How Judith Black went from 'life-long blues lover' to Blues Foundation president and CEO

The Blues Foundation has a new boss. Veteran Memphis executive Judith Black formally began her tenure as the foundation’s president and CEO earlier this week.

Scott Fitzke, chairman of the Blues Foundation’s board of directors, praised Black “as a life-long blues lover who understands the history of the blues and the relationship between the blues and civil rights. She is committed to working with artists and music industry professionals to make the blues more inclusive and equitable."

Black replaces Patricia Wilson Aden, who spent just over a year as president of the Blues Foundation and its Blues Hall of Fame Museum. Aden, a native of Philadelphia, had a successful if relatively brief run, during which she led the adoption of the Blues Foundation's Statement Against Racism and its accompanying Action Plan, furthered the Blues Foundation's Blues in the Schools program, and helped develop the museum’s Blues Guide, while shepherding the organization through the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

Black began her tenue as president with an announcement on Monday that the Blues Foundation was postponing its annual International Blues Challenge, which had been scheduled for Jan. 18-22, due to rising concerns with the omicron variant. None of the foundation’s other planned events for the year — which also include the Blue Music Award week festivities in May — have been affected so far.

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Much of Black’s immediate focus will be on navigating through the day-to-day realities of the pandemic, while also looking to further expand various educational, musical and equity initiatives.

“Music, in the case of blues, can be a conduit for teaching race history,” said Black, “and offering perspective for how the history of the country has evolved and how music has evolved along with it.”

Black has deep family ties to the blues. “I grew up in a household where we appreciated and celebrated the blues,” said Black, whose father was a dedicated blues historian. “He had an extensive collection, everything from Bessie Smith to Gus Cannon to Muddy Waters. He would be sharing the history of the music and of the country and what was going on that generated this music. He instilled so much of this history in me from an early age.”

Professionally, Black has spent more than 30 years working for some of Memphis' cultural and civic institutions. Her background includes time as the director of external affairs at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, a 15-year run as director of communications at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and work at the National Civil Rights Museum, where she was director of marketing and public relations.

Most recently, Black co-founded and also served as president of the Tarik Black Foundation. The organization — co-founded by Black’s son, the former University of Memphis basketball star and NBA veteran — focuses on delivering youth life skills education, by providing access to practical information and exposure through real world experiences. As part of her duties at the foundation, Black handled all operations, grants, fundraising, programs and brand campaigns.

“Given my long history with non-profits and also having worked for a couple museums here as well, it all fell into place for this opportunity with the Blues Foundation,” Black said. “When they contacted me, there’s no way I could say no."

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Fitzke added that Black’s “passion for education and community service and extensive marketing, management, and communications background make her uniquely qualified to lead the Blues Foundation and the Blues Hall of Fame."

A graduate of Clark Atlanta University, Black earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and holds a Master of Business Administration in marketing from Strayer University. She was a member and former chair of the City of Memphis' Minority Business Development Oversight Commission, and has served on various other local boards in leadership roles.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Blues Foundation names Judith Black as its new president, CEO