Carrie B. H. Collins Collection

Carrie Beatrice Holloway Collins is a pianist, music educator, civil rights and community activist, composer, lyricist, lecturer, poet, author and publisher. She was born in Meridian, Mississippi on November 14, 1930. She earned a B.S. from Tennessee A & I State College and a M.S. from Tennessee A & I State University in music education. Ms. Collins also received a M.A. from the University of Denver in librarianship. Her emphasis in music education was in elementary vocal music. She taught in the Meridian Separate School District in Meridian, MS from 1950-57 and was Music Specialist for Jones County Schools, Laurel, MS from 1959-61. Mrs. Collins taught in the Littleton, CO schools from 1965-1986. She also taught at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley from 1973-74.

Ms. Collins was the first black Colorado choral director, exhibitor, clinician, and composer to make presentations for the Colorado Music Education Association meetings. She and her husband, Clinton C. Collins, founded the Rocky Mountain Musicians Association of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. in 1976.

Among her many honors, Ms. Collins' biography has been listed in the International Who's Who in Music, the World's Who's Who of Women, and the Who's Who of American Women. She received a certificate of appreciation from the governor of Colorado in 1976 for being a community leader. Other honors include the National Association of Negro Musicians Achievement Award in 1978, the Colorado Music Educators Honor Award in 1982 and 1989, and the Rocky Mountain Musicians Association Outstanding Service Award in 1985. Ms. Collins was also placed on the National Honor Roll of American Volunteers by the Points of Light Foundation in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Collins has presented many public lectures, such as one entitled, "A Taste of Classical and Art Music by Composers of African Descent." Residing in Denver, Colorado, she continues to organize performances of black professional musicians and publishes her own songs and poems.