Reggie Harris’ performances reveal thoughts about life and love and some of the deep aspects of the human experience, covering topics from his own personal journey to world issues and history.
Harris — who is a songwriter, storyteller, and lecturer — tackles challenging topics during his performances that generally start on a darker tone, but are interwoven with hopeful messages.
A song Harris wrote “Windows of the Heart” describes a dispute he had while leading a diversity workshop. “Resurrection Day” is an anecdotal story of undergoing a liver transplant after Harris was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Another song “Passive Restraint” is about the importance of wearing a seatbelt.
He will play at the Monadnock Center for History and Culture’s Bass Hall in Peterborough Friday, March 10.
Harris, who often performs live with his wife Kim, also sings cover songs from people who have influenced his own sound, including Pete Seeger, James Taylor, and Harry Belafonte.
One of Seeger’s songs “Rainbow Race” often makes its way into Harris’ performances. The song illustrates the expanse of the blue sky, the ocean lapping onto beach shores, and the Earth green and round.
“Who could ask for more?”
And because I love you
I’ll give it one more try
To show my rainbow race.”
Harris picked up the guitar for the first time while he was in college and eventually began singing at different venues across Philadelphia. Harris said he blended musical influences from a wide variety of genres and ended up playing a folk-pop blend.
Later he met his wife Kim, and with a vision of becoming rich and famous, they set out on the road touring college campuses across the country.
“I wanted to see what was out there in America,” Harris said.
But what he found on the road was not always what he had imagined.
“We ended up facing a lot of racism and prejudice,” he said of those years on the road.
Harris said racism was particularly apparent in the opportunities that were presented to them.
“A lot of places wouldn’t book us because we were black, and sometimes we would get booked just because we were black,” Harris said.
He remembers one instance in particular at a college booking showcase that hosted more than 200 other musicians. Harris said they received a standing ovation at the end of their performance, but weren’t booked for a single show. He said they asked an agent why no one was interested in booking them, and the answer was because they were black.
Harris began confronting racism head on by tying history into his performances.
“The challenge was to find creative ways to talk about race without making anyone feel guilty,” Harris said.
Later he began lecturing at various institutes across the country about black history. It became a mission to educate people about the misconceptions people have about each other and how that can affect relationships with one another.
When asked if anything has changed from all those years ago on the road where he encountered racism, Harris said “absolutely.”
“Absolutely we have progressed. The 1980s in this country was very different place, I can go into a lot of places without thinking that black people once weren’t welcome,” Harris said. “There are so many more opportunities that have been made available for people like me. We certainly have progressed.”
But he said things are cyclical and sometimes change occurs slowly, alluding to recent political developments.
“We haven’t progressed to the point where people have solved misconceptions of other races or religious beliefs,” Harris said. “There is still work to be done.”
He said a big part of this is a result of a lack of dialogue.
“We worship in areas with people who have the same beliefs as us, we’re friends with people who look like us, we surround ourselves with people who think like us, and that separates us from one another,” Harris said. “Try listening to somebody without having an answer, go to a movie about a group of people that is different from you, learn about a religion or a country that you don’t know anything about, or better yet go travel because sometimes traveling is uncomfortable but it makes us more open to ideas and other people’s perspectives.”
Harris said there’s a common belief right now that all Muslims are terrorists. He said 90 percent of people in that school of thought don’t know anything about the religion other than it’s different from their own.
“We are all so busy and stressed,” Harris said. “We have very little free time. Most Americans with the way life is, they just want to get away and watch something that is mindless. I understand that people don’t want to be pounded on challenging topics all the time, but it’s so important to open that dialogue.”
He said his performances showcase diverse views steeped in history. The shows, he said, are a little challenging, fun, affirming, and maybe, just maybe, a little bit transformative.
Tickets are $18, and $15 for members, seniors and students.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit MonadnockCenter.org or call 924-3235.
Abby Kessler can be reached at or akessler@ledgertranscript.com.