Thomas Alexandre Dumas: The First Black French General – by Doug Daye

Did you know that the famous books, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers were based on a Black man? Writer Alexandre Dumas’ novels were inspired by the life of his father Thomas-Alexandre Dumas who was the highest-ranking Black leader in the French military and served under Napoleon Bonaparte.

Villa Finale’s copy of The Count of Monte Cristo in the museum’s library.

Dumas was born on March 25, 1762 in Saint Dominique which is now Haiti. His father was a white French nobleman named Marquis Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie and his mother, Marie Cassette Dumas, was his African slave. In his youth he studied at the Academy of Nicolas Texier de La Boëssière, where he received a noble gentleman’s education. He learned swordsmanship under Chevalier de Saint-George, who was an accomplished violinist, also of mixed race. (***Be sure to watch the film “Chevalier”!!!  Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/-LtCIImfSCk ***)  

“Portrait of a Hunter in a Landscape, attributed to Louis Gauffier (1762-1801), is said to be a portrait of General Dumas.” From Harvard Magazine

Dumas decided to join the French Army in 1786. Gentlemen who came from a noble family background, like he did, could enlist as an officer. However, due to his mixed race, he had to enlist as a private. Despite this, Dumas rose quickly in the ranks due to his admirable display of courage and strength. By 1792, he became corporal and was recognized for being a fierce leader during the battle between Austria and Prussia. During the French Revolution, he became a member of the all Black French unit La Légion Américaine or the Black Legion. After this, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the Black Legion. The legion was so successful under his leadership that Dumas was promoted to General of La Légion Américaine in 1793, making him the first Black person to become general in the French Army!

Bonaparte at the siege of Toulon, 1793 (from Wikipedia).

In 1794, Dumas began to have health complications and had to take leave to recover which lasted 2 years. After his hiatus, he returned to battle in the Alps in 1796 but was demoted in rank and not given command of the unit. Being upset about this, he requested transfer and was sent to fight in Italy under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte. While Dumas was greatly admired and a victorious general under Napoleon, the relationship between the two was turbulent. Dumas did not agree with Napoleon’s decisions as a leader. Napoleon even became envious of Dumas, during his campaign in Egypt, when the Egyptians mistook Dumas as commander because of his impressive physique and height. After a dispute, Dumas requested to return to France. He was shipwrecked and taken prisoner along with the rest of the ship’s passengers in the Italian city of Taranto for two years.

Thomas-Alexandre Dumas portrait by Guillaume Guillon-Lethière ca. 1797 (from Wikipedia)

During his time in captivity, Dumas was malnourished and kept from all communication. By the time he was released in 1801, he was in poor health. He was denied the full pension usually given to French military officers to support their families. Because of this, he struggled to support his family when he returned to France. He wrote several letters to Napoleon, who ignored them all. Dumas died of stomach cancer at the age of 43 in 1806, leaving his wife and son Alexandre deep in poverty as a result of Napoleon’s resentment. (Napoleon also supposedly died of stomach cancer later in 1821….hmm.)

Monument to Dumas that was destroyed by the Nazis in he 1940s (from https://anosgrandshommes.musee-orsay.fr/index.php/Detail/objects/5083).

It is easy to see why Alexandre Dumas was inspired by his father to write these famous novels. For years, the story of Thomas Alexandre Dumas had been obscured from history. In 1913, a monument was inaugurated in honor of Dumas in Place Malesherbes. However, the monument was torn down in World War II by the German military for being “offensive.” In 2009, a new monument dedicated to Dumas was built to replace the one the Germans destroyed. In 2002, he was entombed in the Panthéon mausoleum along with other notable French individuals.

Author Alexander Dumas (Getty Images).

Find out more about Thomas Alexandre Dumas here:

https://enslaved.org/fullStory/16-23-92891/

https://www.ontheshoulders1.com/the-giants/thomas-alexandre-dumas#/

Celebrating Black Inventors and Innovators: Part 7

Doug’s final post on Black inventors and innovators is here! We know you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have.

Doug Daye

Biscuit Cutter

From the Villa Finale Collection.

Alexander P. Ashborne was a well-known and respected caterer in Philadelphia when he came up with the idea to reinvent the way biscuits were made. While working at the 1863 Emancipation Celebration, he noticed the biscuits were hand patted and lacked definition. This led him to design a spring-loaded biscuit cutter that would allow biscuits to have more shape and form. His cutter included a board to make loading and unloading simpler. It also included metal plates with various shapes. The cook could press down on the plate to cut the dough into shapes. He received the patent for his design on November 20, 1876.

Fountain Pen and Hand Stamp

From the Villa Finale Collection

From the Villa Finale Collection

William Purvis was born into an influential family of abolitionists, educators, businessmen, and poets so his inspiration for innovation came as no coincidence. Though he had numerous other inventions, he was best known for the improvements he made to the fountain pen. His pen allowed for the elimination of ink bottles and instead used stored ink in a reservoir inside the pen. An elastic tube connected the ink reservoir and the tip of the pen. The suction and pressure in the tube regulated the flow of the ink which depended on the force and speed of the writer. The unused ink was then returned to the reservoir. He received the patent for his invention on January 7, 1890. Purvis’s fountain pen has contributed to businesses all over by making office work cleaner and more affordable.

His other inventions include a hand stamp that was able to replenish its own ink. This was the first invention he received a patent for on February 27, 1883.  

Home Security System

From the Villa Finale Collection.

In 1969, Marie Van Brittan Brown received a patent for the first home security system, along with her husband, Albert. Brown worked long hours as a nurse and had to return home at night. Her husband, a technician, also worked irregular hours which meant that she would be home alone many nights. Fearful of being vulnerable in a neighborhood with high crime, Brown decided to figure out a way to see who was at her door if she heard knocking. In 1966 she went to work designing a security system with her husband’s assistance. The system included four peep holes, a sliding camera, television monitors, and two-way microphones. This created a closed-circuit television system for surveillance called CCTV. Brown’s invention contributed to the design of modern home security systems.

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about how Black inventors contributed to our society! Be sure to learn about more Black inventors and their inventions from the Black Inventions Museum: https://theblackinventionsmuseum.org

Also, please come visit us at Villa Finale to see these objects for yourself!

Celebrating Black Inventors and Innovators: Part 4

Doug has returned with part four of his blog looking at Black inventors and innovators. Do enjoy!

Doug Daye

Horseshoe

From Villa Finale’s Collection.

Oscar E. Brown received his patent for the improved horseshoe on August 3,1892. He produced

a double or compound horseshoe that involves an upper shoe that is attached to the animal and a

lower auxiliary shoe that is irremovable. The point of Brown’s invention was the provision of a

stable and reliable lock for fastening the lower shoe to the upper shoe. This would allow the

lower shoe to be promptly applied and removed from the upper shoe whenever the lower shoe

needed to be renewed or the calks needed resharpening.

Horse bridle bit

Print by Mary Bonner (from Villa Finale’s Collection).

On October 25, 1892, Lincoln F. Brown patented his horse bridle bit invention while residing in

Xenia, Ohio. His invention consisted of a feather or gag plate within a mouthbar, with long lever

arms where the reins were attached, and snap loops so that pulling back on the reins would apply

pressure to the horse’s tongue. This would cause discomfort to the horse’s mouth in efforts to stop the animal when trying to run away.

Horse Riding Saddle

From Villa Finale’s Collection.

While serving as a Buffalo Soldier, William D. Davis invented an improved model of the riding

saddle on October 6th, 1896. Davis, along with 5,000 men, served in the all-Black 9th and 10th

Cavalry that guarded the Western frontier in the last quarter of the 19th century. They were given

the task of making a 600-mile-long expedition to drive the Cree Indian tribe out of their

settlements for deportation to Canada. Since black soldiers were given the roughest stock,

Davis had the idea of inventing a saddle to make the ride more comfortable for riding on hard –

trotting horses. The saddle contained more durable springs under the seat and at the top of the stirrups. His invention made riding easier for calvary, cowboys, and male riders.

Celebrating Black Inventors and Innovators: Part 3

Doug has more fascinating information for our readers in part three of his series, “Celebrating Black Inventors and Innovators.”

Doug Daye

Corn Planter

Majolica pitcher in the shape of a corn husk (from the Villa Finale Collection).

Henry Blair was a farmer and inventor who became only the second black man to receive a U.S. patent for the mechanical corn planter in 1834. Though there is limited information about his early life, it is known that he was never enslaved (which determined his eligibility to apply for a patent since slaves could not apply for a patent with the U.S. government). He also ran his own commercial farming business despite the fact that he could not read or write. He received his patent on October 4, 1834 in Glen Ross, Maryland.  His design for the corn planter favored a wheelbarrow with a compartment that dispersed seed. Rakes attached to the back were dragged over the seed covering them with soil. Blair’s invention produced a more efficient way to plant crops and made labor easier for farmers.

Baby Buggy

Mathis family convertible high chair (from the Villa Finale Collection).

William H. Richardson made improvements to the baby buggy, for which received a patent on June 18, 1889, producing the first reversible baby carriage. Opposite of the original baby carriage design by Englishman William Kent in 1773, William’s design allowed for the bassinet to be turned facing the person operating the carriage. Changes were made so that the wheels would be able to turn individually, allowing the carriage to turn at a smaller radius of 360 degrees. He also designed the carriages to have the shape of a basket instead of a shell, like it was originally. Thanks to Richardson, strollers became more affordable and middle-class families were able to acquire them in the 1900s. He definitely made things a bit easier for parents and babysitters!

Lawn Mower

Villa Finale’s rear lawn.

John Albert Burr worked as a field hand in Maryland during his late teenage years after he was freed from slavery by the Emancipation Proclamation. His talent was recognized by wealthy black activists who made it possible for him to take engineering classes at a private university. He then went on to use his mechanical skills to service farm equipment and ended up moving to Chicago to become a steelworker. Later, in 1898, he filed his patent for the rotary lawn mower while living in Agawam, Massachusetts. His design helped limit clogs of grass and made it easier to cut closer to walls and fences. He also designed instruments for mulching, sifting, and dispersing grass clippings. His patent was finalized on May 9, 1899.

A Tribute to Scott Joplin: More Than Just the “King of Ragtime”

I remember hearing ragtime for the first time at age five during my first trip to Disneyland, along Main Street where they pipe in early 20^th century music and I have been a fan ever since, particularly of Scott Joplin, the “king of ragtime,” one of the greatest American composers in history.

Scott Joplin (from Wikipedia)

Early Life of Scott Joplin

Scott Joplin was born in either 1867 or 1868 in Texas to Giles, a former slave, and Florence Joplin, who was born a free woman. By the time he was five, Scott Joplin’s family had moved to the Texas side of Texarkana. Both of his parents played music, so it was little wonder the young Joplin showed musical brilliance. He would practice piano at the homes where his mother, who cleaned houses for a living, worked. Joplin’s father knew being a musician would mean a rough life for his son, especially being Black, so he was completely against his musical education while his mother encouraged it. This led to the end of the Joplin’s marriage.

Scott Joplin mural in Texarkana. (From arkansas.com)

There are a lot of holes in Scott Joplin’s life story. However, we know he eventually taught music in Texarkana until the late 1880s when he began traveling as a musician playing in bars and brothels. These were some of the few places where Black musicians could find steady work. He traveled to Chicago in 1893 for the World’s Fair and eventually moved to Sedalia, Missouri in 1894 where he studied at George R. Smith College. Here, he learned to write music and became a piano teacher.

Ragtime: The Rock-n-Roll of Its Time

Ragtime was not invented by Scott Joplin but he did popularize it with his clever and upbeat compositions. Ragtime was born out of African folk music which had syncopated rhythms, that is, music that has unpredictable beats. This was revolutionary at the time. The name “ragtime” is due to the music having “ragged time.” Ragtime as a genre had been around for some time but it didn’t become nationally popular until the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 when it became “main stream.” Young people, especially, loved the music and doing the Cake Walk to ragtime. More traditional audiences believed Ragtime was corrupting the minds and morals of American youth.

“The Cakewalk” (from pages.stolaf.edu: Race, Identity, and Representation in American Music )

Joplin’s Rise to Fame

According to one account, while playing at The Maple Leaf Club a man named John Stark, who was a publisher and owned a music store, approached Joplin to ask if he was interested in selling sheet music of his original compositions. Joplin agreed but only if he received royalties from sales, not a flat-out fee as was the custom at the time. The men agreed at a 1% royalty per sheet music sold, a very smart move by Joplin who insured himself a somewhat steady source of income. His first published piece with Stark, “The Maple Leaf Rag,” sold over one-million copies in 1899 making it one of the first – if not, the first – hit song in American music history.

The First All African-American Opera

Scott Joplin was more than a ragtime musician and composer, and he wanted to prove his talents beyond the genre that made him famous. He apparently wrote a piano concerto, a symphony, an opera called “A Guest of Honor,” and a musical. Sadly, the manuscripts to these works didn’t survive so we will never know the joys of hearing this music. However, his dream project completed in 1911, an opera he called Treemonisha was published, but not with a lot of financial and emotional pain.

(From the Library of Congress)

Treemonisha was seen as controversial at the time for its social message: it was the story of a Black woman who leads her community out of ignorance through knowledge and education. Joplin could not find anyone interested in publishing the work, so he paid for it himself, a very costly endeavor. Further, getting the opera funded proved impossible as it was an expensive undertaking, and there was very little interest in sinking money into an all-Black opera. The most Joplin could manage was a read-through performance in 1915 in Harlem, with Joplin playing the score on the piano: no costumes or sets. The performance did not impress possible financial backers who attended.

Heartbroken, financially ruined, and suffering from syphilis induced dementia, Joplin died on April 1, 1917 at the age of 48. The king of ragtime, one of the greatest American composers to ever live, was buried in an unmarked grave.

Revival

The 1970s saw a ragtime and Joplin revival. Composer and musician Joshua Rifkin recorded and released Scott Joplin Piano Rags in 1970. In 1973 the soundtrack for the movie The Sting featured multiple Joplin compositions. Although the film took place in the late 1930s, not at the height of the genre’s popularity, ragtime was used due to the lightheartedness and humor expressed in the songs. Joplin’s “The Entertainer” hit #3 on the Billboard pop charts in 1974, seventy-two years after it was first written.

The Sting soundtrack (from calendar.songfacts.com)

In 1972, sixty-one years after Joplin’s death, Morehouse College and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra joined forces for the first full staging of Treemonisha. This truly American opera is a magnificent musical blending of spirituals, folk, and ragtime. For his contributions to American music, Joplin posthumously received the Pulitzer Prize in 1976. His unmarked grave was finally given a marker in 1974.

The pre-performance of Treemonisha in Atlanta, 1972 (from syncopatedtimes.com)

If you haven’t taken the time to truly listen to Scott Joplin’s music, play it and let your ears capture all the wonderful dancing notes as they take you through a captivating musical journey. Scott Joplin was an American genius, one who should be celebrated, studied, and listened to year-round.

(Below you can see a clip of the Houston Grand Opera’s staging of Treemonisha. This is the final number, “A Slow Rag.” One can hear the clear sounds of Americana in this piece. A full performance is available on YouTube. Keep scrolling for a bonus video.)

Villa Finale’s collection contains several mechanized musical instruments, a couple of them contain rolls featuring ragtime. This is Villa Finale’s reproducing piano playing “Egyptian Rag” by Percy Wenrich, 1910.)

Nina Simone: Artist, Activist

Doug Daye is back with a great post during Black History Month: a profile of Nina Simone. Do enjoy!

Doug Daye

When I was a teenager, I remember going to a Black History program that was put on at Abilene Christian University, in my hometown of Abilene, TX. The song “Feeling Good” started to play during a brief intermission and I instantly fell in love with the song. It was so poetic and the singer’s voice was so haunting. I looked at my program to see if the song and artist was listed and I found that it was Nina Simone. I did not know much about her at the time, but later I learned more about her life. She was a well-respected musician and singer who put out prolific blues ballads like “I Put A Spell On You” and songs for liberation during the civil rights era such as “Four Women” and “Young Gifted and Black.” With her sultry voice and her powerful storytelling, Nina Simone was a jazz icon whose legacy is still honored to this day.

Early Life and Education

Young Eunice Kathleen Waymon (from ncarts.org)

Born in Tryon, North Carolina on February 21st, 1933, Eunice Kathleen Waymon was a gifted prodigy. She started playing piano by ear at the age of three! Her parents, recognizing her talent, provided opportunities for her to play piano in church where her mother preached. She went on to study classical music with an English woman by the name of Muriel Mazzanovich where she developed a love for classical artists such as Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, and others. After Waymon graduated as valedictorian from high school, her community raised the funds for her to attend Julliard in New York City before she applied to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. However, she was denied admission to the institute because of her skin color. This and other events growing up in the Jim Crow south inspired her to speak out against racial discrimination.

Music Career

While teaching music to local students, Waymon auditioned at the Midtown Bar and Grill in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where she soon gained recognition. To hide the fact she was singing in bars from her mother, she changed her name to Nina Simone. She was later signed to King Records after being recognized after a performance in New Hope, Pennsylvania. During a recording session in 1956 she sang “My Baby Just Cares For Me” which had been covered by other jazz artists such as Nat King Cole. This song launched Nina’s career and it was later used in a commercial for Chanel perfume in the 1980s. She went on to move to New York City where she was signed to Copix Records and gave various live performances. She was a featured artist at the famous Newport Jazz Festival and had other great successes.

My Baby Just Cares for Me album cover (from discogs.com)

Nina Simone also used her songs to speak out against racial injustice. Her song “Mississippi Goddam” was banned in the South but she did not let it deter her. Violent events during the Civil Rights Movement inspired her to use her music to condemn racism. By putting out songs like “Strange Fruit” and “Four Women,” Nina took risks by using her voice as a platform for liberation at a time when many artists were reluctant to do so.

Nina Simone by Jack Robinson (from photos.com by Getty Images)

With a long rewarding career behind her, Nina Simone passed away in April 2003. Many artists paid tribute to her including Patti Labelle and Ossie Davis, who attended her memorial service, and Elton John who sent flowers.

Nina Simone’s Childhood Home Tour

With funding efforts from the National Trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, the World Monuments Fund, and Preservation North Carolina, Nina Simone’s childhood home has been saved from demolition. This was done as the beginning of an ongoing effort to preserve Nina Simone’s early life and legacy for future generations. The National Trust website features a virtual tour of her home where viewers can get a glimpse of her humble beginnings.

View the virtual tour and learn more about funding efforts here:

https://savingplaces.org/stories/take-a-virtual-tour-of-nina-simones-childhood-home#.X_9jwWjYoWU

https://savingplaces.org/press-center/media-resources/nina-simone-childhood-home-permanently-protected#.X_9ewmjYoWU

Learn more about Nina Simone here:

Biography

American Jazz Museum: Conserving Jazz Music’s Cultural Legacy by Doug Daye

Doug is back to give us his impression of another great museum in the United States: The American Jazz Museum in Kansas City. Enjoy taking this short trip with us!

Doug Daye

The weather remains on the slightly cooler side, so what better way to enjoy going out for a stroll to take in the colorful, falling leaves, while listening to Billie Holiday sing jazz classic “Autumn In New York.” Of course, in San Antonio, the trees stay green year-round so it may be hard to take pleasure in the season but, hey, it’s fun to dream! Learn more about jazz artists like Billie Holiday at the American Jazz Museum!

In 1997, the American Jazz Museum officially opened in Kansas City, MO, in the historic district of 18th and Vine, which had been revitalized due to efforts by the community and city investments. The museum’s opening served as a momentous occasion in Kansas City’s history by helping to build on the heritage of the 18th and Vine District, which historically was a thriving community built by African Americans in the midst of segregation. Its grand opening ceremony featured many notable artists including Al Jarreau, Dianne Reeves, Tony Bennett, Harry Belafonte and more! It is the only museum that is dedicated to preserving the legacy and achievements of jazz music and works to educate the public on its significance.

From the American Jazz Museum webpage.

Museum Highlights

The museum offers many captivating exhibits and online activities as well! There is so much to see and do!!

Main Jazz Exhibit – Explore displays featuring many jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and Charlie Parker, while looking at the vibrant neon signs that make it seem like you’re strolling around the city at night!

Louis Armstrong (from Legacy.com)

Jazz In Film: John H. Baker Jazz Film Collection – Learn about jazz music’s influence in the film and TV industry by exploring early jazz artists that made significant achievements in the industry.

The Blue Room Jazz Club – Named after the historic 1930s street club, this serves as a venue for well-known and local artists while showcasing displays of the great jazz artists of the past and present!

American Jazz Museum interior (from news.visitkc.com)

Take the virtual tour and learn more about the American Jazz Museum here: https://americanjazzmuseum.org/ajmathome

Be sure to also check out the museum’s selected playlists on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/user/5vq93agtrg8h0va9nme1zyj8g

Also check out more information about the American Jazz Museum and other historical sites on the National Trust website! https://savingplaces.org/distinctive-destinations/american-jazz-museum#.X2DmKozYoWU