All Stars in Accra, Ghana. 1956. Louis Armstrong House Museum
Benny Goodman at Rehearsal with His New Group, 1952, Library of Congress
Through these presentations, audiences abroad were directly introduced to American musicians and ideas. Audiences of all demographics embraced jazz music, experiencing its unique ability to transcend frontiers of class, language, and cultural differences.
Program for Concerts in Rangoon, Burma, 1958. Yale University
Report from Rangoon to Allan Keller of the New York World-Telegram,
1957. Yale University
Additionally, the Ambassadors crossed the ideological frontier constructed by Soviet propaganda and showed an alternate vision of American life: one where all were equal.
Dizzy Gillespie and Many of His Band Members in Front of Their Plane during a Layover, 1956,
Meridian Collection
The Dizzy Gillespie Quartet performs in the Plenary Hall, Kenyatta International
Conference Centre, 1973, Meridian Collection
Jazz was a representation of American values, which resonated around the world.
