[title]
When Louis Armstrong sang the inimitable lyric "I hear babies cry, I watch them grow," he was referencing the kids in his neighborhood of Corona and East Elmhurst, according to Regina Bain, executive director of the famed musician's namesake museum. And a new oral exhibit this fall will give a voice to his Queens community, highlighting the people who grew up next to Louis and Lucille Armstrong.
Titled "The Corona Collection," the new exhibition at The Louis Armstrong House Museum will debut on October 2 and run through March 2026. Throughout, hear the voices of the Armstrongs' neighbors as they recount cherished memories, share heartfelt stories and dig into neighborhood histories. These oral histories offer an intimate look into the couple's life and their deep community connection.
RECOMMENDED: The best museum exhibitions in NYC right now
Among the 15 neighbors who shared their stories, one of the featured narrators is Willie Johnson, who grew up in Corona. As a child, he was featured in an iconic photo sitting on the Armstrong steps and learning to play the trumpet. Johnson offers rich reflections on the tight-knit community that surrounded the Armstrongs.
"Louis Armstrong instilled in me that whatever light you have within yourself, don't stifle it. Allow for it to shine. He would always say, keep your head up and don't ever let someone make you behave other than who you are. Louis Armstrong taught me that art is creativity at its finest, so I got into playing music. He didn’t glamorize himself with me because of his fame and his music. He was more humble, caring and understanding," Johnson said in a press release.
Another interviewee, James Blake grew up in the neighborhood and at one point lived next door to the Armstrongs. The house he once lived in was later abandoned and put up for sale. In 1971, The Armstrongs purchased the property and transformed it into a beautiful garden, now part of the historic house.
"The music was wonderful, but the man was even greater," Blake said.
To celebrate the opening of the new exhibition, the museum will host a special community event on Saturday, October 4, honoring the contributors to The Corona Collection and the neighborhood itself. The celebration will feature special screenings of the oral histories, guided tours, food and music.
Louis Armstrong instilled in me that whatever light you have within yourself, don't stifle it.
"This is a portrait, not just of the Armstrongs, but of the power of community," Bain said about the exhibit.
If you've never been to The Louis Armstrong House Museum, it's home to the Armstrongs' historic home, as well as a museum featuring artifacts and exhibits. Tours of the home are available. It's the largest archive for a jazz musician with 60,000 photos, recordings, manuscripts, letters and mementos.