Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.

The exhibition title comes from the Negro spiritual “I’ll Never Turn Back No More” by Mahalia Jackson and explores how the early musical genres emerged from the struggles and ancestral heritage of African Americans. Despite enduring immense hardships, African Americans infused the American cultural landscape with vibrant sounds, rhythms and movements, laying the foundation for a profound and lasting impact on American music.

Exhibition highlights include:

• Original vinyl recordings and early images of the Fisk Jubilee Singers
• Performance images of “The Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin
• Iconic images of legendary Blues guitarist John Lee Hooker
• Interactive listening stations featuring each genre
• The Remix: The Legacy of Hip-Hop Sampling station
• Films of live performances and firsthand accounts

The Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music Exhibition also includes three items from The Jim Irsay Collection, a robust collection of historic and culturally significant artifacts from music, American history and pop culture assembled over several decades by Jim Irsay, owner and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts NFL football team.

James Brown’s Stage-Worn, Red Sequined Cape, circa the 1960s-1970s

This world-famous cape is made of red polyester covered in red plastic sequins. On its back is a red satin circular patch emblazoned with gold lettering reading: “JAMES BROWN / GODFATHER / OF SOUL.”

Brown used the cape at live concerts in the 1960s and 1970s as part of his “Cape Routine” with emcee Danny Ray. The routine became a standard part of Brown’s act, performed thousands of times as part of a grueling tour schedule. Ray draped this cape over Brown’s casket for the last time at his public funeral on December 30, 2006, at the James Brown Arena in his hometown of Augusta, Georgia.

John Coltrane’s 1966 Yamaha Alto Saxophone

Produced in 1966, it was one of the first productions of Yamaha’s alto and tenor instruments. It was gifted from Yamaha in Japan who requested that Coltrane, one of the most accomplished saxophonists ever, inspect and evaluate it.

Coltrane played the sax during his 1966 two-week tour of Japan, which Coltrane biographer Eric Nisenson called “probably the single greatest triumph of his life.” Coltrane can be heard playing it on live albums, including Coltrane in Japan and the four CD collection Live in Japan. He is pictured on the cover of Live in Japan playing the alto.

The piece was originally sold by the Coltrane family to raise funds for The John Coltrane Foundation at the legendary 2005 Guernsey’s Jazz Auction in New York. This is one of only two saxophones to have been sold by his family.

Miles Davis’s 1980 Martin Committee Trumpet

American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis was one of the most acclaimed musicians of the 20th century, winning eight GRAMMYS and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. This Martin Committee trumpet is brass with black and gold coating and features a script “Miles” engraved in the bell and the signature angled mouthpiece preferred by Davis.

Davis’s battles with substance use disorder and health challenges had led to a hiatus from music from 1975 to 1980. He returned to the studio in the 1980s, capped by an appearance at the 1984 Montreux Jazz Festival, where he played the 1980 Martin Committee trumpet. He also played the instrument on the albums You’re Under Arrest (1985) and Aura (1989), which received two GRAMMY Awards.