The Social Justice Fund, in collaboration with the Fund for New York City Public Schools, and New York City Public Schools Arts Office, is proud to launch The Max Roach Music Project, a rigorous initiative aimed to commemorate the legacy of Max Roach by integrating music education and social justice in public schools.
As 2024 marks the centennial celebration of Max Roach’s birth, the project serves as a timely tribute to his impact on civil rights, music, and cultural innovation. These principles are reflected in the curriculum which features a collaboration with Max Roach Estate and Jazz House KIDS, coaching by professional musicians, and a culminating performance at Barclays Center in Spring 2026.
“Max Roach was a son of Bed-Stuy and a jazz genius who has shaped the genre for generations of musicians," said Clara Wu Tsai, Founder of The Social Justice Fund. “We are proud to honor him by bringing this musical arts program to thousands of students throughout Brooklyn.”
Specifically chosen for their commitment to the arts, music, and social justice, seven Brooklyn middle and high schools will pilot the inaugural program including Brooklyn High School of the Arts, Edward R. Murrow High School, Fort Hamilton High School, IS 318 Eugenio Maria de Hostos, East Williamsburg Scholars Academy, The High School for Business, Enterprise, and Technology, and PROGRESS High School for Professional Careers. The program is set to expand citywide, prioritizing schools with limited music or arts programming, in the coming years.
“I’m excited that our students will have access to such unique music programming right in their schools,” said Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. “This initiative gives our students a powerful framework to explore their creativity and find their voices through music. Thank you to our partners for making this vision a reality for our students."
Since September 2025, teachers in the seven pilot schools have engaged in professional development training led by Jazz House KIDS, to prepare them for the robust curriculum rollout which centers music theory, history and performance. The program will officially begin in schools in February 2026, engaging students and teachers through artistic advisory. To guide project development and ensure authenticity, partners will develop and help execute teachings with the help of audio and video examples, cultural context documents, and creative reflection activities.
In 2021, The Social Justice Fund, in collaboration with The Fund for New York City Public Schools and New York City Public Schools Arts Office, created the Basquiat Project which has been teaching thousands of students the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat across 75 schools in Brooklyn, and featured hundreds of pieces of student artwork in an art exhibit at the Barclays Center each summer. Mirroring the Basquiat Project, The Max Roach Music Project aims to expand musical programming through the legacy of Brooklyn changemakers.
“The Fund is thrilled to facilitate transformative partnerships that help to provide a robust learning experience for our NYC public school students,” said Aurelia Aceves Hogan, Interim CEO of the Fund for New York City Public Schools. “We hope bringing expanded musical programming to our NYCPS students will inspire them and spark joy.”
To celebrate the launch of The Max Roach Music Program, a live performance event will bring students and partners together to showcase their talents and reflect the themes of the project in the chosen schools. The spring concert at Barclay’s Center will highlight original works of Max Roach and interpretations by students. The event will serve as a culmination of the year’s creative learnings and provide an opportunity for families, partners, and other community members to come together in recognition of student talent. Additional concert details will be shared at a later time.
“Our father, a world-renowned percussionist and composer, believed that music could transform not just sound, but society — and that education was the key to that transformation,” said Dara Roach, a representative of the Roach family. “As a tenured professor in the Music Department at UMass, he dedicated himself to teaching and mentoring young artists, always dreaming of one day founding his own school where music could be a force for change. The Max Roach Music Project brings that dream to life, right here in Brooklyn, where his journey began. Our family is honored to see his legacy inspire a new generation to learn, create, and lead with purpose.”
