300th YEAR CELEBRATION THE BLACK COMMUNITY Music and the Fine and Secular Arts The Detroit History That Nobody Knew (or Bothered to Remember) 1800-1900 Part 1

By Professor Arthur R. LaBrew

INTRODUCTION In the 300th year since the founding of the city of Detroit, Michigan, the editor thought a new glimpse of the history of blacks would prove enlightening. Beginning the search for materials, which would enhance such a project in 1967, it was discovered that original documents were scarce in the archives of both the city and state. Thus in 1969 when researcher Roberta McBride, librarian at Wayne State University suggested that a committee of people look into this matter a temporary group was formed. That committee consisted of the following: Roberta McBride, Josephine Love, Marguerite Farmer, Arthur LaBrew and Bernice Springer.

The committee elected LaBrew as its chairman and immediately began a project to identify source materials located in Detroit and elsewhere throughout the state of Michigan. Contacts were made throughout the city of people who had materials which could be shared, i.e., copied or donated to the Burton Historical Collection.

The remains of that project was completed by Mrs. McBride and after her death donated to the archives at the Walter Reuther Library. The editor’s background in music research enabled him to search within the community for materials pertinent to his specialty. It was soon discovered that much of the music performances generally occurred within the framework of every day events, many of which were unchronicled or simply forgotten.

Modern researchers usually limit their studies to a particular aspect of history. However, it was felt by this writer to incorporate music and the fine arts concepts within the general history which would serve as a theme for uniting the Afro-American experience when viewing the whole of the nineteenth century.

Scholars of history have been notoriously lax in delineating the history of black musicians in Detroit during the nineteenth century. In fact, full identification of all blacks in Detroit has generally remained unchallenged. Therefore it was concluded that the black perspective should have parameters surrounded by evidence from the black community itself, especially expressions regarding its likes and dislikes of different music genres. Our treatment of “black music” and the “fine and secular arts” which did not exist in a vacuum involves many tangents and co-tangents. They were present, however, at events both public and private. Therefore such events are carefully illustrated and fully commented upon in this study. Black music by itself is the underlying theme but viewed in relation to other contemporaneous events.

Music of many blacks is often personal in expression. This is similar to customs found in some African countries. However, there are vast differences! It is readily admitted that blacks are susceptible to all the nuances of musical taste, however, local, regional and national divisionalism has obscured much that was fundamental in its development in Detroit.

One may ask “How was this allowed to occur when there were always black musicians around to explain and add significantly to that which was already known?” According to the opinion of an early black historian: PENCIL PUSHER’S POINTS. A Philadelphia Scribe Whose Writings Struck Home. The Philadelphia Tribune has a column each week written by one who styles himself the Pencil Pusher, and who gives his readers each week a column of matter made after the style of The Plaindealer’s “Bazoo.” Among his topics last week were the following: We are strong in number, but the trouble is the majority of our people are too week [sic] in spirit, ambition, enterprise and progressive race efforts. Too many seem content to sum up their lives with the words birth, existence, death, and never realize the awful responsibilities to themselves, their families, society and God. Among the needs of our race that would do more than many other things to push up the plane of life, is more confidence in each other. A white man’s word often goes too far with us, in opposition to one of our own race. Very true, colored men have deceived us; but haven’t white men? I never did believe that we must have a black angel to match a white devil. If a man lies, whether white or black, he is a liar, if he steal(s), whether black or white, he is a thief. We must learn to become more disposed to judge our own race fairly; we must be more just to ourselves first, then generous to others. We often hear this tom-fool talk about the colored people stealing. We forget that some white man will steal $100,000 from a bank robbing orphans and widows, while it would take, perhaps, 100,000 colored thieves to steal the same amount. A fell [on] once said he would as soon hang for a horse as a dog. So we think if we criticize colored thieves, it should be by saying “they steal so little.” I do not wish to apologize for stealing. I don’t believe colored people are any worse than other people in any respect. In general, human nature is much alike, but if anybody has the advantage of deviltry, it is the white man.

I have heard that some newspaper men say they could get along nicely if people would only pay what they owe. This is not the fault found with Philadelphia journalists. The main trouble with Quaker city people is, they are not broad and liberal enough. Papers published by white men publish in minute detail about the vices or virtues of the masses, and the masses (white) have intelligence enough to know such publications are made because the matter referred to is news. A wealthy man sues for divorce, and if the case is unsavory, wealth nor station can not shield them [sic] from public print. The misconduct of a pastor, school teacher or merchant receives the same general airing in the public press. The Negro of the present hears a vast deal but knows very little about “the liberty of the press.” Colored people generally are so narrow that the very minute such style of news is published in a paper edited by colored men, they conclude it is done for malice, etc., and their verdict is “down must go McGinty to the bottom of the sea.”

To this writer, well aware of the message sent by this sage in 1889 and continued by him well into the 20th century, this document has meaning for today’s reader. However, the author is aware of other equally valuable conundrums including the following: [1827] Shall it be said . . . that while the friends of Religious Liberty are battling in our cause, amidst the scorn and contempt that follows the assertion that we are men, that we are giving our moneyed influence to Theatres, where our color and ignorance are made the subject of merriment to a heedless rabble? or the anonymous writings of a black editor who penned the following post-civil War story: Two grade school children, formerly slaves, were entered into school for their first lessons after the War. The white teacher, eager in her pursuit with great anticipation, asked each child to give his/her name. At that time school was taught in a one-room cabin and the children separated by grades in separate rows. When it came time for the young girl in the second grade row to give her name she hesitated until prodded by the teacher, “What is your name.” Hesitatingly, she said P i s - y.

The teacher was taken aback but spoke coaxingly to the child and said: “You are no longer a slave and can give me your real name.” Again the second grade child used the same word.

Exasperated, the teacher threatened to send the girl home if she used the “vulgar” word again. The girl began to cry and turning to her brother in the first grade row said: “Come on, Shi - t y” she ain’t gonna believe you either.”

During these many years of research activity, the editor has been beset with questions from many researchers regarding Detroit’s black community (see in bibliography). In giving them much of the necessary help for their dissertations, etc., it seemingly undermined much of our own work. Thus when approaching various publishers and agencies regarding the theme of “black music and the fine arts” as a worthy publication there was extreme skepticism – so much so that we were forced to look inward for strength to continue this project.

As in any research project, finance was the chief concern. While those in strategic places enjoyed a comfortable existence, we were forced to merely “eke” it out by using our personal resources for each step up the road. Travel to other cities, libraries, museums, personal visits to the homes of music artists was limited. Then too, many of the necessary newspaper sources were not filmed (such as the Indianapolis Freeman) and hours were spent pouring over the originals copying by hand important details.

After thirty-odd years, we have now arrived at a point where the vastness of our partial research can be presented to the public in a form which they can easily use in their personal researchers. In presenting this somewhat chronological survey, it will be relatively easy for others to retrace our steps Today’s information conscious society demands that one documents his sources. Our personal wish was to follow the model of late nineteenth century publications such as Henry Farmer’s History of Detroit, etc. Such books are not filled with foot or end note baggage and are most reliable. A parallel in the music field is James Monroe Trotter’s Music and Some Highly Musical People (Lee & Shepards, Philadelphia, 1878) whose veracity has been vouchsafed.

One of our deepest regrets is that many of the black citizens active during the 19th century who made contributions cannot be further highlighted in our study. Many families had no survivors and therefore no modern ancestor to write their stories.

Such is the life-story of Benjamin Willoughby (c. 1774–1858) who was manumitted in 1816 in Maryland and arrived in Detroit about 1830 (see copy of manumission paper in Appendix). He and his wife, Deborah (b. South Carolina), had no children. He worked as a laborer managing to acquire some money which he often lent out to others. He paid city taxes and the school tax (1848 of .89 cents). After his death, William Lambert was named administrator in 1859 of his estate amounting to $5,000. Others led such lives which speak to other kinds of tragedies of which modern ancestors refuse to speak about or acknowledge. [“O for a thousand tongues.”]

To those who have been fortunate in preserving their histories we have great admiration. However, the black history would have been more enriched if others had similarly persevered!

The reader is invited to view this documentary as a journey in time and to witness some of the people and events encountered during this particular century. It has been most carefully researched to particularly show how the history unfolded in as chronological a manner as possible. Therefore general summaries of people and events fall into a particular time frame. This has permitted the writer to index names of people who should be further researched. Only then will this enrichment be of value in subsequent years.