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BATAVIA – Special guests including Nicholas Brooks will be part of a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. March 5, when the Batavia Depot Museum and Batavia Historical Society celebrate the new exhibit, “Community, Culture and Conversations – African American Heritage in Batavia.”
On display until Aug. 2, the exhibit will highlight historic Batavians such as John Ozier and James Stewart, as well as share the stories of contemporary African American community members, such as Corey Williams and Ed and Ruth Tousana.
The exhibit also recognizes Nicholas Brooks, a 1998 graduate of Batavia High School. He will travel back home with his parents to attend the reception, he said in an email. While at Batavia High School, he was a member of the SwingSingers under the direction of Wes Bettcher. Brooks was a sought-after vocalist at a young age, and he said he had the privilege of singing the national anthem for the Bears, White Sox and Cubs.
Brooks graduated from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in business. He was the featured vocalist in the world-renowned NIU Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Ron Carter, from his freshman through senior years. He was named Downbeat Magazine Vocalist of the Year for 2002, the same year he was crowned Mr. Homecoming. In 2007, he was named one of the Outstanding Alumni of NIU.
Upon graduation from NIU, Brooks pursued his passion for music by relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada. For the past 18 years, he has been a Las Vegas headliner in various venues and casinos. In addition for the past 13 years, he starred as Sammy Davis Jr. in the “Rat Pack Show” in Las Vegas and has toured throughout the U.S., Australia, Canada, Germany and New Zealand.
In 2010, Brooks made his television debut on the CBS show “The Defenders.” In addition to singing commercial jingles to his solo/ensemble headlining act, Brooks has conducted many vocal clinics for up-and-coming singers and musicians of all ages. He is making his mark on the entertainment world as a vocalist, dancer, composer and musician. The city of Batavia recognized “Nicholas Brooks Day” on May 11.
He acknowledges that the spark for his love and passion for music was ignited during his early days as a member of the choir at Batavia’s Logan Street Missionary Baptist Church.
The museum exhibit will explain why early African Americans decided to call Batavia home and what their lives were like in the town after the Civil War until today. The exhibition and the programming that accompanies it represent a new effort to highlight some of Batavia’s lesser-known histories.
The museum is open from March to mid-December from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Suggested admission is $5.
Related programs
• Elizabeth Keckley, seamstress: 1 p.m. March 29, Civic Center Bartholomew Room, 327 W. Wilson St. Free.
Learn about Elizabeth Keckley, who is most well known as Mary Todd Lincoln’s dressmaker. Keckley was an accomplished seamstress who bought her own freedom with her talents in 1855 and built a business that employed 20 women. The presentation is brought to Batavia with the help of the Illinois Humanities Council.
• Connection with Culture – History Biking Tour: 5 p.m. May 5, at the Lodge at Laurelwood, 800 N. River St. The fee is $5.
The tour will cover northeast Batavia and point out places important to Batavia’s African American history. Attendees must bring their own bicycles.
For information about the exhibit or related programs, contact the Depot Museum, located at 155 Houston St., by calling 630-406-5274 or visiting bataviahistoricalsociety.org/events. Register for programs at bataviaparks.org.