March 14, 2023 • 29 mins
Today's special guest is dancer, actress, cancer survivor, and heath advocate Jennifer Jones. In 1987, Jennifer became the first African American to join the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. She is also the first African American dancer to perform during the Super Bowl's live half time show.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
With their precision, their glamor, and their ability to captivate audiences.
Roquettes at Radio City Music Hall had been entertaining audiences
for almost a century, while celebrated by many as one
of the most prestigious and exclusive dance groups in the world.
Despite their popularity and cultural significance, it was not until
more than half a century after their origination in nineteen
(00:22):
twenty five that African Americans were allowed in the famous
dance group, as their inclusion was labeled by ownership and
management to be a quote distraction and something that would
disturb the look, abolishing the long standing Radio City Music
Hall Rockettes policy against hiring African Americans dancing in effect
(00:43):
to dismantle discrimination, shattering stereotypes as she successfully made her
way to the stage. Long overdue, it was in nineteen
eighty seven when Today's Guest made history in the arts
and entertainment world, becoming the first African American roquette to
join the elite ensemble. By transcending the racial barrier, she
ushered in a transformative modern era for the group, and
(01:05):
with many notable achievements and a remarkable journey that not
only dismantled racial barriers, but has also been able to
serve as an example and as an encouragement to many.
Today's guest is a true trailblazer that has opened the
door for more diversity and inclusion in the arts and
entertainment industry and has motivated many young Black girls and
women to aspire to hire healthier heights and to reaching
(01:27):
their full potential. An award winning American performer recognized worldwide
for her groundbreaking accomplishments an equal rights advocacy in the arts,
here with us to share her inspiring story and to
discuss how she continues to advocate break through barriers to
make a difference and influence positive change. We have Tony
Award winner and the first African American radio City Music
(01:51):
Hall Rockuett, Miss Jennifer Jones. I am maggiebe Known, and
this is the Black Information Network Daily Podcast with your
host Ramsas Jah. So, Jennifer Jones, Welcome to the show.
It's good to have you here. Thank you, it's so
nice to be here. Thank you for having me on.
(02:12):
Of course, of course this is a very special day
press so for folks that may not be familiar and
in the tradition of this show, we ask a question
before we start talking, which is for you to share
a bit about yourself, a bit about your upbringing, and
ultimately what led you to your career path. A little
(02:35):
bit about me is that I'm born and raised in
New Jersey. My parents always wanted me and my older
sister to be involved in some kind of activity, so
from a young age, they put me and my sister
in dance classes. We were in our working with our
(02:56):
community center, working with a baton, twirling and gymnastics, so
we were always involved in something. And my parents were
very big Broadway supporters, so they always went to Broadway.
They've seen Hair, Oh Calcutta, pip In, and when The
Whiz came to Broadway in nineteen seventy five, they took
(03:19):
me and my sister to see it, and after the
first time, we went four more times. I fell in
love with the stage in my fourth grade recital. I
was very, very shy growing up, and my fourth grade
teacher picked me out to be one of the leads
(03:40):
in a dance role in the school recital, and being
the shyest person in my class and then going up
on that stage felt like a feeling like no other.
I felt like I was home. So my parents kept
taking me and my sister to see The Whiz and
that was with Deephanie Mills, Andre The Shields Hidden Battle,
(04:04):
Mabel King. It was amazing, and I remember sitting in
the theater and thinking what the performers were doing that day?
What are they going to do after the show? Are
they warming up? After the show? We would go backstage
and wait with our playbills and our pens and just
get autographs. And I remember driving home looking at that
(04:28):
playbill and I wanted to walk out of a backstage door.
I wanted to walk out of a backstage door one day.
I didn't know in what capacity, but I wanted to
do what they were doing on that stage, and I
wanted to walk out of that backstage door. And that feeling,
that knowingness that I wanted that at such a young
age kind of made me take my path of where
(04:52):
it would leave me, and I just followed my path
from there on. Okay, so obviously the Rockheads is a
big deal, and you being the first African American rockhead,
So talk to us about how that came together from
your interest in it to the audition process, and you know,
(05:15):
maybe any sort of challenges that might have presented themselves. Well.
Once I became a teenager graduated high school, I just
my mother decided that if you're going to do this,
we need to take you into New York and get
you in some dance classes. So I went to Broadway
Dance Center and Frank Hatch, it was my mentor, and
(05:40):
I had some friends and there was a publication that
would come out every Thursday with a list of auditions,
and we would all sit around and go through the auditions.
And I was looking for Broadway. I was going to
be on Broadway. The Rockheads audition I saw and I
kind of blew by it. I never knew who the
Rockheads were really. I've never were seeing them, my parents
(06:01):
never went to go to any of their shows. One
of the girls there said, Jennifer, you should go to
the Rockett audition. You would be a perfect rocket. I
was like, I don't know, but I was very green
in the business, very nervous at auditions. That morning, I
woke up and I decided to go to the audition
just to find a way to work through my nerves
(06:24):
because I was going to be on Broadway. So by
the time I got there. There was a line of
ladies wrapped around the building and I got at the
end of the line. I didn't see another another person
that looked like me, not another woman of color. And
I'm standing there and then I looked at my watch
and I said, well, I'm missing Frank's class. It's eleven
(06:45):
o'clock intermedia class. Maybe I should just go to class,
you know. And I kind of pondered the thought back
and forth, and I was just about to walk off
the line, and an inner voice said stay, and I
did so I stayed. I went up to the small
(07:05):
rehearsal hall, and it was still very intimidating to me
because that's where we would warm up. And everyone was beautiful.
They know, they knew how to wear their hair, and
the right audition clothes and the right roquette clothes. And
I just kind of walked in very unprepared. I did
not have a picture in resume, I did not have
(07:26):
my tap shoes. But I went to the audition and
at the end of the at the end of the audition,
the statement manager came up to me and he said, Jennifer,
we're giving you a callback. Bring your picture in resume
and bring your tap shoes. And that was in a
time where you know, there weren't printers around. I had
(07:47):
to go back to New Jersey. I was living in
New York at the time, go to Kinko's, getting print
out a resume, get an old high school modeling headshot,
and then I went to the callback. Okay, okay, I
like them. So obviously this has been something that has
been widely celebrated and widely acknowledged. One highlight in particular
(08:13):
was you performing at the super Bowl. So, UM, tell
us a bit about your performance at the super Bowl.
I believe it was the halftime show in nineteen eighty eight,
so it was very early in um as the super
Bowl was becoming what it is now, but still you know,
the largest sporting event in the country. UM tell us
(08:36):
a bit about that experience and what that was like.
What was what you're feeling being the first black woman
to make it to that level, and any pressure, what
the experience meant. Just talk us through that. UM. Yes,
So when I first when I first realized I was
the first black woman on the line, I learned it
(08:59):
from the in o'clock news. I wasn't old until later
that I was the first black woman to be on
the line, and that I was immediately thrown into media training.
And at this time, I really did not know the
history of the Rockets, so there's I didn't know the history.
There were some people who were very happy to have
(09:21):
me on the line, and of course there was some
backlash where you know, some people were not happy to
see a diverse and more inclusive line or trying to
get that way. My experience at the super Bowl was amazing.
I've never performed. It was my first big job ever
(09:42):
and to be in that stadium being viewed around the country.
I was nervous. I was excited. I was honored. I
I felt like I was living the life that I
was supposed to live. Yeah, I wanted to dance and
I was dancing. I was living out my dream. So
(10:06):
it was an amazing experience for me. And also there
were Chubby checker Um also performed in the halftime show
and on Doug Williams was the first African American quarterback
to win that game. Really, so there was a lot
of a historic moments. Yeah, a lot of black history.
Yes that day. Okay, I love it as we out here.
(10:27):
So he came to the right place. So how about this, UM?
Since then, there's been a lot of things that have happened.
And then you know media and entertainment, in the arts, UM,
you know Oscar so White, you know, uh, the me
Too movement you know for for women in those spaces, UM.
(10:52):
And then other first notable first other advancements and certainly
some setbacks as well. So let's get your thoughts on
just generally speaking, some of the rather the evolution that
you've seen, maybe some of the advancements you've seen in theater,
in the arts and entertainment industries, and how have you
(11:15):
seen the trend from your perspective with respect to black
and brown dancers, actresses, artists, etc. Yes, So you would
think that in our day and age against especially in
New York City, the multi cultural backdrop of all of this,
(11:35):
that we would have seen more advancement, right, And we're
still getting firsts in our world. I think it's one
step out of time. I think when I was hired
in nineteen eighty seven, the woman who ran the PR
department at Radio City pulled me aside before my halftime
(11:58):
show and told me that I was old news. Nobody
cares about me. You're lucky to be here. So I
feel like whenever there's black progression, there's white backlash and
it's being stripped away. And I feel for me, those
words carried a lot of weight for me throughout my
professional career, and I took it through me with my
(12:22):
personal relationships. Words carry so much weight. It wasn't until
twenty twenty until Madison Square Garden actually sat me down
and acknowledged me as the first black woman to be
on the line from nineteen eighty seven to twenty twenty,
so we're still having this long progression to trying to
(12:42):
break through death of a salesman on Broadway this year
has hired their first black actor for the major role.
Strange Loop is the first African American musical that's been
coming on Broadway, celebrating, you know, the LGBTQ community. I
still think that we're trying to make progress. We still
(13:04):
need black producers, we still need black Broadway owners, we
still need black stage managers. I think this is a
whole as a whole. We need to to grow. So
I think we are making steps, but I feel like
it's taking forever. Baby steps, yes, but but we're getting there.
We have to. We have to keep moving forward. Yeah, Okay,
(13:27):
we are here today with Equal Rights Advocate, award winning
American performer and the first African American radio City Music
Hall Rocket, Miss Jennifer Jones, learning more about her inspiring story,
her groundbreaking accomplishments, and discussing how she continues to make
a difference and be an influence of positive change. Okay,
(13:50):
I wonder what your thoughts would be on, like what
improvements we would need, because this is something that I
often ponder. If you know, some some problems are bigger
than us, bigger than even our time, but you know,
if you could see a change. We'll just focus on
(14:11):
one that you think would impact most little black girls
and even black boys that are trying to move into
this space or thrive or make a name for themselves
in this space. What one thing do you think would
be most impactful in their lives. I think one thing
(14:34):
is listening to their inner guidance system. Like I did
when I was about to leave off to walk off
the line for my rocket audition, Listen to your inner
guidance system. I was in a place of discomfort. If
I had gone to my jazz class, I would have
been comfortable and I probably would not. I wouldn't have
become a rocket or made a difference. They have to
listen to their inner guidance system and stay in that
(14:56):
place of discomfort to break through barriers. And also, I
think it's part of a parent's role to notice what
makes their child flourish. For me, it was dance. For
someone else that might be cooking, put your child in
cooking classes, or if they like it, put them in
an it class. Notice what your child is drawn to
(15:19):
and help that and help that grow for them. I
like that. I like that making it a little bit
more personal because there is a significant amount of personal
responsibility that goes into a story like yours. Not necessarily
throwing your hands up and walking away and say the
system is biased against me, but rather engaging and preparing
(15:41):
yourself to you know, whether the storms that come. So
I love that piece of advice. I appreciate that. So
let's switch gears here a bit. I know that you've
embraced a healthy lifestyle overall, and you recently overcame a
significant health challenge, So could you share a bit more
with us about what that was and what that was
(16:04):
like and kind of give us some insight into your
having a more health conscious lifestyle. Absolutely so. Since I
was studying dance at an early age. I owned an
aerobic studio for three years in the early nineties. I've
always been active vegetarian for twenty five years. At the time,
(16:29):
considered the healthy one in my family, and at age fifty,
I was diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer. It took
me by surprise. I felt ashamed and embarrassed, and I
did not tell my family for a while. I went
(16:55):
to the doctor and I knew something was wrong, and
I asked her if I could, you know, be seen
as soon as possible. But she looked at me and
she said, oh, you're healthy. You know my schedule, will
you know find time for you. That was a couple
weeks out, and as I was coming out of my
anesthesia anesthesia she told me that I was I had
(17:16):
cancer and I had five years to live so that
I have two children. My life went before my eyes
and I didn't know what to do. I just felt shame.
It wasn't until I told my family that I immediately changed.
(17:38):
They had. My doctor had hooked me up with a surgeon.
I went to see him and get his thoughts and
it just didn't feel right. And after I told my family,
I went to Sloan Memorial Sloan Kettering. I was connected. Yeah,
it's a it's a hospital in New York City that
only deals with cancer. My surge in, doctor Iris Way,
(18:03):
and my oncologist, doctor Elizabeth Want, an almost all female
team took me in and just being in that that environment,
I felt safe and I felt I was going to
be cared for rather than being with that other doctor.
She pulled me aside and she said, well, what did
the other doctor tell you? And I said nothing, and
(18:26):
she said her jaw dropped, and then she said, you
have stage three cancer. You have to go through chemotherapy
and we're going to try to shrink the tumor, and
once it's shrunk down as much as possible, you'll have
to have surgery. So I started my chemotherapy treatment and
(18:46):
I did not I didn't tell a lot of people.
I just told my immediate family. I didn't know how
my body was going to react. So it was just
a very private experience that I went through during that time.
So these days, you're helping spread awareness about the importance
(19:10):
of cancer screenings and early detection. So the Floor as
you are has talked to our listeners about why that's
important and some of the coping strategies that you used
to deal with it. After my surgery and after my recovery,
(19:35):
I was so thankful and I did not want anyone
else to go through this. So I volunteer heavily with
the Colirectal Cancer Alliance about spreading the word about early
detection and awareness. Like I said before, I was very
ashamed and embarrassed to talk about it. I had to
really find a voice to get the word out there,
(19:56):
especially in the African American community, because we don't have
the resources, the education, or the conversations about it. And
I wasn't feeling comfortable talking about it. And these are
things that we need to talk about. We need to
know our family history. We don't talk about that. The
colonoscopy age has dropped from fifty to forty five because
(20:21):
there's a young onset colorectal cancer happening and we don't
know why. They don't know why it's happening. It's being
found in younger and younger adults. So it's important to
have these screenings. And if you're not comfortable going for
a colonoscopy. There are other ways to get tested. There
(20:42):
are at homes, at home tests and blood tests that
they can do in the doctor's office, But the surest,
most proactive way is just go get a colonoscopy. It
can save your life. And chemotherapy treatments. Nobody wants to
go through a chemotherapy treatment. Sure, sure, Yeah. I have
(21:04):
a cousin who had to go through chemotherapy and it
was very taxing you. I used to think it just affected,
you know, your hair, but it affects your body in
a very profound way and it's very, very difficult to
just live with it. Agony. So absolutely chemotherapy. Um. My
(21:26):
hands and feet became discolored. I had sensitivity to cold.
Even with a warm summer breeze coming on, it hurt
my hands. I had to have gloves next to my
refrigerator to pull things out. My hair, my hair was
thinning out. I lost weight. So there's a lot of
(21:49):
things that that happened during treatment, but thankfully it saved
my life. But a colonoscopy is the surest way to
to get screened and stay healthy. Yeah, And I think
it's important to establish this. You're doing okay now right, Yes,
so I've been answered for Resince twenty nineteen. Thank you.
(22:11):
So yeah, So I'm spreading the word I love it.
I love it. Okay, so let's switch. Here's here. Word
on the street is that you've been working on both
the children's book as well as a memoir. So tell
us both tell us about both these projects and kind
of what the inspiration is for both of these. I've
had these ideas to write these books for a while.
(22:33):
My first idea was to write my memoir just to
let people know about, um what I what I've done
and laid the platform for this beautiful, diverse line, all
inclusive line that Madison Square Garden is trying to build,
which I'm so happy about and I'm so happy to
see in my lifetime. So I just wanted people to
(22:54):
know my history and I just that was my thought
for the book. And then when I approached my agent
about my memoir, she said, you should write a children's book.
So I have to give credit to my agent, Johanna Castillo,
who encouraged me to write a children's book, and that
that book is about a little girl me following my
(23:18):
love for dance, having her parents' support and hopefully getting
a conversation going between the child and parent by the
end of the book, for the parent to ask their
child what is it that you want to do? What
is your gift to the world, and really have them
explore that I love it. I love it. Now, you know,
(23:40):
Maggie's sitting here with us, and this is Women's History Month,
and not only have you made women's history, you've of
course made Black history, and we appreciate you coming on
to share your story. But with it being Women's History Month,
there are something that we are doing differently around here.
(24:02):
So I'm gonna tag Maggie in here. She's gonna get
a question out and hopefully you'll have a little bit
of fun with it. Okay, So, Maggie, Glory yours, thank
you a great conversation. Thank you so much for all
of all of your hard work over the years and
(24:22):
your inspiration. You mentioned some of your great mentors and
the resources that have played a part in your trajectory.
When we're talking about important women specifically outside of those
that you have named already, who have been some of
your greatest mentors, whether you've known them in person or
just those that you've looked up to historically, you know,
(24:46):
in the black history space or Black present history space.
Who would you say comes to mind as far as
who's played a part in your in your life. Well,
I have to say I stand on the shoulders of
my ancestors and all the black dancers that have come
before me, I stand on their shoulders. Um of course, Um.
(25:09):
Judith Jamison is a beautiful dancer. She made a lot
of headway in the black community. Misty Copeland. Of course,
also also during during I went through a rough time
with my life besides my cancer, and Oprah Winfrey's magazine
was just coming out, and she gave me a whole
(25:34):
new way to think by turning my perspective around and
viewing problems and attracting it what I want. So I
I did a whole life change when her magazine came out,
just to just to change my thought process and get
me out of some really difficult situations. I love that.
(25:55):
So before we let you go, UM, I do want
you to share your social media and of course ways
that people can support what you're doing, in particular support
the books that you have coming out. So let's go
ahead and list all of your socials and your leave
(26:18):
your digital footprint behind, and then how folks can support you.
My social media Facebook and Instagram and Twitter are Roquette gen.
That's Gen with two ends, Roquette underscore gen. For my books,
my children's book will be out October thirty first of
(26:38):
this year, so I will be posting on my social
media page how they can go and get that. I've
also designed a dancing Jen doll that will be accompanying
that book on its way out. And my memoir does
not have a release date yet, but it will be
out in twenty twenty four. Wonderful, wonder well. I would
(27:01):
like to thank you very much for coming on the
show today. You are a vision and a brilliant mind
and an inspiration once again. Today's guest is equal rights advocate,
award winning American performer and of course, the first African
American radio City Music Hall Rocket, Miss Jennifer Jones. Thank
(27:24):
you for having me. Thank you. I am Aggie be Knowing,
and today I'll leave you with this representation matters and
seeing someone who looks like you successfully overcoming obstacles and
achieving their dreams can be a powerful motivator. Continuing to
empower Black girls and women to pursue their dreams and
(27:46):
to pursue better no matter the challenge. Most gracefully dismantling
stereotypes and breaking barriers, Miss Jennifer Jones has significantly helped
to pave the way for more diversity in the arts industry,
and it's gracious left many doors wide open for generations
to come. Showcasing a testimony of what happens when determination, courage,
(28:08):
hard work, and talent meet opportunity, Miss Jennifer Jones is
an authentic demonstration of what is possible. A true inspiration
with her dedication to health, happiness, her passions, and her perseverance.
Grateful for her shiny examples and her shared testaments of
trial and triumph, let us leave today's conversation informed, inspired
(28:30):
and filled with hope. This has been a production of
the Black Information Network. Today's show is produced by Chris Thompson.
If eve any thoughts he'd like to share, use the
red microphone talkback feature on the iHeartRadio app. We'd love
to hear from you. While you're there. Be sure to
hit subscribe and download all of our episodes. Find your
(28:52):
daily podcast host at rams us jaw on all social media.
We look forward to your joining us tomorrow as we
share our news with our voice from our perspective right
here on the Black Information Network Daily podcast
With their precision, their glamor, and their ability to captivate audiences.
Roquettes at Radio City Music Hall had been entertaining audiences
for almost a century, while celebrated by many as one
of the most prestigious and exclusive dance groups in the world.
Despite their popularity and cultural significance, it was not until
more than half a century after their origination in nineteen
(00:22):
twenty five that African Americans were allowed in the famous
dance group, as their inclusion was labeled by ownership and
management to be a quote distraction and something that would
disturb the look, abolishing the long standing Radio City Music
Hall Rockettes policy against hiring African Americans dancing in effect
(00:43):
to dismantle discrimination, shattering stereotypes as she successfully made her
way to the stage. Long overdue, it was in nineteen
eighty seven when Today's Guest made history in the arts
and entertainment world, becoming the first African American roquette to
join the elite ensemble. By transcending the racial barrier, she
ushered in a transformative modern era for the group, and
(01:05):
with many notable achievements and a remarkable journey that not
only dismantled racial barriers, but has also been able to
serve as an example and as an encouragement to many.
Today's guest is a true trailblazer that has opened the
door for more diversity and inclusion in the arts and
entertainment industry and has motivated many young Black girls and
women to aspire to hire healthier heights and to reaching
(01:27):
their full potential. An award winning American performer recognized worldwide
for her groundbreaking accomplishments an equal rights advocacy in the arts,
here with us to share her inspiring story and to
discuss how she continues to advocate break through barriers to
make a difference and influence positive change. We have Tony
Award winner and the first African American radio City Music
(01:51):
Hall Rockuett, Miss Jennifer Jones. I am maggiebe Known, and
this is the Black Information Network Daily Podcast with your
host Ramsas Jah. So, Jennifer Jones, Welcome to the show.
It's good to have you here. Thank you, it's so
nice to be here. Thank you for having me on.
(02:12):
Of course, of course this is a very special day
press so for folks that may not be familiar and
in the tradition of this show, we ask a question
before we start talking, which is for you to share
a bit about yourself, a bit about your upbringing, and
ultimately what led you to your career path. A little
(02:35):
bit about me is that I'm born and raised in
New Jersey. My parents always wanted me and my older
sister to be involved in some kind of activity, so
from a young age, they put me and my sister
in dance classes. We were in our working with our
(02:56):
community center, working with a baton, twirling and gymnastics, so
we were always involved in something. And my parents were
very big Broadway supporters, so they always went to Broadway.
They've seen Hair, Oh Calcutta, pip In, and when The
Whiz came to Broadway in nineteen seventy five, they took
(03:19):
me and my sister to see it, and after the
first time, we went four more times. I fell in
love with the stage in my fourth grade recital. I
was very, very shy growing up, and my fourth grade
teacher picked me out to be one of the leads
(03:40):
in a dance role in the school recital, and being
the shyest person in my class and then going up
on that stage felt like a feeling like no other.
I felt like I was home. So my parents kept
taking me and my sister to see The Whiz and
that was with Deephanie Mills, Andre The Shields Hidden Battle,
(04:04):
Mabel King. It was amazing, and I remember sitting in
the theater and thinking what the performers were doing that day?
What are they going to do after the show? Are
they warming up? After the show? We would go backstage
and wait with our playbills and our pens and just
get autographs. And I remember driving home looking at that
(04:28):
playbill and I wanted to walk out of a backstage door.
I wanted to walk out of a backstage door one day.
I didn't know in what capacity, but I wanted to
do what they were doing on that stage, and I
wanted to walk out of that backstage door. And that feeling,
that knowingness that I wanted that at such a young
age kind of made me take my path of where
(04:52):
it would leave me, and I just followed my path
from there on. Okay, so obviously the Rockheads is a
big deal, and you being the first African American rockhead,
So talk to us about how that came together from
your interest in it to the audition process, and you know,
(05:15):
maybe any sort of challenges that might have presented themselves. Well.
Once I became a teenager graduated high school, I just
my mother decided that if you're going to do this,
we need to take you into New York and get
you in some dance classes. So I went to Broadway
Dance Center and Frank Hatch, it was my mentor, and
(05:40):
I had some friends and there was a publication that
would come out every Thursday with a list of auditions,
and we would all sit around and go through the auditions.
And I was looking for Broadway. I was going to
be on Broadway. The Rockheads audition I saw and I
kind of blew by it. I never knew who the
Rockheads were really. I've never were seeing them, my parents
(06:01):
never went to go to any of their shows. One
of the girls there said, Jennifer, you should go to
the Rockett audition. You would be a perfect rocket. I
was like, I don't know, but I was very green
in the business, very nervous at auditions. That morning, I
woke up and I decided to go to the audition
just to find a way to work through my nerves
(06:24):
because I was going to be on Broadway. So by
the time I got there. There was a line of
ladies wrapped around the building and I got at the
end of the line. I didn't see another another person
that looked like me, not another woman of color. And
I'm standing there and then I looked at my watch
and I said, well, I'm missing Frank's class. It's eleven
(06:45):
o'clock intermedia class. Maybe I should just go to class,
you know. And I kind of pondered the thought back
and forth, and I was just about to walk off
the line, and an inner voice said stay, and I
did so I stayed. I went up to the small
(07:05):
rehearsal hall, and it was still very intimidating to me
because that's where we would warm up. And everyone was beautiful.
They know, they knew how to wear their hair, and
the right audition clothes and the right roquette clothes. And
I just kind of walked in very unprepared. I did
not have a picture in resume, I did not have
(07:26):
my tap shoes. But I went to the audition and
at the end of the at the end of the audition,
the statement manager came up to me and he said, Jennifer,
we're giving you a callback. Bring your picture in resume
and bring your tap shoes. And that was in a
time where you know, there weren't printers around. I had
(07:47):
to go back to New Jersey. I was living in
New York at the time, go to Kinko's, getting print
out a resume, get an old high school modeling headshot,
and then I went to the callback. Okay, okay, I
like them. So obviously this has been something that has
been widely celebrated and widely acknowledged. One highlight in particular
(08:13):
was you performing at the super Bowl. So, UM, tell
us a bit about your performance at the super Bowl.
I believe it was the halftime show in nineteen eighty eight,
so it was very early in um as the super
Bowl was becoming what it is now, but still you know,
the largest sporting event in the country. UM tell us
(08:36):
a bit about that experience and what that was like.
What was what you're feeling being the first black woman
to make it to that level, and any pressure, what
the experience meant. Just talk us through that. UM. Yes,
So when I first when I first realized I was
the first black woman on the line, I learned it
(08:59):
from the in o'clock news. I wasn't old until later
that I was the first black woman to be on
the line, and that I was immediately thrown into media training.
And at this time, I really did not know the
history of the Rockets, so there's I didn't know the history.
There were some people who were very happy to have
(09:21):
me on the line, and of course there was some
backlash where you know, some people were not happy to
see a diverse and more inclusive line or trying to
get that way. My experience at the super Bowl was amazing.
I've never performed. It was my first big job ever
(09:42):
and to be in that stadium being viewed around the country.
I was nervous. I was excited. I was honored. I
I felt like I was living the life that I
was supposed to live. Yeah, I wanted to dance and
I was dancing. I was living out my dream. So
(10:06):
it was an amazing experience for me. And also there
were Chubby checker Um also performed in the halftime show
and on Doug Williams was the first African American quarterback
to win that game. Really, so there was a lot
of a historic moments. Yeah, a lot of black history.
Yes that day. Okay, I love it as we out here.
(10:27):
So he came to the right place. So how about this, UM?
Since then, there's been a lot of things that have happened.
And then you know media and entertainment, in the arts, UM,
you know Oscar so White, you know, uh, the me
Too movement you know for for women in those spaces, UM.
(10:52):
And then other first notable first other advancements and certainly
some setbacks as well. So let's get your thoughts on
just generally speaking, some of the rather the evolution that
you've seen, maybe some of the advancements you've seen in theater,
in the arts and entertainment industries, and how have you
(11:15):
seen the trend from your perspective with respect to black
and brown dancers, actresses, artists, etc. Yes, So you would
think that in our day and age against especially in
New York City, the multi cultural backdrop of all of this,
(11:35):
that we would have seen more advancement, right, And we're
still getting firsts in our world. I think it's one
step out of time. I think when I was hired
in nineteen eighty seven, the woman who ran the PR
department at Radio City pulled me aside before my halftime
(11:58):
show and told me that I was old news. Nobody
cares about me. You're lucky to be here. So I
feel like whenever there's black progression, there's white backlash and
it's being stripped away. And I feel for me, those
words carried a lot of weight for me throughout my
professional career, and I took it through me with my
(12:22):
personal relationships. Words carry so much weight. It wasn't until
twenty twenty until Madison Square Garden actually sat me down
and acknowledged me as the first black woman to be
on the line from nineteen eighty seven to twenty twenty,
so we're still having this long progression to trying to
(12:42):
break through death of a salesman on Broadway this year
has hired their first black actor for the major role.
Strange Loop is the first African American musical that's been
coming on Broadway, celebrating, you know, the LGBTQ community. I
still think that we're trying to make progress. We still
(13:04):
need black producers, we still need black Broadway owners, we
still need black stage managers. I think this is a
whole as a whole. We need to to grow. So
I think we are making steps, but I feel like
it's taking forever. Baby steps, yes, but but we're getting there.
We have to. We have to keep moving forward. Yeah, Okay,
(13:27):
we are here today with Equal Rights Advocate, award winning
American performer and the first African American radio City Music
Hall Rocket, Miss Jennifer Jones, learning more about her inspiring story,
her groundbreaking accomplishments, and discussing how she continues to make
a difference and be an influence of positive change. Okay,
(13:50):
I wonder what your thoughts would be on, like what
improvements we would need, because this is something that I
often ponder. If you know, some some problems are bigger
than us, bigger than even our time, but you know,
if you could see a change. We'll just focus on
(14:11):
one that you think would impact most little black girls
and even black boys that are trying to move into
this space or thrive or make a name for themselves
in this space. What one thing do you think would
be most impactful in their lives. I think one thing
(14:34):
is listening to their inner guidance system. Like I did
when I was about to leave off to walk off
the line for my rocket audition, Listen to your inner
guidance system. I was in a place of discomfort. If
I had gone to my jazz class, I would have
been comfortable and I probably would not. I wouldn't have
become a rocket or made a difference. They have to
listen to their inner guidance system and stay in that
(14:56):
place of discomfort to break through barriers. And also, I
think it's part of a parent's role to notice what
makes their child flourish. For me, it was dance. For
someone else that might be cooking, put your child in
cooking classes, or if they like it, put them in
an it class. Notice what your child is drawn to
(15:19):
and help that and help that grow for them. I
like that. I like that making it a little bit
more personal because there is a significant amount of personal
responsibility that goes into a story like yours. Not necessarily
throwing your hands up and walking away and say the
system is biased against me, but rather engaging and preparing
(15:41):
yourself to you know, whether the storms that come. So
I love that piece of advice. I appreciate that. So
let's switch gears here a bit. I know that you've
embraced a healthy lifestyle overall, and you recently overcame a
significant health challenge, So could you share a bit more
with us about what that was and what that was
(16:04):
like and kind of give us some insight into your
having a more health conscious lifestyle. Absolutely so. Since I
was studying dance at an early age. I owned an
aerobic studio for three years in the early nineties. I've
always been active vegetarian for twenty five years. At the time,
(16:29):
considered the healthy one in my family, and at age fifty,
I was diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer. It took
me by surprise. I felt ashamed and embarrassed, and I
did not tell my family for a while. I went
(16:55):
to the doctor and I knew something was wrong, and
I asked her if I could, you know, be seen
as soon as possible. But she looked at me and
she said, oh, you're healthy. You know my schedule, will
you know find time for you. That was a couple
weeks out, and as I was coming out of my
anesthesia anesthesia she told me that I was I had
(17:16):
cancer and I had five years to live so that
I have two children. My life went before my eyes
and I didn't know what to do. I just felt shame.
It wasn't until I told my family that I immediately changed.
(17:38):
They had. My doctor had hooked me up with a surgeon.
I went to see him and get his thoughts and
it just didn't feel right. And after I told my family,
I went to Sloan Memorial Sloan Kettering. I was connected. Yeah,
it's a it's a hospital in New York City that
only deals with cancer. My surge in, doctor Iris Way,
(18:03):
and my oncologist, doctor Elizabeth Want, an almost all female
team took me in and just being in that that environment,
I felt safe and I felt I was going to
be cared for rather than being with that other doctor.
She pulled me aside and she said, well, what did
the other doctor tell you? And I said nothing, and
(18:26):
she said her jaw dropped, and then she said, you
have stage three cancer. You have to go through chemotherapy
and we're going to try to shrink the tumor, and
once it's shrunk down as much as possible, you'll have
to have surgery. So I started my chemotherapy treatment and
(18:46):
I did not I didn't tell a lot of people.
I just told my immediate family. I didn't know how
my body was going to react. So it was just
a very private experience that I went through during that time.
So these days, you're helping spread awareness about the importance
(19:10):
of cancer screenings and early detection. So the Floor as
you are has talked to our listeners about why that's
important and some of the coping strategies that you used
to deal with it. After my surgery and after my recovery,
(19:35):
I was so thankful and I did not want anyone
else to go through this. So I volunteer heavily with
the Colirectal Cancer Alliance about spreading the word about early
detection and awareness. Like I said before, I was very
ashamed and embarrassed to talk about it. I had to
really find a voice to get the word out there,
(19:56):
especially in the African American community, because we don't have
the resources, the education, or the conversations about it. And
I wasn't feeling comfortable talking about it. And these are
things that we need to talk about. We need to
know our family history. We don't talk about that. The
colonoscopy age has dropped from fifty to forty five because
(20:21):
there's a young onset colorectal cancer happening and we don't
know why. They don't know why it's happening. It's being
found in younger and younger adults. So it's important to
have these screenings. And if you're not comfortable going for
a colonoscopy. There are other ways to get tested. There
(20:42):
are at homes, at home tests and blood tests that
they can do in the doctor's office, But the surest,
most proactive way is just go get a colonoscopy. It
can save your life. And chemotherapy treatments. Nobody wants to
go through a chemotherapy treatment. Sure, sure, Yeah. I have
(21:04):
a cousin who had to go through chemotherapy and it
was very taxing you. I used to think it just affected,
you know, your hair, but it affects your body in
a very profound way and it's very, very difficult to
just live with it. Agony. So absolutely chemotherapy. Um. My
(21:26):
hands and feet became discolored. I had sensitivity to cold.
Even with a warm summer breeze coming on, it hurt
my hands. I had to have gloves next to my
refrigerator to pull things out. My hair, my hair was
thinning out. I lost weight. So there's a lot of
(21:49):
things that that happened during treatment, but thankfully it saved
my life. But a colonoscopy is the surest way to
to get screened and stay healthy. Yeah, And I think
it's important to establish this. You're doing okay now right, Yes,
so I've been answered for Resince twenty nineteen. Thank you.
(22:11):
So yeah, So I'm spreading the word I love it.
I love it. Okay, so let's switch. Here's here. Word
on the street is that you've been working on both
the children's book as well as a memoir. So tell
us both tell us about both these projects and kind
of what the inspiration is for both of these. I've
had these ideas to write these books for a while.
(22:33):
My first idea was to write my memoir just to
let people know about, um what I what I've done
and laid the platform for this beautiful, diverse line, all
inclusive line that Madison Square Garden is trying to build,
which I'm so happy about and I'm so happy to
see in my lifetime. So I just wanted people to
(22:54):
know my history and I just that was my thought
for the book. And then when I approached my agent
about my memoir, she said, you should write a children's book.
So I have to give credit to my agent, Johanna Castillo,
who encouraged me to write a children's book, and that
that book is about a little girl me following my
(23:18):
love for dance, having her parents' support and hopefully getting
a conversation going between the child and parent by the
end of the book, for the parent to ask their
child what is it that you want to do? What
is your gift to the world, and really have them
explore that I love it. I love it. Now, you know,
(23:40):
Maggie's sitting here with us, and this is Women's History Month,
and not only have you made women's history, you've of
course made Black history, and we appreciate you coming on
to share your story. But with it being Women's History Month,
there are something that we are doing differently around here.
(24:02):
So I'm gonna tag Maggie in here. She's gonna get
a question out and hopefully you'll have a little bit
of fun with it. Okay, So, Maggie, Glory yours, thank
you a great conversation. Thank you so much for all
of all of your hard work over the years and
(24:22):
your inspiration. You mentioned some of your great mentors and
the resources that have played a part in your trajectory.
When we're talking about important women specifically outside of those
that you have named already, who have been some of
your greatest mentors, whether you've known them in person or
just those that you've looked up to historically, you know,
(24:46):
in the black history space or Black present history space.
Who would you say comes to mind as far as
who's played a part in your in your life. Well,
I have to say I stand on the shoulders of
my ancestors and all the black dancers that have come
before me, I stand on their shoulders. Um of course, Um.
(25:09):
Judith Jamison is a beautiful dancer. She made a lot
of headway in the black community. Misty Copeland. Of course,
also also during during I went through a rough time
with my life besides my cancer, and Oprah Winfrey's magazine
was just coming out, and she gave me a whole
(25:34):
new way to think by turning my perspective around and
viewing problems and attracting it what I want. So I
I did a whole life change when her magazine came out,
just to just to change my thought process and get
me out of some really difficult situations. I love that.
(25:55):
So before we let you go, UM, I do want
you to share your social media and of course ways
that people can support what you're doing, in particular support
the books that you have coming out. So let's go
ahead and list all of your socials and your leave
(26:18):
your digital footprint behind, and then how folks can support you.
My social media Facebook and Instagram and Twitter are Roquette gen.
That's Gen with two ends, Roquette underscore gen. For my books,
my children's book will be out October thirty first of
(26:38):
this year, so I will be posting on my social
media page how they can go and get that. I've
also designed a dancing Jen doll that will be accompanying
that book on its way out. And my memoir does
not have a release date yet, but it will be
out in twenty twenty four. Wonderful, wonder well. I would
(27:01):
like to thank you very much for coming on the
show today. You are a vision and a brilliant mind
and an inspiration once again. Today's guest is equal rights advocate,
award winning American performer and of course, the first African
American radio City Music Hall Rocket, Miss Jennifer Jones. Thank
(27:24):
you for having me. Thank you. I am Aggie be Knowing,
and today I'll leave you with this representation matters and
seeing someone who looks like you successfully overcoming obstacles and
achieving their dreams can be a powerful motivator. Continuing to
empower Black girls and women to pursue their dreams and
(27:46):
to pursue better no matter the challenge. Most gracefully dismantling
stereotypes and breaking barriers, Miss Jennifer Jones has significantly helped
to pave the way for more diversity in the arts industry,
and it's gracious left many doors wide open for generations
to come. Showcasing a testimony of what happens when determination, courage,
(28:08):
hard work, and talent meet opportunity, Miss Jennifer Jones is
an authentic demonstration of what is possible. A true inspiration
with her dedication to health, happiness, her passions, and her perseverance.
Grateful for her shiny examples and her shared testaments of
trial and triumph, let us leave today's conversation informed, inspired
(28:30):
and filled with hope. This has been a production of
the Black Information Network. Today's show is produced by Chris Thompson.
If eve any thoughts he'd like to share, use the
red microphone talkback feature on the iHeartRadio app. We'd love
to hear from you. While you're there. Be sure to
hit subscribe and download all of our episodes. Find your
(28:52):
daily podcast host at rams us jaw on all social media.
We look forward to your joining us tomorrow as we
share our news with our voice from our perspective right
here on the Black Information Network Daily podcast
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