Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. wrote a column in his newspaper The People’s Voice, sharing his sense of personal freedom on the Vineyard. In particular he wrote about the ease with which the Portuguese, Native Americans and African Americans functioned on the Island mostly as entrepreneurs and service class workers at that time.

Harlem physician Dr. Lucien Brown was one of many that heard the call from Powell’s pen to come to the Vineyard. In her book, Finding Martha’s Vineyard, author Jill Nelson interviews one of Brown’s daughters, Barbara Brown DePasse, who recalls that her father saw a reference in one of Powell’s columns to a guesthouse that was available for rent. Pursuing this lead her parents visited the island in 1942 and brought Barbara and her two sisters, Connie and Jackie, in 1943. They all had so much fun that the Brown family bought a cottage on Waban Park shortly thereafter.

This past Friday night Barbara’s daughter Suzanne de Passe was honored at the Harbor View by some 50 or so family, friends from Oak Bluffs summers and admirers celebrating her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The event was curated by event maestro James Hester and hosted by the ever generous Bernard Chiu, the proprietor of the hotel.

James solicited New York Post Page Six writer Carlos Greer to lead the interview of this former Motown executive and producer who played a key role in the careers of many artists including Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, Lionel Richie and the Commodores, Rick James, Teena Marie and so many more. DePasse also co-wrote the screenplay for the 1972 Billie Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues.

The founder and imperial leader of Motown was Berry Gordy. She told us that Gordy needed a ride in New York to an event that they were both attending but his limousine was delayed. She offered to have him ride in her limo and she took the opportunity to tell him that it was difficult getting him to try out talent and his business was suffering. That blunt comment resulted in Berry asking her to leave the Cheetah Club in New York to join Gordy in Detroit as a creative assistant.

Gordy was initially not interested in any “kid acts” when she pushed for a tryout for the Jackson 5. Apparently even as talented as Stevie Wonder was it was different managing kid talent. She finally got Gordy to hear “the kids” and he said why didn’t you tell me they were this good. Gordy put all the writers behind them and the rest is history.

And so it was again with her proposal to produce the 25th Anniversary special Motown: Yesterday, Today and Forever. Gordy was reluctant to give the green light but Suzanne persevered in her planning and when she had all the sponsors, television time and talent ready to go he surrendered. And of course her magic produced an Emmy!

Suzanne, in speaking about her own talent, relished the fact that she did not specialize in any one particular thing. She specialized in being opportunistic and being persistent.

The gifted Suzanne de Passe took time to underscore the importance of her time spent in Oak Bluffs as a teenager. She felt free, as Powell hoped she would, going out at 8 in the morning, being young and vulnerable, battling the undertow of the ocean, sneaking out at night and doing what teenagers do. It all gave her confidence as she matured. The cottage that her grandfather bought in the 1940’s so that Suzanne’s mother Barbara, her two sisters, Constance Koeford and Jacqueline Llewellyn, and their prodigy could be free for generations has come to past. The cottage is still owned by the family today.

Congratulations to a true daughter of Oak Bluffs who was kind enough to return to her summer paradise to share the trajectory and narrative of her extraordinary life. She provided a once in a life time window on an amazing part of American music at its height.

On Sept. 24 in Boston, a bevy of Vineyard women played a major role in the financial success for a Harris Victory Fund event in support of Kamala Harris for president. Entitled “Massachusetts Women For Harris,” the featured speaker for the event was Hon. Susan Rice, a Rhodes Scholar and diplomat, domestic policy advisor and public official who has served in both the Obama and Biden Administrations.

The Vineyard fundraising juggernaut team included, among others, Carol Fulp, Linda Whitlock, Kathy Taylor, Jacqui Budd, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Bennie Wiley, Deborah Jackson, Lynette Glover, Earlene Avalon, Vivian Beard, Anya Thomas, Caroline Taylor Ellerson, Cindy Carter, Sabrina Williams, the Carrolls (Charlene, Kiet and Michelle), Jackie Glenn, Minnie Henry, Wanda McClain, Jennifer Epstein,

Barbara Edelin and more.

Voting, civic engagement, public discourse and fundraising for causes is all good for the American democracy. So good to see so many engaged.

Paradise on earth is living the Vineyard experience! Enjoy it as life is fleeting.

Randall Edward Taylor, Rest In Peace!