Ethnomusicologist Fredara Hadley on Reckoning with the Past

Fredara Hadley is an ethnomusicologist at The Juilliard School whose research focuses on the musical legacies of historically Black colleges and universities. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Billboard Magazine, the Journal of Popular Music Studies, and elsewhere.

In this episode, Hadley reflects on the unique contributions of musicians and music programs at HBCUs, the communal value of sacred spaces, and the need to reckon with culture when appreciating music.