Sunday, 6/22/2025, 8:30am - Like It Is

Dr. John Calloway, curator of Buffalo Soldiers in the Philippine American War: A Crisis of Conscience, an ongoing multidisciplinary performance project examining the experiences of Black soldiers and Filipino natives during the Philippine-American War of 1899–1902. 

Telling both a historical and personal narrative through live music, spoken word, poetry, and visual elements, the piece considers the moral dilemma that Black soldiers faced in their charge to help subjugate Filipino people while at the same time being marginalized themselves. It also depicts the Filipino narrative of resistance to the American intervention as well as the complex interpersonal relationships between African American soldiers and the Filipino population.

Dr. John Calloway is a nationally recognized multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger who has simultaneously had a dual career in education for over 35 years. Known for his prolific work in Jazz, Latin American and other Global music styles, John has performed with such internationally known jazz musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Musselwhite, Arturo Sandoval, Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Max Roach, Pete Escovedo, and in the SF Bay Area, with Kulintang Arts, Jesus Diaz, Mark Levine, John Santos, Marcus Shelby and Wayne Wallace.