Hear the full interview with Beatrice Nicolas as she dives into the folk idioms and civil rights struggles that inspired the work of Margaret Bonds, as well the friendship of the composer and pianist with Florence Price and poet Langston Hughes, and her journey through some of the most turbulent social justice struggles of the 20th century.

Margaret Bonds

The Ladies Speak explores the lives and legacies of American women classical composers of the 19th and early 20th centuries – a group of pioneers often overlooked by the mainstream classical world. The series will examine the work of Florence Price, Amy Beach, Margaret Ruthven Lang and others, making the case that they should be considered within the pantheon of great music produced by this country.