Dr. McClinton speaks at Bath Public Library

“Local Treasures” is the name of the presentation Dr. Calvin McClinton will be giving, Thursday afternoon in Bath County. Dr. McClinton graduated from Allegheny High School, and lives in Covington, Virginia.   Two of his areas of expertise are local Civil War History and the history of Wrightsville in Allegheny County. Among the topics he may cover are: Wrightsville founders, Archie and Mary Wright, along with the Wrightsville School, the Wrightsville Church, the Blakey Taxi Service, the Wrightsville Garden Club, and businesses such as the Heritage Museum.

He is also knowledgeable about Green Pastures, now known as the Longdale Recreation Area built by Civilian Conservation Corps between 1938 and 1940.

Dr. McClinton is very accomplished as an international music theatre specialist. He is founder and president of the McClinton Musical Theatre Arts Foundation in Romania, and The McClinton Foundation in the United States;

As a professor of theatre, and musical theatre studies he taught at Lake Michigan College, Benton Harbor; Howard University, Washington, DC; and Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. He also taught internationally at The National University of Theatre and Film, Bucharest, Romania, and The National Korean University of Art in Seoul, Korea. He is a Senior Fulbright Scholar and Alumnus to Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, and Korea.

Dr. McLinton performed with Eddie Bracken at The Michigan Opera Theatre in Detroit; At the Spoleto Festival in Italy he shared the stage with Zubin Mehta. He also recorded with Christian music composers Avery and Marsh on their album “A Song for All Seasons”; Dave Brubeck on his album “The Gates of Justice;” and, Gig Young, Shirley Booth, Lillian Gish and Jesse White, at the Central City Opera, Colorado. In New York he starred in the world premier of English composer, Sir Malcolm Williamson’s opera, “Dustin and the Devil.”

In addition to all his talent, over the years, Dr. McLinton used his own time and treasure to establish the Golden Arrow Plaza Restaurant in Covington, and the Wrightsville Heritage Museum which opened in 2009. Visitors to the museum can see artifacts and memorabilia pertaining to the history of African American families from the Allegheny Highlands with a special emphasis on Wrightsville history.

Residents in addition to Archie and Mary Wright who inspired with their own achievements, and encouraged and led succeeding generations were Gretal Anderson, Stephanie R. Clark, Bimbo Coles, Pastor Alfred (Mustard) Dearing, Dr. Marcus L. Martin, Evelyn Harvey Spurlock, Linton Townes, B.C. Williams Jr., and William (Junior) Young. So, for lovers of history and of music, Dr. Calvin McClinton’s presentation will take place at four o’clock, Thursday afternoon at the Bath Public Library in Warm Springs.