1. Using the theory that Mary Lou Williams was the inspiration for other jazz artists of her time, show how her music and performances are reflected in other jazz artists, notably those of so-called innovators like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, etc. 2. The life and career of Mary Lou Williams can be used as a model and inspiration for others, but especially for young African-American women. The following exercise will address this phenomenon. 1. Working in small groups, have each group will select an example of an African-American woman who has achieved success within the last twenty-five years. 2. Research the woman's life and career for the purpose of comparing her pursuit of artistic perfection to that of Mary Lou Williams" efforts. Use the school's library, the Internet, etc., to collect the information. 3. Create a time line of the woman's life and career for the purpose of presenting the information to the class. Place the time line on a poster, overhead, etc., for presentation to the class. 4. Develop a statement that takes a position on the life and career of the woman, in terms of her success, struggles, achievements, etc. 5. Submit research notes for the purpose of validating the information that has been collected. 6. Create a works cited page with at least three sources. Use proper MLA format. 7. Each group will give their information to the class in a formal presentation. 8. Each member of the group will be assigned a particular task for the presentation, such as: a. Formal introduction about the selected woman. b. Presentation of biological information about the woman. c. Discussion of the time line. d. Discussion of the woman's accomplishments. e. Comparison and contrast to the life and career of Mary Lou Williams. f. Concluding statements.