Frederick Douglass & grandson Joseph, c1890s

Joseph Henry Douglass (July 3, 1871 – December 7, 1935) was a groundbreaking African-American concert

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

ist, the son of

Charles Remond Douglass Charles Remond Douglass (October 21, 1844 – November 23, 1920) was the third and youngest son of Frederick Douglass and his first wife Anna Murray Douglass. He was the first African-American man to enlist in the military in New York during the ...

and Mary Elizabeth Murphy, and grandson of abolitionist

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1817 or 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became ...

Early life and influence

During the time following the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, many African-American musicians began to break into the art music genre. Joseph Douglass, a concert violinist, was one of the first African-American performers to be nationally and internationally renowned. His influence came at an early age from his father and grandfather, famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who were both amateur violin players. He studied violin at

Boston Conservatory Boston Conservatory at Berklee (formerly The Boston Conservatory) is a private performing arts conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in dance, music, and theater. Boston Conservatory was founded ...

First big break

Douglass received his first big break as a concert violinist at the age of 22 when he performed at the

World's Columbian Exposition The World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) was a world's fair held in Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordi ...

, also known as the Chicago World's Fair. On August 25, 1893, performers joined together to celebrate Colored American Day (which Frederick Douglass helped plan). Included in the celebrations were readings of

Paul Laurence Dunbar Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Dayton, Ohio, to parents who had been enslaved in Kentucky before the American C ...

's poetry, performances by Sidney Woodward and Deseria Plato. Joseph Douglass also performed at Colored American Day, garnering him a large audience for his talents.

Later life

After his performance at the World's Columbian Exposition, he was very well known. Douglass is credited as the first Black violinist to make transcontinental tours. In the 1890s, he was lauded by the black press as "the most talented violinist of the race". Southern, Eileen (1997)

971 Year 971 ( CMLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Battle of Dorostolon: A Byzantine expeditionary army (possibly 30–40,000 men) ...

''The Music of Black Americans: A history'' (3 ed.). W. W. Norton & Company. . Douglass toured extensively for three decades, performing in every Black educational institution and America and a significant number of churches as well. Douglass was also the first Black violinist to make recordings for the

Victor Talking Machine Company The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer that operated independently from 1901 until 1929, when it was acquired by the Radio Corporation of America and subsequently operated as a subsidia ...

, in 1914, but they were never released. On top of his performance career, Douglass was an educator and conductor, too. He had tenured positions at

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a private, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity" and accredited by the Middle States Commissi ...

and the

Colored Music Settlement School The Music School Settlement for Colored People was a New York City school established and operated to provide music education for African-American children, who were generally excluded from other music schools. The school was founded in the memory ...

in New York throughout his life. He had many students including a young

Clarence Cameron White Clarence Cameron White (August 10, 1880 – June 30, 1960) was an American neoromantic composer and concert violinist. Dramatic works by the composer were his best-known, such as the incidental music for the play ''Tambour'' and the opera ''Ouang ...

Personal life

Douglass married Fannie Howard Douglass. Fannie was a musician as well, often accompanying Joseph's performances on the piano. He and Fannie had two children: Blanche and Frederick III.

References

External links

Joseph H. Douglass photographs and ephemera, 1894-1936

Houghton Library Houghton Library, on the south side of Harvard Yard adjacent to Widener Library, is Harvard University's primary repository for rare books and manuscripts. It is part of the Harvard College Library, the library system of Harvard's Faculty of Art ...

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Douglass, Joseph 1871 births 1935 deaths

Joseph Douglass Joseph Henry Douglass (July 3, 1871 – December 7, 1935) was a groundbreaking African-American concert violinist, the son of Charles Remond Douglass and Mary Elizabeth Murphy, and grandson of abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Early life and infl ...

American classical violinists Male classical violinists American music educators