C*LTURE: Nina Simone

Nina Simone, songwriter, musician and civil rights activist. A powerful soul, Nina's music encompassed love, protest and Black empowerment. A natural storyteller, Nina created music for over four decades.

By the age of four, she began playing the piano, by ear. Her natural talent was demonstrated at her concert debut, a classical recital, at 12 years old. During this recital her parents were asked to sit at the back to make way for White people. Nina refused to play until her parents were moved back to the front. This incident contributed to her lifetime commitment to the civil rights movement.

Nina Simone died in her sleep at her home in 2003. Her musical legacy provides a social commentary on Black liberation and Black female empowerment.

Website: https://www.ninasimone.com