The Canadian Jubilee Singers were a group of black African-American singers and musicians. The group was based on the successful Fisk Jubilee Singers from Fisk University in Tennessee, but the singers in the Canadian group were almost all from the Hamilton area of Ontario Canada.
The Canadian Jubilee singers made their appearance in 1878 when William and Sadie Carter organized the group.It became very successful and toured Great Britain for 5 years and United States for 3.
- Prof. Cockbin of Hamilton – bass
- Maud Young – soprano from Hamilton
- Alice Dowden - Soprano from Hamilton
- Mrs. Bland-O’Banyoun – mezzo soprano married to Josephus O'Banyon
- Ernest O’Banyoun son of Josephus, Baritone
- Minnie Parker from Chatham
- Mrs. Cockbin, Hamilton, accompanist wife of Professor Cockbin
- James Escort (Jimmie) Lightfoot
- Nathan Warner, trombone
- Hattie Butler
- James Thomas
- W. T. Cary and his wife Fannie Stewart
Over the month of February I will be posting bios with the research I have done on several of the members of the group. Given how difficult it has been to find information on them, I think it even more important to publish on this blog what I have found. My hope is that they will not be forgotten or overlooked as an important part of Canadian history.
Credit: Image ID: 1240264. Famous Canadian Jubilee singers male quartette, plantation lullabies. ca 1890s. http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
Credit: Jubilee Singers Flyer Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. R5500-22
Credit: Jubilee Singers Flyer Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. R5500-22
Thank you for looking into this remarkable group. My wife and I have been researching them for quite a while as she has at least four family members who were part of the ensemble. This singing and music tradition continues with her family today. My brother-in-law was recently inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. My nephew was inducted, as part of Public Enemy, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. My wife was herself a successful singer/actress for a number of years. She has told me of trips to visit her great uncle in NYC. He was a member of the Famous Canadian Jubilee Singers as well as the Fisk Jubilee Singers. He lived in Harlem most of his adult life. This is a part of Candian history that should be as well documented in text books at it has been done by you.... thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI have lots of letters from 1914
DeletePlease contact me regarding the group and your research about the group. I feel I can add more info to your research, and hope you can provide more info for our research on the group. LHOPmuseumKS@gmail.com I can make copies of my photos, original book, newspaper articles, research, biographies, timeline, and genealogy on some of the individuals in the group and their geographical location. I look forward to hearing from you and learning more about this amazing subject and an important topic that needs to be shared and remembered in our society.
DeleteAlan, thank you for sharing on my blog. I am fascinated by these forgotten stories and forgotten/overlooked ancestors.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could document them all!
I am from a history museum in the Midwest, and doing research on Madame Marie Dorsa, who was a highly successful and famous solo soprano for the Famous Canadian Jubilee Singers, and toured with them for I believe 12 years. If you could contact me regarding the history of the group I would really appreciate it. I have a photo of 4 of the singers that is not public on the internet, and own one of their books from 1887. LHOPmuseumKS@gmail.com
DeleteBlack Canadians are not African Americans, they are Afro-Canadian.
ReplyDelete