POP DIVA, CAROLE FREDERICKS, LEAVES MUSICAL LEGACY WITH A DECIDEDLY AFRICAN AMERICAN
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Posted By: Connie Fredericks-Malone on December 25, 2006 Faculty and teachers of French at Historically Black Colleges and Universities are encouraged to contact the Carole D. Fredericks Foundation to receive free information about this outstanding artist and the learning materials that are available. When 27 year old Carole Denise Fredericks emigrated from the United States to France in 1979, she added her name to a long list of African Americans who found refuge and personal expression in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and along the Seine. She was not the first African American artist to meet with success in France. Since the 19th Century the road to Paris has been well worn by African America's crème de la crème: Victor Séjour, Norbert Rillieux, Frederick Douglas, Henry O. Tanner, Dr. W. E. B. DuBois, Paul Robeson, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Gordon Parks, Josephine Baker, Nina Simone and so many more. Carole left the U.S. knowing no French. An adventurous woman with a big heart, Carole took a chance on a music career in another country. Once she was there, she immersed herself in French culture. Carole learned the language through music and daily contact with the French people. As her command of the language grew, so did her reputation. A gifted singer who willingly lent her talent to every project, Carole worked with the premier French and European artists including Elton John, Duran Duran, and Céline Dion. By the early 1990’s Carole was catapulted to musical fame as a member of Fredericks Goldman Jones, one of France’s best known music groups. Over time, she also forged a robust solo career. Carole infused rhythm and blues, soul and gospel into mainstream French music. Now, a revered celebrity, she also gave her time and talent to humanitarian causes including Les Enfoirés, Les restos du coeur, Amnesty International, and International Women’s Day. Her desire to better the plight of the homeless, hungry, battered, and ill won her a special place in the hearts of many Europeans and Africans. On June 7, 2001, Carole succumbed to a heart attack after performing a benefit concert to raise funds for a children’s hospital Dakar, Senegal, West Africa. She was 49 years old. At the time of her death, Carole had lived in Paris for 22 years. She spoke fluent French, had a catalog of recordings in both English and French and was a headliner act in Europe and Africa. On June 18, 2001, Carole Denise Fredericks was laid to rest in historic Cimetière de Montmartre in Paris, France. To learn more about Carole Fredericks and her career in France please visit the CDF Music Legacy website: www.cdfmusiclegacy.com. A Legacy to African American Students of French In a tribute to her memory, Carole’s biography, recordings and music videos were transformed into innovative French language units, TANT QU'ELLE CHANTE, ELLE VIT! (As Long As She Sings, She Lives) and COULEURS ET PARFUMS (Colors and Perfumes) Apprendre le français grâce à l’héritage de Carole Fredericks (Learn French through the legacy of Carole Fredericks). The language units are perhaps the first of their kind to integrate contemporary songs and music videos into an educational language format. Introduced to the teaching profession at the 2003 American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) national conference on the island of Martinique, Carole Fredericks’ music and accompanying lessons are currently helping thousands of students learn French in classroom across the U.S., Canada and as far away as Singapore. The language units are published by her family through the Carole D. Fredericks Foundation, Inc. To learn more about Carole Fredericks and the French language educational materials that are available, please visit the website: www.carolefredericksfoundation.org. ”The goal is to provide teachers with the highest quality French language materials and easy to use, classroom tested lesson plans and related methodologies that engage students, teach language skills and promote the study of francophone cultures,” says Connie Fredericks-Malone, Foundation’s Director and sister of the late artist. “The fact that Carole is also a African-American woman adds an important inspirational element to the content material and presents teachers and students with an opportunity to explore the longstanding relationship between Black America and France.” Educators and teachers of French are in agreement and have this to say … “The fact that she was recognized as a major musical icon abroad, but not in her native USA, is of interest to students and teachers alike. Students are intrigued that Carole was able to immerse herself in the target language at a later stage in her life and become fluent within a short time of her arrival in France. International students who may know her are often convinced that she was a native speaker and are pleasantly surprised to learn of her Springfield, [MA] roots.” Nancy Gadbois French Teacher, Chairperson, Foreign Language Department High School of Science and Technology Springfield, MA “I teach French at Mississippi State University and I have been watching Carole for years but never had any idea that she was from the US. I am always trying to find francophone [artists] who are black because so much of what we see from France is white… [Carole Fredericks] is an excellent role-model for any American student of French! I loved your sister!!!” Bob Raymond, French Instructor M. A. Mississippi State University "My students find her [Carole] very inspirational because many struggle with French and don't know why they should bother. When they see the joy on Carole's face as she sings in French or English, they realize just how meaningful her study of French was in her life and how music and art transcend the boundaries that often separate races, genders, nationalities, and age, particularly in the deep South." Rosemarie Doucette, French Professor South Carolina State University Orangeburg, SC For more information about Carole Fredericks and the French language educational materials that are available, please visit the Carole D. Fredericks Foundation, Inc. website: www.carolefredericksfoundation.org, or email Connie Fredericks-Malone, Director: cfm@cdfmusiclegacy.com. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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