The Cab Calloway Foundation is proud to support the Special Collections at Oberlin College Library as part of our commitment to the preservation of Black history and culture. 

The Oberlin community is known for its academic and musical excellence and commitment to social engagement and diversity. The first college to grant undergraduate degrees to women in a coeducational program and one of the first to admit African Americans, it holds a distinguished place in American higher education. 

In 2019, CCF was pleasantly surprised to learn that part of the college’s extensive collection is that of Cab’s friend Milt Hinton. A musician, photographer, and historian, Milt was Cab’s bass player for 14 years. His legacy lives on at Oberlin through the Milton J. and Ramona C. Hinton Collection and the Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass. 

Education needs repositories and centers of cultural transmission like these, places where students and communities can engage with the rich history of the world around them. Without them, we would be missing a fundamental cornerstone of learning.