James Bland:
Composer/Songwriter, James Bland Was Born On October 22, 1854, In Flushing, New York.
Bland Was A Mulatto Of Mixed African, Native American And European Blood. His Father Was One Of The First Black College Graduates In America.
James Bland Was Given His First Instrument, A Banjo, By His Father. By The Age Of 14, He Was Performing Professionally.
Often Called "The World's Greatest Minstrel Man," And "The Prince Of Negro Performers," Bland Traveled The East Coast And Europe In Minstrel Shows, From 1875 Until 1881. He Was The Star Attraction With His Ballad, "O Dem Golden Slippers."
He Remained In Europe ---Which He Felt Was Less Racist Than America --- For More Than A Decade. There He Became A Star Entertainer, Earning $10,000.00 A Year From His Stage Shows And Music Royalties.
Bland Returned To The U.S. In The Early 1900's. Minstrel Shows Had Been Replaced By Vaudeville. Bland's Brand Of Entertainment Was No Longer In Demand And He Eventually Went Broke.
He Died Of Pneumonia, In 1911, In Philadelphia. He Was 56 Years Old.
During His Lifetime, James Bland Wrote More Than 600 Songs. One Of His Best Remembered Tunes Is "Carry Me Back To Old Virginny," Which Became Virginia's State Song In 1940.
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
