The Kosair Charities Arts Education Award: Ed White

Ed White

This award recognizes an artist that is helping to educate and inspire Louisville’s children through the arts – Ed White. Ed “Nardie” White, Founder and Executive Director of Louisville’s River City Drum Corps, is a pillar in the city of Louisville, KY, especially as it pertains to educating our youth and participating in community activism. In 1991, he and his wife, the late Zambia Nkrumah, started the River City Drum Corps, a west Louisville nonprofit arts and education based program for at risk youth and families. Ed White doesn’t just teach the path to greatness, he practices it too. As a result he has been recognized by the Governor (Arts Folk Heritage Award), the Mayor (Louisville KY Freedom Award), the City of Louisville (Youth Service Workers Award) and several other notable organizations (Black Achiever of the Year, KY Center ArtsReach Living the Vision Award, KY Human Rights Commission’s Executive Directors Award, National Education Association, United States Artist Fellows Music, Changing Lives Award and the National Council of Negro Women’s Courage Award). He’s an active member of Leadership Louisville and sits on the KY Arts Council Board as well as the Arts Coalition of Louisville.