Departmental

Jacqui Malone RI ’08

A historian of American vernacular dance and a former member of the Eleo Pomare Dance Company, Jacqui Malone RI ’08 is the author of Steppin’ on the Blues: The Visible Rhythms of African American Dance (University of Illinois Press, 1996) and Class Act: The Jazz Life of Choreographer Cholly Atkins (Columbia University Press, 2003). At Radcliffe, she is completing research for her current project, “Jazz Music in Motion,” which examines the interrelatedness of jazz dance and jazz music by focusing on the role of chorus-line dancers in Harlem between 1925 and 1955.

What is the most challenging aspect of being a Radcliffe fellow?

Balancing my life spiritually, emotionally, and physically while fighting off the impulse to be a workaholic. It’s also excitingly challenging to think about my project in a much bigger frame of reference. 

Which aspect of your work do you enjoy most?

The element of surprise that’s inherent in research. For me, it’s like an endless treasure hunt. I also love to do interviews, especially with women dancers who are in their eighties and nineties and had the courage to step out of conventional roles. 

What is your most treasured possession?

An early twentieth-century photograph of my grandmother as a young woman. 

Which trait do you most admire in yourself?

I guess I wouldn’t exactly use that language to talk about myself. Let’s just say that I’m happy my parents and high school tennis coach taught me the value of discipline and perseverance. 

Who is your muse?

I continue to be inspired by Marion Coles, a 93-year-old dancer and “sister-friend,” who is blessed with the perfect “equipment for living.” 

What do you consider your greatest success?

Raising two creative, intelligent, and compassionate sons while making a career switch from performance to research and writing. 

Tell us your favorite memory.

Summer vacations in Hilton Head with my husband and sons. 

Who are your heroes?

There are too many to list. But among the people I truly admire are my father for his steadfastness and unwavering commitment to his family; Ella Baker for her role in the emergence of the civil rights movement; Darlene Clark Hine for her pioneering work in black women’s studies; Erness Brody for her humanity; and Ann Cook and Herb Mack, the founders of Urban Academy High School in Manhattan. 

Describe yourself in six words.

That’s a job for someone else! 

What would your colleagues be surprised to learn about you?

I was once comanager of a team in the Harlem Little League and uniform coordinator for several years. 

Where in the world would you like to spend a month?

Cuba or Senegal. 

What kind of music do you enjoy?

Jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel are my favorites. I also find flamenco music very appealing. 

Name a pet peeve.

Elitism. 

If your life became a motion picture, who should portray you?

Angela Bassett or Lynn Whitfield. 

What is your fantasy career?

Photographer. 

What’s it like for you to work in the Schlesinger Library?

Well, first of all, just being in an archival space that’s dedicated to the lives of women is tremendously inspiring. I’ve just begun the part of my work that places me there, but I was immediately embraced by the reference librarians, who are wonderful. It’s also exciting to find so many of the books I need in one place. And learning that the Chicago Defender is digitized in the Harvard library system is like winning the lottery.

Photo by Tony Rinaldo