May 19, 2015: Joanna Martin Carrington, Exec Director of 124 year old Jenkins Orphanage, was introduced by Rotarian Vito Scarafile. Ms. Carrington is a Graduate of Avery Institute, Armed Forces Institute, UCLA and West LA College of Law. She served in the US Army.
Ms. Carrington spoke about the legacy of the Dr. Jenkins and the Jenkins Orphanage Band. Dr. Jenkins was born in 1853 and died in 1937. Ms. Carrington knew him as a young child. Later in her life, while visiting a conference, she was the recipient of a grant that allowed her to study the life and history of Dr. Jenkins. Through this study she learned of the great history of the Jenkins Band and its impact on American Jazz. Not the jazz that developed out of New Orleans, but syncopated Jazz, which started here in Charleston and led to great musicals like Porgy & Bess. Kids that played in the band went on to play with Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, etc.
One of her first questions while studying Dr. Jenkins is how a preacher chose to have a jazz band. Through her research she learned of the health benefits playing instruments had on children with tuberculosis. He made every child learn every instrument and it help their lungs. They received instruments from the Citadel along with old uniforms. In 1904 the band toured Europe.
Dr. Jenkins was influential in a number of ways beyond the band. He owned considerable land and property including businesses in industrial area of Charleston. Children worked and learned in his tailor shop, bake shop, hotel and other businesses. He taught them not only to play music but how to market themselves, repair instruments, etc.
The influence of the band on the kids was tremendous and she is trying to revive the band. She is working with CCSD to start a music program at Jenkins Elementary and looks forward to the band being prominent once again.
— Steve Coe, Keyway Committee