Malcolm X Park Drum Circle

In a year that was filled with change, upheaval and pain, one thing has remained wonderfully the same – the Malcolm X Park Drum Circle.

While the streets and the city had become eerily quiet during the height of the pandemic, on Sunday afternoons and evenings the welcome sounds of the drums could still be heard in the city blocks surrounding Malcolm X Park.

For the first time ever, the drum circle gathered throughout the winter and if it was too cold or raining on a Sunday, the drummers and dancers met on a weekday instead.

For people who suddenly found themselves having to work from home everyday and whose social lives had come to a crashing halt, the drum circle has been very welcome relief. The large and uncrowded park provides the perfect space for people to safely gather and at least for a few hours dance, drum, laugh and enjoy themselves. For many regulars the drum circle has become even more of a family than ever before, relationships have become deeper, and many new friendships and bonds have been formed.

In a year that contained so much negativity the drum circle has been a rare gift: a chance to celebrate life and to feel joy. Here’s more of that joy:

The Drum Circle has existed for more than 50 years. To see how similar it looked pre-pandemic, please see our article on the Drum Circle from two years ago.

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All photographs copyright Rob Klug