80 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • MAY 3, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Queens Library celebrates 50 years of a ‘Wonderful World’
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com / @robbpoz
Louis Armstrong saw more than “trees
of green and red roses, too” when he sang
“What a Wonderful World” in his raspy
voice 50 years ago. He saw the Corona
block where he lived.
“Th ere’s so much in ‘Wonderful World’
that brings me back to my neighborhood
where I live in Corona, New York,”
Armstrong recalled in a 1968 interview.
“Lucille and I, ever since we’re married,
we’ve been right there in that block. And
everybody keeps their little homes up
like we do, and it’s just one big, happy
family.”
Armstrong lived on 107th Street in
Corona, which — following his death in
1971 — was transformed into the museum
chronicling the famed musician’s
life. Now, the Louis Armstrong House
Museum, along with the Kupferberg
Center for the Arts at Queens College and
the Queens Borough Public Library, are
teaming up to hold an array of events celebrating
the 50th birthday of Armstrong’s
most famous and beloved tune.
All 62 Queens Library branches are
participating in the program, holding
workshops, concerts, lectures and other
events through June 30 commemorating
Armstrong’s life and diversity of music.
“While the song reflects Louis
Armstrong’s feelings about the neighborhood
of Corona and borough of
Queens, it also applies to the way many
of our customers experience our libraries,”
Queens Library President and CEO
Dennis Walcott said. “It speaks to the joy
of discovery and the satisfaction of learning
that occurs each time people come to
us for information that helps them succeed
in their lives.”
Th e initiative includes art activities and
an audio-visual presentation about the
history of “What a Wonderful World”
and its relationship to the tumultuous
Nonprofi t group hosting two prom dress
giveaways for Queens girls in need this May
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
edavenport@qns.com / @QNS
A nonprofi t organization in Far
Rockaway is making sure that all girls
can have something nice to wear to their
prom this year, regardless of their family’s
income.
Project Window, which provides girls
in low-income housing projects in Far
Rockaway and its surrounding communities
with tools they need to be self-suffi
cient and provide hope for their future,
is hosting a Prom Dress Giveaway for the
community.
Photo courtesy of Louis Armstrong House Museum
1960s. Written by Bob Th iele and George
David Weiss, Armstrong recorded the
tune in August 1967; it was released the
following October as a single, reaching
No. 12 on the Billboard charts for U.S.
adult contemporary music.
Nonetheless, in the years since its
debut, Armstrong’s version of “What a
Wonderful World” grew on the American
public and has been frequently used in
fi lms and television shows.
“Th e Louis Armstrong House Museum
is thrilled to be sharing the legacy of
the great Louis Armstrong throughout
the borough of Queens and beyond the
neighborhood of Corona he loved so
much,” added David Ostwald, chairman
of the museum’s board. Ostwald is also
leader of the Louis Armstrong Eternity
Band, a Grammy-nominated band that is
among the many musical acts performing
as part of the “What a Wonderful World”
series of events.
Th e Louis Armstrong Eternity Band,
which features New Orleans-style jazz
music, will perform at the Langston
Hughes Library (100-01 Northern Blvd.,
Corona) at 6 p.m. on Th ursday, May
24. Th ey’ll also perform on June 14 at
6:30 p.m. at the Flushing Library (41-
17 Main St.) and on June 29 at 6 p.m. at
the Peninsula Library (92-25 Rockaway
Beach Blvd., Rockaway Beach).
You can also participate in lectures on
“Th e Life & Times of Louis Armstrong”
on Friday, May 18, at 1 p.m. at the Glen
Oaks Library (256-04 Union Tpke.) and
on June 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Forest Hills
Library (108-19 71st Ave.). Lectures in
Spanish will be held on Tuesday, May 1,
at 3:30 p.m. at the Corona Library (38-23
104th St.), June 2 at 3 p.m. at the Jackson
Heights Library (35-51 81st St.) and June
4 at 5:30 p.m. at the Astoria Library (14-
01 Astoria Blvd.).
Visit queenslibrary.org to learn more
about the “What a Wonderful World”
series.
Th is year, Project Window will be hosting
two giveaways. Th e fi rst will take
place from 2 to 5 p.m. on May 10 at the
Queens Family Court, located at 151-20
Jamaica Ave., as a part of the Court’s Teen
Day events. Th e second giveaway will
take place at the Goldie Maple Academy,
located at 3-56 Beach 56th St. in Arverne,
from noon to 3 p.m. on May 12.
At each event, girls will be able to pick
from a variety of donated dresses, shoes
and jewelry to put together their prom
attire.
For more information about Project
Window, visit project-window.org. Photo: Shutterstock
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