Shannon Erickson, Author at

Independent Historian

As an army brat, Shannon Erickson has lived on both coasts and graduated from high school overseas. She is an undergraduate at the University of Washington and expects to graduate in 2009 with a BA in Drama and a minor in History. After graduating, Shannon hopes to earn a Masters in Teaching and eventually teach high school English.

J. Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954)

Composer, actor, and pioneer in his field, John Rosamond Johnson was one of the most successful of the early African American composers. Born on August 11, 1873 in Jacksonville, Florida, Johnson was the younger brother of prominent composer and civil rights leader James Weldon Johnson. … Read MoreJ. Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954)

Will Marion Cook (1869-1944)

Will Marion Cook was a talented musician, conductor, and composer born on January 27, 1869 in Washington, D.C. to John Hartwell Cook and Marion Isabelle Lewis. From 1884 to 1887 Cook studied violin at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He then studied abroad for two … Read MoreWill Marion Cook (1869-1944)

Flora Batson (1864-1906)

Flora Batson was an internationally acclaimed concert singer of the nineteenth century whose talent and prestige earned her the title “Queen of Song.” She was born on April 16, 1864 in Washington, D.C. online pharmacy buy imodium online no prescription pharmacy online pharmacy buy pepcid … Read MoreFlora Batson (1864-1906)

Eva Jessye (1895-1992)

Eva Jessye was a pioneer in the world of African American music and is recognized as the first black woman to receive international distinction as a choral director. She was born in Coffeyville, Kansas on January 20, 1895 to Albert and Julia Jessye, but was … Read MoreEva Jessye (1895-1992)

Harriet Gibbs Marshall (1868-1941)

A pioneer in the world of African American music education, Harriet Gibbs Marshall was born in Victoria, British Columbia on February 18, 1868 to Mifflin Wistar Gibbs and Maria Ann (Alexander) Gibbs. In 1869 her family moved to Oberlin, Ohio. Marshall began her study of … Read MoreHarriet Gibbs Marshall (1868-1941)

Mary Violet Leontyne Price (1927- )

Born to James and Kate Price on February 10, 1927, in Laurel, Mississippi, Leontyne Price became one of the world’s leading opera sopranos and among the first African Americans to gain prominence in major performance halls in that musical genre. Her parents were amateur musicians … Read MoreMary Violet Leontyne Price (1927- )

James A. Bland (1854-1911)

James A. Bland was an entertainer and a prolific composer who wrote sentimental songs about the American South for use in minstrel shows. Bland was born in Flushing, New York on October 22, 1854 to educated, free parents. He briefly studied at Howard University in … Read MoreJames A. Bland (1854-1911)

Cab Calloway (1907-1994)

Cab Calloway, a renowned jazz musician and bandleader, was born in Rochester, New York, to Cabell Calloway Jr. and Martha Eulalia Reed. He grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, where he attended high school and performed with a group known as the Baltimore Melody Boys. Calloway … Read MoreCab Calloway (1907-1994)

Gregory W. Meeks (1953- )

U.S. Congressman Gregory W. Meeks was born on September 25, 1953 in East Harlem, New York City. He was raised in a public housing project in East Harlem and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History with a minor in Political Science from New … Read MoreGregory W. Meeks (1953- )

Harry Thacker Burleigh (1866-1949)

Harry Thacker Burleigh was the first and one of the most influential of the African American composers who emerged in the U.S. after the Civil War. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1866, Burleigh showed an early passion for music and sang in local church choirs, … Read MoreHarry Thacker Burleigh (1866-1949)