Blues at Crossroads withdraws logo

Apr. 20—At a public meeting closed to the media Tuesday night, Verve owner and founder of the Blues at the Crossroads music festival Connie Wrin announced that the event's logo will be changed from a crow playing a banjo to an alley cat.

Numerous community members were offended by the crow image, feeling that it represented minstrelsy and/or evoked the racist Jim Crow era in the South.

"If we are going to build a community where we have understanding, acceptance, empathy and progress we have to stop and listen," Wrin said, reading a statement at the beginning of the meeting. "Changing the image doesn't change the fact that racism occurs. I believe we should take the power away from those who use the crow to offend."

Wrin consulted with local musician James Taylor about the change. "I gave her the history of Scatman Crothers, a blues guy from Terre Haute," Taylor said. "Take an alley cat, something cool, throw a nice hat on him, give him a saxophone or guitar. I'm pleased with that character."

The final logo with the alley cat has not been released yet.

The logo was unveiled April 4, withdrawn April 7, and reinstated with changes April 13.

Alec Thompson, who drew the original logo, told the crowd that he had no onerous intent when he designed it.

Those who attended the meeting felt it was a positive event.

"This is a great open door to a conversation about race in Terre Haute," said Valerie Craig. "This is the first time in a long time that I've seen such a diverse group of people in this community all come together and talk about going forward. Maybe we'll get more black and brown people in this community to show up at the blues fest because of this."

Arthur Feinsod, chair of the NAACP's Education Committee, spoke about the history of Jim Crow at the meeting.

"I thought it was really important that they heard comments from the education committee of the NAACP from a white person about the offensiveness of that original image," he said after the meeting. "I commend Connie for calling the meeting, allowing everybody who wanted so speak their minds to do so. It was honest and uncensored."

Feinsod said he would have liked to have seen a logo with an integrated band playing together.

"That would be a perfect image for the blues festival, an image of musicians working together across lines," he said, but added, "It's a good story about a community coming together."

Local historian Crystal Reynolds estimated that 75-100 people from all walks of life attended the discussion.

"I was so proud to be there — I thought it was transformational," she said. "We all wanted the same thing. I love Terre Haute, and people in the meeting love Terre Haute and want the best for Terre Haute. We want the best face to come forward for Terre Haute."

Chuck Norman, who attended the meeting "representing my puny self" in an Amnesty International cap, said, "Understanding the historical context, that it was offensive to some people, there was quick recognition of that," he said. "There was no malicious intent."

But he pointed out, "I know blues music, and I see very few banjos in it."

Like most at the meeting, Norman didn't know the decision had already been made to change the logo.

"If I had known that, I wouldn't have come," he said.

David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.