American composer, pianist, and crusader for social justice, Margaret Bonds (1918-1976) is only now beginning to be lauded for her eloquent, powerful and expressive works. Known for his work bringing historically excluded composers into the mainstream, Dr. John Michael Cooper is one of the foremost experts on the music of Bonds. In the opening event of the symposium, Cooper will discuss the composer’s life and musical contributions, including many works that have only recently been performed publicly for the first time.