St. Clair Bourne NYC Memorial Information

via e-drum:

To All of Saint's Family, Friends, Colleagues and Admirers

By now you are probably aware of the shocking news of St.Clair’s sudden passing.

Early morning, on December 15th, just before he was to be released from the hospital following the successful removal of a benign tumor from the surface of his brain, he developed blood clots, which traveled to his lungs.

We all remain heartsick and know that you share our grief and distress. The warmth and support that has been extended by so many has been essential to our retaining some balance in these circumstances. Saint’s ashes were interred with those of his parents at the Cypress Hills Cemetery on Friday, the 28th of December.

If you have internet access, you may wish to “Google” St.Clair Bourne. You will be astounded at the immense outpouring of grief and emotion about Saint’s death. There have been numerous newspaper articles and internet and blog postings concerning his stature within, and contributions to, the documentary filmmaking community and African-American social and political life.

St. Clair's passing is particularly mourned by his devoted sister Judith L. Bourne of St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands, numerous cousins and other relatives both in the USA and in Antigua, West Indies, dear and faithful friends Tinoa Rodgers and Faith Childs, former wives and continued close friends Sylvia Azure Bourne and Dr. Linda Miller, and a vast host of colleagues, associates, partners, protoges and friends.

A Memorial Service will be held at 7:00 pm on the 25th of January 2008 at The Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive, Manhattan, with a reception following.

A small group of family members, Saint’s closest friends, and a couple of his oldest and closest colleagues are involved in the planning of this celebration of his life.

Despite his accomplishments, Saint's financial circumstances were difficult and many of you have asked how you can contribute to this event. Contributions should be made payable to Judith L. Bourne with a note in the memo line for the St. Clair Bourne Memorial and mailed to Saint's long time accountant and friend:

Barry Kornblum
Pomerantz and Company
245 Fifth Avenue, Ste. 2203.
New York, NY 10016

Judy Bourne is also working on establishing a fund or other not-for-profit entity to continue some of Saint's mentoring and community nurturing activities.

Thank you

St. Clair Bourne Memorial Planning Committee

St. Clair Bourne + Floyd Red Crow Westerman: R.I.P.

While I recognize that it's selfish of me to want to ask that cultural pioneers and activists/open-hearted creative souls/ and/or friends take a moratorium on leaving this plane for the next, just for a little while--that's exactly what I feel like asking for.

It would pretty much be at the top of my Christmas list if I were still a kid who made one.

Vaya con los Espíritus, señores...

St. Clair Bourne 1943 - 2007
Chester Higgins Jr.'s New York Times profile of noted filmmaker St. Clair Bourne (right, photo: Chester Higgins, Jr.) from 2006, and a video interview of Bourne from their Lens Photojournalism series from the same year.

December 17th update:
Further information from the December 16th IndieWire article: "Remembering St. Clair Bourne 1943-2007."

December 18th update:
• Obituaries from The New York Times Arts Section, New York Daily News, The New York Observer, BET.com's "What the Flick?" column
• Filmmaker AJ Schnack's All These Wonderful Things blogpost on Bourne which lists quotes from and links to other artist-blogger's memories and impressions of Bourne.
• Filmmaker Magazine's Blog entry from a notice sent them by Adrienne Jones of the New York-based Black Documentary Collective (BDC), founded by Bourne.
• GreenCine's blog notice, compiled from the IndieWire article, Schnack's blog and which points to (as does Filmmaker Magazine and All These Wonderful Things)...
• Renew Media's obituary listing written by Agnes Varnum
• "St. Clair Bourne's Shortlist" of documentary films that inspired him, and why from 17 July 2007 at MediaRights "media that matters."
• Black Talent News' listing which eerily reprints Bourne's last blog entry describing the brain surgery which was to be minimally invasive and apparently successfully removed a benign tumor. Sadly, there were complications during his post-operative recovery.







Floyd Red Crow Westerman 1936 - 2007
The NativeTimes.com and Rapid City Journal staff obituary for the actor, singer-songwriter, and political activist who was 71 years old when passed away on December 14th after a long illness.

December 18th Update: Westerman's agent has stated that the cause of artist/activist's death was leukemia.

• Washington Post obituary
• Indian Country Today story
• Native Times.com listing
• New York Times Arts section obituary
• RezNet News listing with youtube video of Westerman performance

• Testimony: Floyd Red Crow Westerman, World Uraniam Hearings, 15 September 1992, Salzburg, Austria.
• Floyd Red Crow Westerman, A Tribute to Johnny Cash (2006, Hen House Studios). Westerman's award-winning CD of Cash covers, in honor of the fellow songwriter who was of Cherokee heritage and a life-long supporter of Native/American Indian rights (available through CD Baby).