April 2, 1918 Charles White, graphic artist and educator, was born in Chicago, Illinois. White became interested in art by the age of seven and at 14 was working as a sign painter. White earned a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago and graduated in 1937. After graduation, he joined the Works Project Administration […]
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September 26th in African American History – Bessie Smith
September 26, 1937 Bessie Smith, blues singer, died. Smith was born on April 15, 1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1912, she was hired as a dancer with the Moses Stokes troupe which included Ma Rainey. By the early 1920s, Smith had starred with Sidney Bechet in “How Come?,” a musical that made its way to […]
September 20th in African American History – Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (Jelly Roll Morton)
September 20, 1885 Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (Jelly Roll Morton), ragtime and jazz pianist, bandleader and composer, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. The date of his birth is not confirmed because no birth certificate has ever been found, but it is generally believed to be this date. At the age of 14, Morton began playing […]
September 19th in African American History – William Marcel “Buddy” Collette
September 19, 2010 William Marcel “Buddy” Collette, jazz tenor saxophonist, flautist, and clarinetist, died. Collette was born August 6, 1921 in Los Angeles, California. He began playing the alto saxophone at the age of 12 and at 17 started playing professionally. In the early 1950s, he worked as a studio musician and performed on the […]
February 25th in African American History – Robert Hayden
February 25, 1980 Robert Hayden, the first African American Poet Laureate to the Library of Congress, died. Born Asa Bundy Sheffey on August 4, 1913 in Detroit, Michigan, Hayden earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Detroit City College (later renamed Wayne State University) in 1942.
October 3rd in African American History – Charles White
October 3, 1979 Charles White, graphic artist and teacher, died. White was born April 2, 1918 in Chicago, Illinois. He became interested in art by the age of 7 and at 14 was working as a sign painter. White earned a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago and graduated in 1937. After graduation, he […]