A special evening concert series, Been in the Storm So Long, will feature African-American musical traditions from the region devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Produced in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the concerts will present New Orleans jazz, brass bands, rhythm & blues, Mardi Gras Indians, and gospel.

The exciting rhythms and improvised melodies that first appeared over one hundred years ago live today in traditionally oriented jazz ensembles and innovative hot brass bands. The city's unique Afro-Caribbean and blues spirit continues in the tradition of the greatest gospel and rhythm & blues legends. Mardi Gras Indians carry on the majesty of a street parade tradition, combining colorful costumes with West African-influenced chants and rhythms. The three concerts, held on the evenings of June 30, July 7, and July 8, celebrate the perseverance of the musicians of New Orleans despite the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

This program is produced in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Established by Congress in 2003, the new museum is devoted to the documentation of African American life, art, history, and culture. The museum's collections will cover topics as varied as slavery, post-Civil War Reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance, and the civil rights movement.