Doris Evans McGinty, Music Professor, 79

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Doris Valean Evans McGinty, a musicologist and professor of music at
Howard University for many years, died April 5, 2005, of coronary
disease at Washington Hospital Center, at the age of 79.

Even as a youngster, she displayed a gift for music, particularly the
piano. She completed her bachelor's degree in music education at Howard
in 1945, with a second bachelor's in German. She also worked as a
librarian in the music department of the Library of Congress.

A mentor encouraged her to apply to Radcliffe College in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, where she received a master of arts degree in one year.
It was a significant feat, since she was the only African American in
her class and was taking a double load to finish in a year.

In 1947, she returned to Howard to teach music. She received a
Fulbright fellowship to study at Oxford University, where, after two
years, she received a doctorate in musicology in 1953. She was one of
the first American women to receive a doctorate in musicology from
Oxford.

Returning to Howard, she continued to teach and, for eight years,
chaired the music department. She retired in 1991.

As a musicologist, Dr. McGinty's focus was on the contributions of
African American musicians, particularly Washington DC area artists.
She also was an expert on 20th-century black musical comedy and the
growth of music study at Howard. Her publications include articles in
the Black Music Research Journal and contributions to a 1998 book on
Paul Robeson. In 2004, she edited the volume "National Association of
Negro Musicians: A Documentary History," published by the Center for
Black Music Research.

At Howard, she taught history of music courses required for music
majors, which allowed her to be in contact with most of the
department's undergraduate students, a number of whom became music
educators, musicologists, ethnomusicologists and performers. From 1976
through 2005, she helped prepare liner notes for the Howard University
jazz ensemble albums.

Survivors include her husband of 48 years, Milton O. McGinty of
Washington DC; three children, broadcaster Derek McGinty of Silver
Spring, Maryland, Dana McGinty of Washington DC and Lisa Toppin of
Castro Valley, California; and three grandchildren.

Washington Post

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