NAVY MEMORIAL & U.S. NAVY BAND TO HOST DIVERSITY CONCERT SERIES Kick-off performance in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Diversity Concert – free, live performance by the U.S. Navy Band’s premier jazz ensemble, the Commodores, to honor Hispanic Heritage Month. The concert will tell the story of Hispanics in the Navy by highlighting the career of Navy Bandmaster Jose Contreras, featuring Latin American influenced jazz music that was popular during his service. It is the first in a series of performances that will celebrate different ethnicities in the Navy.

Since the U.S. Navy was established, Hispanics have served in every major conflict. Contreras entered the Navy in 1909 when boarding in Chile, rose through the naval ranks and retired in 1933. He worked the Navy Yard until 1954. His narrative is one of courage and commitment, and demonstrates that immigrants form the true fabric of our democracy.