shine a beacon of transparency on social-justice issues and celebrate the accomplishments of African American men who continue to thrive and enrich our community.