In Buffalo, at Kleinhans Music Hall, January 18, 2026, Aitina Fareed-Cooke delivers a resonant homage to James E. Clyburn’s book First Eight which highlights the eight Black leaders who shaped a legacy and a crowning tribute to The Ninth. This is a reflection on Jim Clyburn’s First Eight and the enduring arc of leadership in American history.

Notable figures referenced: Robert Smalls, Richard Harvey Cain, Robert C. De Large, Alonzo Jacob Ransier, Robert Brown Elliott, Thomas Ezekiel Miller, Joseph Hayne Rainey, George Washington Murray, James E. Clyburn.

Call to action: Honor the past, confront today’s challenges, and work together to ensure democracy, equity, and access for all.