The Global Ambassadors Program of the Louis Armstrong House Museum brings historians, artists, and young people across the globe in conversation with Armstrong’s dynamic legacy.
Louis Armstrong was a music and cultural icon who traveled the globe sharing his music. He toured more than 60 countries playing for heads of state, royalty, and jazz fans everywhere. The Museum is committed to honoring that legacy to audiences worldwide. Engagements include in-person and virtual exchanges with private cultural institutions and through government-led programs.
Here are some examples of the Global Ambassadors Program at work:
Armstrong in Ghana
In the 1950’s and 60’s, the height of the American civil rights movement, Louis Armstrong toured throughout the continent of Africa, including the Gold Coast as it transitioned out of British colonial control to become the independent country of Ghana. The singular exhibit, accompanying performances and educational workshops will explore the legacy of Armstrong in Ghana and we move toward a celebration in New York and Accra in 2026, the 70th anniversary of Armstrong’s initial visit to the country in 1956. Learn more about Armstrong in Ghana.
The Road to Ghana 2026
On the road to 2026, we’ll engage in a series of performances and conversations about the legacy of Armstrong in Ghana including this August 2024 concert with Ghanaian pianist, Victor Dey, Jr. A graduate of the University of Ghana with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and English, Dey Jr. further honed his jazz skills at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in 2006. Starting his music career at the young age of 12, Dey Jr. has developed a unique style that blends traditional Ghanaian rhythms with modern jazz influences.
Das Minsk Exhibit in Germany
I’ve Seen the Wall at Das Minsk in Potsdam Germany was curated by Das Minsk Executive Director Paola Malavassi and by curator of the Louis Armstrong House Museum’s inaugural exhibit, Here to Stay, Jason Moran. The exhibition assembles paintings, photographs, archival materials, and installations by Louis Armstrong, Terry Adkins, Pina Bausch, Romare Bearden, Peter Brötzmann, Darol Olu Kae, Norman Lewis, Glenn Ligon, Jason Moran, Gordon Parks, Dan Perjovschi, Adrian Piper, Evelyn Richter, Lorna Simpson, Willi Sitte, Wadada Leo Smith, Rosemarie Trockel, Andy Warhol, and Ruth Wolf-Rehfeldt. It features, a trumpet, collage art and more from the Armstrong Archives. And you can check out the related podcast featuring Paola Malavassi, Jason Moran, Tina Campt and Regina Bain.
Honoring Louis Armstrong in Bahrain
In 1956, the State Department asked Louis Armstrong and other jazz luminaries to travel the world as cultural ambassadors. In February 2023, in honor of Black History Month, the U.S. State Department Art in Embassies Program and the U.S. Embassay in Bahrain invited our Executive Director, Regina Bain, to deliver a series of presentations on Jazz Ambassador Louis Armstrong. Ms. Bain spoke at the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research as the guest of Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, founder. She also spoke at the home of Ambassador Bondy, at local schools and more.
Pina Bausch and the Frank Sinatra High School
In 2022, the Museum engaged with the Pina Bausch Dance Company, based in Wuppertal, Germany, for a series of cultural exchanges between students at the Frank Sinatra High School in Queens, New York, and schools in Wuppertal. The Nelken Line choreography by Pina Bausch features Armstrong’s West End Blues and is performed by dance companies around the world. When the Pina Bausch company performs at BAM in Brooklyn, the students of Frank Sinatra will be in attendance.
The Real Ambassadors in Concert
The Real Ambassadors, was written by Dave and Iola Brubeck. It celebrates Armstrong as America’s first Cultural Ambassador. The jazz musical addressed racism in America, the music business, and the power of music to bring us all together. Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Real Ambassadors album, in 2021, the Museum staged a performance of The Real Ambassadors in collaboration with the Forum for Cultural Engagement through the U.S. Embassy of Moscow and accompanied by virtual education workshops for high school students in Russia. The performances took place in the homes of both Louis Armstrong and Dave Brubeck. Watch it now.