James A. Bland, Dancing On De Kitchen Floor, 1880

James Alan Bland (October 22, 1854 E?? May 5, 1911) was an African-American musician and songwriter. Born to a free family, his father was one of the first African-American college graduates (Oberlin College, 1845). Beginning with a banjo purchased by his father, he was performing professionally by age 14. Bland was educated in Washington, DC and graduated from Howard University in 1873. Bland was one of the most prolific minstrel composers of all time writing over 600 songs, including Carry Me Back to Old Virginny (1878), In the Morning in the Bright Light (1879), In the Evening by the Moonlight (1879), Oh! Dem Golden Slippers (1879), Hand Me Down My Walking Cane (1880) and De Golden Wedding (1880). Often called, The World's Greatest Minstrel Man, he toured the United States, as well as Europe. Appearing as, The Prince of Negro Songwriters, he was invited to give command performances for Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales. Music historian Alec Wilder calls Bland the black writer who broke down the barriers to white music publishers offices. He spent his later years in obscurity and died from tuberculosis in 1911 at the age of 56

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Bland Minstrel Negro Negroes Songwriters

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